95 North. . . The Newspaper

Hiss Golden Messenger is the musical moniker for singer/songwriter MC Taylor. In 2010, he released a stark, acoustic based album entitled Bad Debt . The album is full of late night brooding. . . a kitchen table lit by candles and a baby sleeping in the other room. The kinda dark hours where you're soul bursts, explores some dark territory, and scans all corners of the mind, trying to map meaning. The best of the batch of songs featured on Bad Debt is represented by "Jesus Shot me in the Head". A provocative title, for sure, meant to convey the radical act and nature of an instantaneous religious conversion experience. Here, the metaphor of salvation- or dying to your old self- comes in the form of Jesus' killing off one's old self, in order to be "born again". Often, born again conversion experiences are preceded by a life lived on the low, which is accurately described here- the rough friends, the Motel 6, the drugs, the drinking. . .it's all pa...

Most summer recipes call for long memories, a grandmother or two (if they're around, or at least the memory of them) rivers, companions, lakes, night skies, loons, and the months of June, July, and August. The big, circular-picked guitar rhythm that greets us on Big Thief's excellent 2019 song "Cattails" encompasses all of it, as we get locked into the sweetness of one of the best acoustic guitar patterns I've heard in a while. Wistful is the word, here, but of the light variety, like mulling over your problems by a river on a beautiful summer day. The circular, repeating guitar pattern, like Saturn's rings, reinforces the strong notion of seasons, natural cycles, and memory. The light does come shining. Just don't forget your lawn chair.

Up here in New England, I'm pleased to report that we actually had a spring. The occurrence of this important, transitional season, has set the proper conditions for the birth of an excellent start to a summer 2019 playlist. Here we go: "Diddy Bop" by Noname Noname is a Chicago poet at heart. Melodic, spacey keys pair with sharp hits on the snare and flourishes from a synth/bass to create a unique sound, not far from 90's era Outkast, with a bit more shimmer & soul on the edges. Here, we get a sense of Noname's world, as the realities of family and community push themselves to the forefront- the borrowed 20 dollars, old air conditioners, the stays with cousins when the light bill went unpaid at home. Despite summertime struggle, those stars in your pocket (the unique talents and perspectives we all have) just might be plentiful enough for sharing.  "Return to the Moon" El Vy Humans first landed on the moon in the middle of t...

I've spent the summer working at various Connecticut State Parks, and have often found myself alone with a mower or string trimmer, staring down the barrel of an open field of grass or a parking lot overgrown with weeds. While there is work to do, these moments of relatively mindless manual labor have called for one thing: podcasts. Underneath a green hat, in ear headphones, over ear hearing protection, and safety glasses my mind has been actively buzzing with a few great stories, conversations, and talks via the following podcasts: 1. Pod Dylan : Ever wanted to hear a forty minute conversation on an obscure Bob Dylan song such as "Covenant Woman"? If yes, than Pod Dylan is for you. Host Rob Kelly interviews Dylan fans of everyday ilk, combing over their appreciation of Bob's songs, one by one. Kelly is a gracious and interesting interviewer: he's a fan, and offers some insights into Bob that I've never heard before. When listening, you'll feel l...