*Smith's [don't want a misplaced apostrophe to suggest there were multiple Elliotts!]
2000 Great Songs #1356: Plainclothes Man. The dark ballad from Seattle's Heatmiser is essentially Elliott Smiths' I'm-ready-to-go-solo declaration, like most of his best work the prettiness on the outside clashing with something gnarly on the inside.
2000 Great Songs #1355: You've Come This Way Before. Relatively obscure 60s/70s actress Nancy Priddy (better known today as Christina Applegate's mom) records a highly obscure LP that crosses straight lounge pop with psychedelia and... it's curiously cool!
New-ish Releases: Been curled up with @thejunipers.bsky.social, who sound like they spent the weekend listening to Revolver and Pet Sounds (or maybe some Elephant 6 records & Teenage Fanclub) and headed into the recording studio. Lovely, mildly-psychedelic jangle pop.
"I only really needed alcohol, something that’ll treat me okay, and wouldn’t say the things you say..."
2000 Great Songs #1354: The Safety Dance. Sure, the 1980s hit from one (or two?) hit wonder Men Without Hats is a kinda-annoying guilty pleasure novelty tune, but one of those songs that perfectly conjures high school afternoons spent binging MTV.
Saturday night, when it‘s Fun To Be Happy.
"Your friends don't dance, and if they don't dance, well they're no friends of mine..."
"Feelin' a strange sensation, familiar old vibration..."
