Predicting ACL 2024: Other Music Festival Posters

I used to be a lot more snobby about which festivals I believed to be the top tier festivals (ACL, Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza) and which ones I looked down on as not nearly as cool or big time.  Now, I get a new festival lineup in my social feed daily and sometimes even the unknown ones have absolutely sick lineups.  And I wouldn't go watch Coachella's lineup if you paid me.  Good lesson for me to relax when the snobbish prick inside wants to be freed.

I wanted to try to come up with a collection of the artists who are appearing more frequently on these other posters, to see if we might come up with some folks who are "on the circuit" this year and therefore might pop by Austin in October.  A long time ago, Rob Harvilla made a killer spreadsheet that listed all of the lineups for the other festivals out there.  After 4 minutes of fruitless googleage, I guess no such thing still exists.  So, I found a Thrillist listicle thing that has a bunch of the posters from around the world, and I'll just piece this together with my own eyeballs.

Folks I have already talked about and won't belabor: Chris Stapleton (Innings, Jazz Fest, Railbird), Dave Matthews Band (Innings, Bourbon), Nicki Minaj, Rolling Stones (Jazz), Zach Bryan (Hangout, Bourbon), Pearl Jam (Bottlerock)

Folks who wouldn't come back to ACL so quickly: Noah Kahan, Foo Fighters, Hozier, SZA, RHCP

Folks with only one spot - Doja Cat, Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem, etc.

I don't see anyone who is just plastered all over all of the posters.  I would bet that there are several in the smaller type - this year's up-and-coming thing running as fast as they can - but none of the major headliners appears to be doing the super festival attack.

• Turnpike Troubadours (Innings, Railbird, Under the Big Sky).  I don't see it just because they are already headlining the Two Step in April.  Nah.
• Post Malone (Rolling Loud, Governors, Bonnaroo).  Personally, not my jam.  I know he is massively popular, and he would be an actual new addition to the ACL lineup historically (unless he was in small print one year and I don't recall), but I don't have to like it!  His super jenky website shows that he really has no tour happening right now, just six Festival gigs between March 9 and June 14.  He definitely has the time and space to be a part of ACL.  Sort of makes sense to me, as he'd be the big pop/rap on the poster for sure.  Sure.
• Lana Del Rey (Coachella, Hangout).  I feel like I do this every year, and yet she's never on the list.  Like Mr. Malone up above, she is not actually out on tour.  Just a handful of Festival dates from April 12 through August 25.  She's busy during Lolla though, with something in Milan, Italy called I Days.  For me, that makes her a no.
• No Doubt (Coachella).  I was trying to only do folks with multiple Festival dates, but it is a big enough deal (to me maybe) for No Doubt to pop back up on a poster, I wanted to look in to this one.  People on Reddit are convinced that they are exclusive to Coachella.  And maybe something called Riot Fest in September in Chicago.  Gwen Stefani, herself, is playing a few fests but nothing after early May.  Nah, not feeling it.
• Neil Young and Crazy Horse (Jazz Fest, Bourbon).  I would love to hear them just play Ragged Glory from start to finish.  But no, they'll be in Austin on May 1 at the Germania.  So, not happening!
• Vampire Weekend (Jazz Fest, Kilby Block Party, Hinterland).  NOPE.  They'll be here both on April 8 for the outrageously priced eclipse show but then again on October 17 (the week after ACL) for the Moody Center.  Booooo!
• The Killers (Jazz Fest, Boston Calling, Governors).  Man, I hope not.  I don't mean that to be rude, I have enjoyed the shows I have seen, but I'm just kind of over it.  Looks like they are doing a London run and then a Vegas residency that goes through early September.  I guess that leaves space for Austin in October, but I'm just not feeling like there would be any excitement at all about that.
• Queens of the Stone Age (Shaky, Rockville, Bottlerock).  They swung through the Moody Center relatively recently, but I missed out on the show (was supposed to be out of town or something).  Love them though!  Current tour ends in late August, so they've got the space to hit Austin.  Not feeling like something vital to add to the poster though.  Not feeling it.
• My Morning Jacket (Beachlife, Bottlerock, Bourbon).  The last time I saw them play was transcendent.  Truly love seeing them play their music live - it affects me like no other band I can think of.  Unfortunately, there is not a real tour going on here, they are just scheduled for a few festivals ending with Bourbon & Beyond on September 22.  So, they've got the time and space to roll back through for ACL.  I'd love it, but I don't see any real strong reason to predict it.
• Postal Service (Kilby, Just Like Heaven).  Funny that they would still be getting recognition.  I thought their one album was rad as hell, but not something that needs more tours 20 years later.  They are in Portugal with this tour at the end of August, so they have time to come to ACL.  Not feeling it though, I don't see the point or the interest.
• Ed Sheeran (Bottlerock, Boston Calling).  This would be an interesting one to me.  I mean, while he is one of the biggest pop starts on the planet, he just never really feels like it.  Interestingly, his tour ends on September 8, 2024, so he totally has the time and space to be in Austin at the start of October.  On the one hand, would be fun to get a totally new face to Zilker, but it also wouldn't really be my top choice.  He wouldn't be able to do Lolla though, he is in Lithuania then.

So, I think all I get from this is Post Malone.  The rest doesn't smell strong enough for me to give it a yes, yet.

Quick Hits, Vol. 330 (Zach Bryan, Turnpike Troubadours, Janelle Monae, Soul Glo)

Zach Bryan - Zach Bryan.  I've written way too much about this guy already.  He is truly fascinating to me, and mainly because he is so basic.  And yet he is MASSIVELY popular.  I enjoy some of his songs, and the last time I saw him play live I thought he was amazing.  But his musical output is insanely prolific, where it feels like he just releases any and all songs that pop into his head in a constant stream.  My 15-year-old said that she loves that, it is one of the reasons he appeals to her so much.  Whereas, I think a little discretion and trimming would be a powerful way to hone his stuff into the best it can be.  Some songs aren't good enough.  Some vocal cuts were pretty rough.  But hey, he's the one making millions and I'm just a schlub with a keyboard, so what do I know.  This album opens with a deep spoken word track where you can tell that he really likes the way it sounds to say that fear and Friday has got awful lot in common they're overdone and glorified and always leave you wantin'.  And he's boasting some major collaborators this time, with Kacey Musgrave, the Lumineers, The War and Treaty, and Sierra Ferrell on here.  My girls play that War and Treaty song a lot around our house, but the Kacey one is the big hit for the album for sure.  "I Remember Everything" with 240.8 million streams.

Good imagery in the opening stanza, even as the music and song itself is completely bare.  I like "El Dorado," it has a little more shine and polish than some, including a good guitar solo.  I also like the way he pronounces Eldorado, like my mom's home town and not like the fish.  The lyrics are why you're here though, because he writes great lines (even if he can get trope-y and clunky here and there).  I think the high point of the album is the chorus of "Hey Driver" with the War And Treaty guy belting those lines.  And "Fear and Fridays" is fun because it feels like a jam session with his buddies, instead of a dour inspection of his feelings.  But yeah, I think a real studio and real producer and someone to help him hone would really be welcome here.

Turnpike Troubadours - A Cat in the Rain.  I needed to dig into these guys anyway, they are coming to the Two Step Inn next April.  I remember liking some of their older albums, but they've definitely fallen off of my radar over the years.  I think this album is really good - polished in a way that I wish old Zach would do!  Like, the second song, "Brought Me" is super clean and tuneful with great harmonies.  Has an almost Irish/country vibe that is really comforting.  The opening track is the top streamer though, with 8.1 million streams.  "Mean Old Sun."

I like that lean into the banjo, kind of an aggressive tune to open the album that otherwise is not an aggressive-sounding collection of songs.  And their look is interesting.  Lead singer is straight country, then the rest look like they repair cars on the side.  Good tune though.  Whole album is good - these guys sound like the next evolution of the Texas country sound.

Janelle Monae - The Age of Pleasure.  I love me some Monae.  Whether it is her music, her acting, her wild outfits and random nakedness.  She just seems amazing.  I've gotten to see her play live three times and it was an amazing experience.  She combines an amazing voice with a ton of showmanship that crushes what a lot of other people do on stage.  This album sticks with exactly what I expect from her, in that it is super fun and sexual and off-the-wall.  Much of it has a smooth chill, but with a sensual and odd vibe, but then others are more party songs like "Champagne Shit."  I really enjoy it.  Just the imagery of her wanting sticky lipstick kisses on her neck makes me happy for some reason (even though I hate lipstick!).  The opener is the top track, which usually means that the album is not that popular because everyone tried the first song and then ran for it, but I'mma give it to you anyway.  "Float" with 13.6 million streams.

I am the wrong guy to ask where all of those styles and rhythms come from - this is like Africa, Queens, Jamaica, and every other fun place in the world came together to create a triumphant anthem.  "I don't walk, I don't dance, I just float."  And if you know me, you know I love this runtime.  A tight 32 minutes leaves me wanting more and not tired of some bloated mess of too many mediocre songs.  Just give me the jams and move along.  Good stuff.

Soul Glo - Diaspora Problems.  I can't recall why this album landed into my queue, but I freaking hate it.  Whoever suggested it to me hates me very much.  I couldn't finish it because it was melting the insides of my mind and making me consider pouring lava into my ears.  I am fascinated by the fact that even the lowest streamed track on here has 269k, so probably the whole album has been played that many times, which is concerning for those people.  Top track is "Gold Chain Punk (whogonbeatmyass?)" with 1.6 million streams.  I gotta say, both the band name and that song name freaking rule, but get a load of this.

And that might be the most tuneful of what I heard.  Not my thing.

Predicting ACL 2024: Major Tours

This likely is starting to sound like a theme, but I'm less motivated by the guessing game this year.  I think it has just gotten a lot harder for me to seriously expect to win the guessing game when I look at other major Festival posters and see weird stuff at the top of the bill.  Like, I was never (literally never) going to guess that something called Fred Again.. (two periods?  Why two periods?) could possibly be the headliner for the final night of Bonnaroo.  If that is going to be the case, then I might as well just make up band names and be done with it.  I predict Tookie Torque will be the headliner!  I DECLARE BANKRUPTCY!

But then I saw Pearl Jam announce a new tour yesterday, and noticed that it had a deliciously large gap in the middle where a certain music festival occurs.  And that got me a little lathered up.  The new PJ tour starts in early May, and avoids any stops in Texas as it carries through to September 17.  I'm sure part of that break is for Ohana Fest to happen on Sept. 27-29, because either Eddie or PJ are always part of Ohana.  But the next published show is November 8, leaving the entirety of October WIIIIIIIIIIDE open for Pearl Jam to headline both weekends of ACL.  Which would be pure magic for me, personally.  I just got to see them twice in 2023 and I'd go again tomorrow without any qualms.  I'm ready to have my heart broken again.  Yes.

Let's back up - with this post, I'll look at those major artists who are supposed to have big tours this year, to see what their schedule looks like and if ACL can fit into those spots.  I'm using a few lists online of "anticipated" or whatever tours, so if you don't see your favorite in here, blame Google.  Or tell me what else is coming, and I'll dig in to that as well.

I also left out the more minor bands/artists - trying to think about headliner, or at least the big type people, so leaving out someone like Alvvays, Bleachers, Mitski, Danny Brown, or Fall Out Boy. I'd also like to note that this Pitchfork list I am reading right now of the major tours has me confused because WTF is Mclusky?  Most Anticipated Tour of 2024?  Really?  Isn't that a steakhouse?  Leaving out the residency people too, like Adele, U2, and Billy Joel, as they don't seem to be really touring just hanging out at their one venue.  Also, leaving out the Foo Fighters, Alanis, Noah Kahan, or others who just played ACL last year (and other recents like RHCP or Kacey Musgraves).

• Bad Bunny.  While I normally am not in to the Spanish language artists for my headliners, I could get behind this just to see the spectacle.  BUT, I think that this is a no here because he is already playing two sold out shows at the Moody Center on April 26 and 27.  Very rare to have a major artist swing back through so soon.  No.
• Drake.  Yuck.  Personally, would be disappointed to see him back again.  He played here somewhat recently, but the current leg of his tour only takes him through San Antonio for two nights in March, as far as Texas dates go.  Tour ends in April, and he's not headlining any of the other major fests (or even minor fests) so I'll go with a no.
• Olivia Rodrigo.  Her tour swings through Austin for the Moody on February 28 (which I had not heard much about - very annoying - I would have tried for tickets with the girls) and then peters out in mid-August in California after a stint in Europe included.  My instinct is that she would not come back so soon after a headlining show in Austin, but honestly February doesn't sound as close as the end of April.  Would be really fun, but my instinct is likely not.
• I should probably ask someone who knows things how close a headliner can be with a different show in Austin.
• Blink 182.  They already came through Austin last summer, and the current leg of the tour hits San Antonio in June.  They end the tour August 30 in the UK.  So, they could easily fit us in and be on the bill.  My instinct is that if Pearl Jam is on the poster, then Blink shouldn't be because of 90's rock overload, so I'll say no for now.
• Green Day.  I would LOVE to see Dookie and American Idiot in their entirety.  That would rule.  But a buddy is going when GD comes to Austin and I think his tickets cost as much as my first car, so I doubt I'll see it.  And that is why they won't be at ACL too, because that Austin show is on September 10.  Nope.
• Bob Dylan.  Two nights in Austin in April, and they aren't even sold out, so I'm going with a solid no there, Bob.
• Bruce Springsteen.  Like Taylor Swift, I just don't think Bruce needs the money or hassle of an ACL headlining slot.  But, he's another that I always hope to see on the poster, even if it is not happening.  He had to postpone some of his shows last year (after playing Austin in February).  Dangit.  They're suckering me in though - he has a gap in his touring schedule from September 13 to October 31.  Oh crap.  He also has a gap in his touring schedule for the dates for Lolla (Aug. 1-4) with nothing in between July 27 and August 15.  My God.  The possibility of Pearl Jam and Bruce on the same lineup would cause the entire Major League Baseball Sportswriters Association to implode on the spot.  Typewriters and Johnny Bench allusions splattered all over the USA Today Sunday Edition.  I started this with a no in my heart, but I'm just going to be a dreamer and say yes.
• Madonna.  DAMMIT!  If you have been reading this blog for a while, you know that she has been one of my wish list groups for ACL for a really long time.  I love me some classic Madonna.  And so, when her big tour was going to include Austin last fall, I was pumped that maybe 2024 was our time.  But illness caused her to postpone that, and now her Austin show is rescheduled for April.  I have tickets, so I am pumped for the Immaculate Collection classics.  But for the ACL crowd, I think that means she won't be back in October.  No.
• Ms. Lauryn Hill.  Who the hell knows with her, right?  Everything you hear about her tour sounds like a mess - late start times, messy sets.  And now that I look at her website, it sounds like all of the shows are cancelled anyway.
• Taylor Swift.  And yet another annual pick for my wish list for the Fest.  Would be amazing.  But I just don't see it happening - for one because she can sell out any arena in a millisecond, but for two because she is booked during the Lolla weekend, and I don't see any way we would get her to ourselves here in Austin.  Would make much more sense for C3 to tie her up to a megadeal that would have her on both posters.  The dreamer inside of me sees that she has a nice, fat gap between August 20 and November 14 on her tour, but I'm guessing that is for pre-season sex with Travis Kelce.  I don't buy it.  No.
• The Rolling Stones. Haha!  Add them to a bill with Springsteen and Pearl Jam? All men over 46 die of immaculate ejaculation and the world heals itself.  I mean, the schedule leaves the possibility open.  The current tour kicks off in Houston on April 28, and has no more Texas dates before ending July 17.  That leaves space for both Lolla and ACL (although the two nights at Soldier Field in June seem to weigh against a Lolla headliner slot).  Would be rad, but my heart tells me nope.
• Stevie Nicks.  Did my wife see this show in Austin?  My brain is telling me that she saw this show when Stevie came through Austin.  Tour ends on June 21, so plenty of time to come through.  I'm lukewarm on the idea though.  She'd probably blow my mind, but I'm going with a no for now.
• Tool.  I would have loved to see them for their Moody show, but the tickets were nuts.  I like me some classic Tool (that's all they have, right?) but $300 a seat, and not even the best seat in the house, doesn't compute for me, personally.  Tour ends in Oslo in late June, so they have the time.  Meh.  Not feeling it.
• Tyler Childers.  Another meh.  The last time I saw him was deeply disappointing.  He plays the Moody on April 10, so he's off the list.  No.
• Zach Bryan.  My girls are still obsessed.  I still don't understand.  Although, I'll say the new video for "Nine Ball" is entertaining.  I tried to get tickets for San Antonio - floor spots are still freaking $500+.  Idiotic.  Those Houston and SA shows are late July, and then, like several people on this list, he has an inexplicable gap between September 21 and November 17.  Why do big touring artists put a gap there?  Matches up really nicely for him to headline ACL (although he's already been here enough times for my liking).  I don't know, is San Antonio in July too close for an ACL headliner?  I'm torn here.  On the one hand, he doesn't feel big enough to headline ACL, on the other hand that is dumb and he is massive right now.  He has the gap to do it, and they've shown a desire to book him like 3 times already.  So, leaning to yes.
• AC/DC.  So far, the only dates announced for the tour are in Europe.  They do happen to have a break at the start of August, which would allow them to show up at Lolla.  Why am I only predicting old people, white boy rock and roll?  I'm so old.  No US dates announced yet but they supposedly will be.  Also, while reading the article that just told me that, I noticed that it sounds like half the band will be other random dudes now because these guys are so old.  Would be fun anyway!  Although, if they are in, no way we can also survive Springsteen and the Stones.
• Luke Combs.  Plays Moody on April 25, so definitely off the table.
• Black Crowes.  I know I said only headliners, but I freaking love the Crowes.  My blog, my rules to be broken.  The current tour misses Austin and San Antonio, and ends on July 19.  Feeling a strong prediction that they will be at both Lolla and ACL.  Yep.
• Rihanna.  Welp, apparently the rumors of a big tour for Rihanna are "bogus."  Lame.  She would have been the big name to counteract all the old dudes on the other end of the park.  No.
• Nicki Minaj.  Nope.  Playing the Moody on May 12.  Not sad about that.  I really liked a few of her early tracks and guest raps, but overall her schtick has worn thin for me.
• Dave Matthews Band.  I got to see them at the Moody a year or two ago and thoroughly enjoyed it.  They've still got the juice, even missing a band member or two.  The Woodlands and Dallas in late May/early June, a nice gap for early August and Lolla, and the last date of the tour on September 20 in Kentucky.  COME ON.  I swear I am not trying to make the whitest, oldest perfect lineup for myself here.  But again, this feels right?  Yikes.
• Morgan Wallen.  My gut says no, right away.  I just don't see ACL giving a guy with his past a shot to headline - feels too progressive to allow a hard 'R' user to get a headlining slot.  He also played Austin just recently, so I'm going to stick with my gut and say no.
• Coldplay.  Have they ever not been on tour?  Feels like they are just constantly touring Indonesia and Brazil at all times and then tweeting about how much they love those fans.  I feel like this is another annual wish list item that just never comes true.  Also, I was fascinated to learn that one of my sisters hates this band.  Wild.  That's like hating pasta or something.  Anyway, they are cruising around Europe all spring and summer, and then WTF they have a big gap between September 2 and October 30.  WHY?!?!  Is everyone going to make out with Travis Kelce during training camp?  Is it so Chris Martin can get his oddly named children to school for a few weeks?  What is up!?!  My instinct here is no though, as none of the shows here are in the States.  Lukewarm.
• Chris Stapleton.  Playing some other more minor festivals, but is supposed to be in the UK two days after the end of weekend two.  They could make that happen, but I don't feel it.  
• Creed.  I truly can't believe they booked the Moody for Creed.  I'm not one of those who is trying to say they suck - they are an absolute guilty pleasure for me and I've enjoyed their recent renaissance.  But no way are they selling out the Moody unless the tickets are $25 and they have Hoobastank and Three Doors Down on the bill with them.  But yeah, they are in Austin for November 15 show, so this is a no.
• Lynyrd Skynyrd with ZZ Top.  Another dope pairing, even if it would probably be sad to see ZZ Top without the full band.  Called the Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour.  Ha!  They've already come through Texas on the tour, but none of the remaining dates are here.  The shebang ends in mid-September in Michigan, so they have the time and space to come back to Texas and jam at Zilker.  No reason to believe it is true though... would be rad!
• Rage Against the Machine.  Dammit.  I still really just want to speak this into existence.  But everything on the Internet is still saying that the tour is cancelled and they are done.  So sad.

I apologize.  My predictions right now just read like a porn mag for every 50 year old white guy with rock tastes - The Rolling Stones, Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews Band, The Black Crowes, Zach Bryan, AC/DC.  The Internet would implode with that lineup - 94% in anger for how ancient and white it is.  But I'd love every second!  Woohoo!

Hmmmm.  I need to go through the Coachella/Bonnaroo/etc. lineups and see if I see any other thoughts.

Ryan Bingham with the Texas Gentlemen

One Liner: Rough-edged voice in between Steve Earle and Paul Westerberg making great rock-tinged Americana

Wikipedia Genre: Americana, Roots Rock
Home: Hobbs, NM and Houston, TX

Sunday

Thoughts: Bingham is an interesting dude, in that he's sort of had multiple layers over time.  His 2007 album Mescalito has some of his most popular tunes on it and sounds like a lot of fun.  But he also wrote the main song ("The Weary Kind") for that Jeff Bridges movie, Crazy Heart.  And then more recently he was a very good character in that general terrible Yellowstone soap opera that got all the Republicans in my life hot and bothered.  That's a weird string of events, in my opinion.

Here is a clip of him in the show, playing for the boys in the bunkhouse.

I like that the "happy" song involves killing a man and being buried alive.  That show had some amazing scenery, but some godawful storylines.

I got to see him one time, when he was part of that BS Willie Nelson Mega-False-Advertising-Roadshow thing, where they released a poster showing a pile of great bands and artists playing, and I immediately snapped up tickets.

Does that poster say anywhere on there that you only get four of those artists?  No, dear reader, it does not.  That poster absolutely leads you to believe that you are getting Willie, Stapleton, Sturgill, Avetts, Rateliff, Bingham, Lucinda, and more.  Totally worth a $200 ticket!  So not only was I pissed when I realized we only got four artists, it also sucked because August 22, 2021 was approximately 198 degrees in Austin, Texas.  So, poor Bingham took the stage to a 3/4 empty amphitheater and proceeded to dutifully jam through a solo show while the crowd hid in the shaded areas chugging beer.  I honestly think I saw two songs. 

He was born in Hobbs, New Mexico, but he moved to Midland and then to Houston after that.  According to the Internet, his mom bought him a guitar when he was 16, but it sat in his closet for a year.  Around then he hitchhiked to Laredo to see if he could get a job with his father who was living out there, and he took the guitar with him.  A neighbor taught him a classical mariachi song called "La Malaguena".  Google translate literally will not translate that word. Anyway, he later moved to Stephenville to attend Tarleton State and ride with their rodeo team and play some gigs.  How bad ass is that?  Hitchhiked?  Learned Mariachi song?  Rode on a college rodeo team?  This guy is the shizznit.  After more cool things, he got spotted by a member of the Black Crowes while playing to an otherwise almost empty room in Fort Worth, who offered to help him cut an album.

Like I mentioned before, his 2007 debut album was his biggest hit - three of his top four tracks on Spotify are all from that disc.  This disc was produced by Marc Ford, the guitarist from the Crowes.  Which is cool.  At the same time, he was still riding on the rodeo circuit.  I think my favorite tune is the unbridled rip of "Bread & Water," but at 15.7 million streams it is dwarfed by "Southside of Heaven."  77.3 million streams.

Also a good tune, more of a traditional country track.  "Sunrise" from that album is his second-most streamed at 46.5 million.  The start actually sounds like a Pat Green song to me.  This whole album is really enjoyable.

After that, he kept churning out albums - 2009's Roadhouse Sun, 2010's Junky Star, 2012's Tomorrowland, 2015's Fear and Saturday Night (wait, what is that phrase Zach Bryan uses a bunch at the start of his new album? Fear and Fridays - did he crib part of that from this title?), 2019's American Love Song, and then 2023's Watch Out for the Wolf.  But none of them hit as big as that debut album, except for the Crazy Heart songs.

He has a different look in that video, less road-worn cowboy and more of a coffee shop hipster.  But the combination of finger-picking and those lyrics is just beautiful.  That movie was fuckin' brutal.

The new album is interesting, because it almost has a pop sound to it.  I'm listening to it right now for the first time and the first song has a persistent drumming that feels like it outside any country sound I know.  And then the second track has these ghostly guitar meanderings behind the acoustic that make it seem a little psych.  Definitely a departure from what the Yellowstone lovers are going to expect.  "Internal Intermission" throws in some instrumental rock and roll.  "River of Love" sounds totally like Paul Westerberg.  Oh great, now "This Life" now also sounds like Westerberg.  Is this something other people are saying?  I'm stuck with this in my head now.  Here is that album opener, the top track with 2.1 million streams.  "Where My Wild Things Are."

Is that even a real drummer?  Sounds kind of like a drum track instead.  Good groove though, and the whistling works.

He did a 2023 cover with the Texas Gentlemen of The Toadies' song "Possum Kingdom" that sounds relatively terrible.  I was excited when I heard the opening notes because that whole album rules, but this is close to being awful.  His voice can't hit any of the notes and the band sounds like a junior high School of Rock class struggling to plod through their first performance for Grandma.  Literally could not finish that song.

2019's American Love Song is good stuff, but again, now I can't stop thinking of him as country Paul Westerberg.  Dammit!  "Lover Girl" super sounds like PW.  This is annoying now.  I'm also getting Wilco vibes from some of these tunes.  I could totally hear them playing "Situation Station."

I want to put these tunes into my more permanent rotation - I think his whole vibe is really cool.