Quick Hits, Vol. 334 (Charles Wesley Godwin, Shakey Graves, The Rolling Stones, Blink 182)

Charles Wesley Godwin - Family Ties.  This dude played Two Step Inn last year, and while I missed his show, he hopped on stage with his buddy Zach Bryan to jam out on a few songs.  I love "Another Leaf," especially the big breakdown at the end.  "Cue Country Roads" is straight rock and roll.  "Take Me Home, Country Roads" is a little trite for a dude from West Virginia, but I love that song so I will allow it.  "Headwaters" is lovely.  "10-38" sounds just like a Springsteen song from Nebraska.  "Two Weeks Gone" is a fun barnburner.  While I normally have beef with an album like this that is 19 songs long and over an hour - learn to pick the best tracks, dummy! - I never find myself growing bored on this one.  Really solid Americana sound and I just find myself immersed instead of wondering when it ends.  Surprised by the top track, and it is the top by a ton.  "All Again" is one that I didn't even note above, and yet it has just over 9 million streams.

Goddamn.  Song has nothing to do with the theme of the video, but we get to randomly think about mortality and a Dad who suffers through his cancer without telling his family.  WTF man.  Because those of us who have watched cancer ravage someone - its not all lovely days like that.  Now I'm sad and mad.  Dammit.  But a beautiful song, I just wish the video didn't change the meaning of it like that.  Really solid album.

Shakey Graves - Movie of the Week.  Speaking of surprisingly solid albums, this disc is fantastic.  I don't give Shakey Graves nearly enough credit as a musician - sure I remember back when he could play six instruments at the same time or whatever - but this has some freaking amazing sonics.  "Limbo" comes in a like a long-lost Wilco song, and then morphs into a lush slice of the Beatles getting psychedelic.  At multiple points while listening to this album my brain registered a Tame Impala song was being played.  And the unquestioned hit on it, featuring the excellent-in-her-own right Sierra Ferrell, nails the vibe.  20.8 million streams for "Ready or Not."

Tasty funky nugget right there.  Expertly combined shuffle along with a strolling bass line.  And their harmonies have the business too.  I really like it.  Sadly, no further duets on this disc, but the whole thing has an excellent feel to it.  Love it.

The Rolling Stones - Hackney Diamonds.  I'm not sure what the consensus has been on this album - now that Rolling Stone publishes like one review a month all I ever really see are people yelling at Anthony Fantano on Twitter, but usually that is for something unrelated to music and is some kind of inside joke about his sex life.  But in all honesty, this ain't bad.  You're not going to put any of this up against Exile on Main Street or anything, but these are good, basic rock and roll tunes.  "Bite My Head Off" got my attention because of the explicit words - feels weird to hear rock and roll grandpa dropping f-bombs, and it looks like the public is in to the one with Lady Gaga at the end of the disc (which doesn't sound much like Gaga at all to me, but what do I know - she sounds more like the lady who yelps "rape" and "murder" on "Gemme Shelter" back in the day).  But the first song is the most popular by a large margin.  "Angry" with 25.5 million streams.

I missed their last swing through Austin - I had tickets that the pandemic postponed, and then couldn't be there for the rescheduled dates.  Jerks.  I've never been a mega-Stones guy, I always liked Zeppelin the best out of the classic rock bands, but hearing their true classics live would have been amazing.  That video is fun - the classic imagery on the billboards is cool.  I dig the "Country Honk" vibes of "Dreamy Skies."  The poppy rock of "Mess It Up" made me realize that Jagger's voice still sounds pretty solid, and I don't hear a bunch of effects or assistance to get him there.  Now, is this album a necessary thing that I need to save and listen to for the rest of my life?  Nope.  But it is surprisingly good for a band who could have just lived off of their residuals for the rest of their waning years.

Blink 182 - One More Time.  Hey!  Speaking of a band who could have just kept living off of their prior popularity!  The first thing I notice here is that Travis Barker freaking jams.  People have talked him up as the top tier drummer for years, and I've never really noticed much out of him on those classic Blink albums.  But I really feel like he is magnificent on these tunes.  "Fell in Love" sounds like they are stealing from The Cure.  "One More Time" is the sad-boy ballad that has been working it on the radio waves recently - 47.7 million streams of people singing about "do I have to dieeeyyyy to hear you miss meeeeeeee."

I mean, I know Mark Hoppus almost died from cancer and all, and Barker almost died in a plane crash, so this is kind of sweet.  But it is also very treacly and too twee for me.  Of course, after I have heard it, my brain doesn't care and I keep singing it over again.  So maybe it is better than I am willing to admit.  I know that they are mixing in lots of silliness in here, but I am not going to go take the time to read their lyrics to see which songs are about masturbation.  But even if this is just a carbon copy of the classic sound they used in the late 90's, it feels fun to me.  Like, the generic Blink-ness of "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'VE GOT" which sounds like it even rips off "Adam's Song" for the taut chorus and then arena-sized chorus feels like it could have been on multiple other Blink albums.  Which is likely for the best at this stage.