NEW MUSIC FOR OLDS #43
Three things that elude me: youth, expertise and melanin
Welcome back to NEW MUSIC FOR OLDS. We’ve been waiting.
On today’s docket:
Druidian crooning!
An ode to brain alteration!
Heavy dweebery!
The First Annual Reactie Awards!
and, more evidence of my evolving Canva skills!
Before we get started, a reminder…
GOOD STUFF
Oh yeah, I got yer Glossary of Terms.
Harp, “I Am The Seed”
Listen on Apple Music // Listen on Amazon Music
Album: Albion
Nutshell: Mystical freak-folk
Voltage: 4
Thoughts: Harp is the new project by Tim Smith, former singer/songwriter of the heralded Denton, TX indie band Midlake. After releasing the Bizarro Fleetwood Mac classic The Trials of Van Occupanther in 2006, the band went full-on druid rock with 2010’s The Courage of Others. Smith left Midlake a couple years later, but Harp picks up where that album left off. As befitting the archaic name for England, Albion’s vibes are ethereal and slightly ominous. Midlake has released two solid albums in Smith’s absence, but “I Am The Seed” is a reminder that Smith’s melancholy croon remains one of Indie’s truly unique instruments. There’s a particular harmonic interval, first occurring around the 0:39 mark (“…placed in the warm daaaark earth…”), that absolutely delights me. Smith is apparently on good terms with his former bandmates, so I hold out hope for a reconstituted Midlake. In the meantime, Harp will do nicely. Dru-id to it!
Pairing Suggestion: Burning sage around a rock altar
NOBRO, “Let’s Do Drugs”
Listen on Apple Music // Listen on Amazon Music
Album: Set Your Pussy Free
Nutshell: Glam punk
Nutshell: 8
Thoughts: Full disclosure: I have never done hard drugs. I’ve always been scared I might run naked through an Applebees or take a swan dive off the roof of my apartment building. That Eighties propaganda did a number on me, man. My wife actually bought me a bag of mushrooms for Christmas two years ago—they remain in a drawer, dried out and most likely inert. Even still, I love the idea of doing drugs and this Runaways homage captures the gleeful spirit of teenage rebellion. Every word out of singer Kathryn McCaughey’s mouth drips with “Fuck you, Mom and Dad” energy. And how can you not appreciate an album title like Set Your Pussy Free?
Pairing Suggestion: DRUGS DRUGS DRUGS DRUGS DRUGS DRUGS
Howling Giant, “Siren Song”
Listen on Apple Music // Listen on Amazon Music
Album: Glass Future
Nutshell: Cheerful stoner metal
Voltage: 8
Thoughts: After 42 of these things (80+, if you count Paid Subscriber newsletters), I’ve come to accept that the NMFO readership does not particularly appreciate metal. And, to quote Stuart Smalley, that’s…ok. But I’m going to keep posting whatever takes up residence in my earspace and this week it’s the affably majestic space prog of Nashville’s Howling Giant. I love the guitar tone here and the Hammond organ evokes the classic rock radio of my youth. I also appreciate that Howling Giant makes no attempt to sound “bad ass”. Heavy, sure. But vocal harmonies abound and the lyrics are clearly enunciated, like an eager nerd reading sci-fi fanfic to his freshman creative writing class. Totes adorbs.
Pairing Suggestion: Riding a dragon into a black hole while eating a Fruit Rollup.
Alright, out with it.
And now, fill me with your words.
SOME BULLSHIT
I love me some reaction videos.
“Reaction videos? What are those?” says you, a person of my invention who has never encountered this ubiquitous form of YouTube content.
Why, that’s a realm wherein young people and/or POC make money by reassuring Gen X white dudes that the music they grew up with really is the super very bestest!
That’s the cynical take. The more forgiving perspective is that reaction videos celebrate the joy of musical discovery and that, in these degraded and degrading times, there’s something precious about watching a human being’s mind open in real time. With the possible exception of Knicks-related podcasts, reaction videos are my primary digital defense against perpetual doomscrolling.
In that spirit, NMFO presents…
THE FIRST ANNUAL “REACTIE” AWARDS
BEST “THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT” CHANNEL: Andy & Alex
This is the reaction channel I watch most often, even though the longhaired kid (I still don’t know which is which) has a very discomfiting ‘listening face’. And the redhead is slightly punchable, overall. Neither can help it. But they’re kind and insightful dudes who are able to verbalize what they’re hearing without coming off like snobs. This channel reminds me of the intense music debates I once had in dorm rooms and in the passenger seat of friends’ cars. In other words, the very best of times.
BEST JOIE DE VIVRE: No Life Shaq
No Life Shaq reminds me of a dude I once worked with at a restaurant. He had one of those irrepressible spirits that made you want to present the best version of yourself. No matter how much I hated that fucking job (and I did), and even though this guy and I had absolutely nothing in common, I always felt compelled to match his energy level. Is No Life Shaq hamming it up for the camera? Might there be racial dynamics at play in the “Hip Hop fan embraces heavy metal” reaction vid sub-genre? Sure and sure. But some people just bring a smile to your face.
BEST TECHNICAL ANALYSIS: The Charismatic Voice
There are a lot of vocal coaches in the reaction vid game (and they all eventually end up discussing Mike Patton). My favorite is this kindly young lady, who reminds me of my beloved Jr. High chorus teacher. As a lifelong (mediocre) singer, and as someone who had vocal cord surgery a few years back, I enjoy hyper specific talk about the physicality of singing. Your mileage may vary.
BEST EARNEST CHIN STROKING: Critical Reactions
This endearingly charisma-free composer reacts primarily, but not exclusively, to metal. He knows his theory and does a good job of breaking things down without leaving dunces like me in the dust. Brian has a slightly cringe-y habit of “conducting” his song selections and, in the end, your feelings about Critical Reactions will depend on how fondly you recall your 7th Grade dungeonmaster.
BEST OVERALL REACTION SONG: Rush, “The Spirit of Radio”
If you watch enough of these things, you learn that there are certain artists every react-er ends up covering. Off the top of my head: Queen, Bowie, Beastie Boys, Joni Mitchell, Jeff Buckley, Fiona Apple, Tool, Alice in Chains and Rush. Always, always Rush. “The Spirit of Radio” has everything you want in a first time reaction song: infectious energy, bonkers musicianship and unexpected shifts in tone. This compilation vid is a parade of people with their mouths hanging open.
Have favorite react-ers of your own? I’m always looking to waste more time!
Incidentally, the notion of starting my own reaction channel has crossed my mind. But I eventually concluded that all of the music reactors I enjoy possess at least one of three things that elude me: youth, expertise and melanin.
Then again, who says it needs be music that I’m reacting to? A lot of these same channels also react to stand up comedy clips (which I refuse to watch, for mental health reasons). And there’s always sports highlights. Or maybe I could branch out into the deep recesses of YouTube and stake out my own reaction territory.
I already whipped up a few thumbnails. What do you think?
Time to sit back and watch those monetization dollars roll in…
Ladies, gents and others, we’ve reached the end of another scintillating edition of NMFO. Don’t even try and pretend you weren’t scintillated. Please share this post with your friends. Or enemies. NUMBERS ARE NUMBERS, BABY!
See you in two weeks.
First - your reaction video stills are genius. I would watch those videos.
Second - my favorite reaction video guy is NathanBrownActor. He shares some of that same Super Positive vibe you mentioned about No Life Shaq and it is a delight. Here's the time when Matchbox 20 watched him watch their video: https://www.tiktok.com/@nathanbrownactor/video/7202958525172059397
Ha! I think I subconsciously suspected the same thing, but didn't fully realize it until you just said that. In all honestly, they are the only reaction channel I've watched, so I'm looking forward to digging into the ones you suggested. I know for sure when I came across them I thought it was a freaking weird topic for a Youtube channel, but then I was sucked into the vortex and shocked at how entertaining it was. Thanks for including this in the newsletter!