Tag Archives: Peace

Tales From The Drop Box Episode 157 (2020-05) The Pandemic Episodes

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Hmmmm…..I am in an aggressive mood today so Episode 157 of Tales From the Drop Box is going to be far more up-tempo than the last couple of episodes of these pandemic versions of your favorite podcast. I’m telegraphing a few things in that last sentence. Yup, it is a punk rock episode! You should also note that I’ve also upped significantly the caloric content of this episode with a couple of extra tracks (okay – it’s 10 extra tracks) so you can enjoy these short songs longer.I also provided some YouTube links for those tracks that are available.

Hopefully all of you are staying as safe as you can, keeping others safe by physically distancing yourself from people in the wild, and doing your best to try to control the spread of COVID-19. I offer these wishes because in case it skipped your news feed – there is no cure yet, there is no treatment that reduces the lethalness of the virus, and real people are still dying – in large numbers. Consequently, if you are one of those who believe your individual freedoms are more important than the collective good and are willing to risk your life for your own reason, then please don’t freaking risk other people’s lives with your choices. Freedom is a choice (Devo?) but your individual actions may cause other individuals to die. By all means enjoy your personal freedom but don’t interfere with my right to be safe from exposure to a potentially deadly virus as I can’t predict what the outcome of your choice on my life will be.

On a separate note, I fully understand and agree that we must restart our local and national economies in order to prevent mass starvation and the very real consequences of a depression like economy. However,  re-opening the business community without clear and consistent guidelines based upon reasonable objective data and supported by adequate COVID-19 testing is just freakin’ madness.

Are governments truly willing to risk people’s lives by a lack of preparation and planning? In a number of places, the answer to this question is certainly yes. Please hold these murderers accountable in the next election.

Here is what you’ll find in Episode 157:

  1. Upset – “Over My Head” (Upset)
  2. Dave Smalley & The Bandoleros – “Punk Rock Battle Cry” (Ignited)
  3. The Brains – “Satana Tarantula” (Satana Tarantula)
  4. Burning Heads – Colors and Blood (feat. Anne Durand – Off Models)” (Under Their Influence)
  5. Remember Sports – “Tiny Planets” (Sunchokes (Deluxe Edition))
  6. D.O.A. – “Just Got Back From The U.S.A.” (Treason)
  7. The Shiverettes – “Abort” (Real Shrill Bitches)
  8. Aanthems – “Seen a Ghost” (Blood Fortune)
  9. The Suicide Machines – “Cheers To Ya” (Revolution Spring)
  10. Kills Birds – “Jesus Did” (Kills Birds)
  11. Four Year Strong – “Crazy Pills” (Brain Pain)
  12. Haggard Cat – “Pearl” (Common Sense Holiday)
  13. Starbenders – “Getting Harder” (Love Potions)
  14. Naked Six – “Sticky Gum” (Lost Art of Conversation)
  15. Everfresh – “Abandon Me” (Forever)
  16. Le Butcherettes – “Out For You” (Don’t Bleed)
  17. The Clinch – “Atoms” (Basecamp)
  18. Rotting Out – “Unforgiven” (Ronin)
  19. Hellfreaks – “Tabby” (God On The Run)
  20. SPC – “I Never Learned How Not To Love” (Socially Problematic Children)
  21. The Thirtysevens – “A Gaunt Perspective” (Play Your Cards Right!)
  22. The Subway Thugs – “Catch 22” ( The Good, The Bad & The Thugly: The Complete Collection)
  23. Friendly Fire – “Overgrown” (Terminalwanderlust)
  24. Joy Division – “The Kill (Pennine Sound Studios Oldham 18.07.77)” (Closer To The Unknown)
  25. Cayetana – “Dirty Laundry” (Nervous Like Me)

Someone tell me if I’m going crazy or if your rattling in my head is just another mind game that you’re playing… My brother’s life was over with a flash of light the gun was sure to have seen him comin’….

KFR

Tales From The Drop Box Episode 156 (2020-04) The Pandemic Episodes

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And the pandemic continues … . I never thought I’d ever have to use the word “pandemic” in a sentence. As some areas of the country begin to open up their businesses and try to gain some economic activity, I find it somewhat distressing to discover that I am curious about how willing our politicians are to engage in a potential lethal social experiment.  Certainly some citizens will lose their lives as we move forward, the unaddressed question being – “How many?” Hopefully the death rate from this latest virus declines and the country, which has been largely cast adrift by the staggering incompetence of the White House, somehow finds not only relief from the deadly virus but also rediscovers its soul. I’m not so confident about the last statement. COVID-19 deaths have converted individuals into mere numbers uprooted from the tragedy of each individual’s death.

Hopefully, you’ll find some joy in this episode – Episode 156 of Tales From the Drop Box. Take care my friends. Stay safe.

Here is what you’ll find in Episode 156:

  1. The Tuts – “Always Hear the Same Shit” (Update Your Brain)
  2. Ultimate Fakebook – “Manhattan Kansas” (The Preserving Machine)
  3. The Candy Coat Hook (Andy Partridge) – “Cavegirl” (Various Artists – 12 The Flavors of Hercules)
  4. Canine 10 – “On/Off” (Nonsense!)
  5. The Smith Street Band – “Big Smoke” (Don’t Waste Your Anger)
  6. Love Fame Tragedy – “My Cheating Heart” (I Don’t Want To Play The Victim, But I’m Really Good At It)
  7. Savak – “Exposure” (Rotting Teeth in the Horse’s Mouth)
  8. Bloodwitch – “Hey Little Girl” (I Am Not Okay With This (Music from the Netflix Original Series)
  9. Naked Six – “Lost Art of Conversation” (Lost Art of Conversation)
  10. Twisted Wheel – “Black and Blue” (Satisfying the Ritual)
  11. Butterfingers – “Dancing (To The Beat Of My Own Drum)” (Bad News)
  12. Dry Cleaning – “Magic of Meghan” (Sweet Princess EP)
  13. The Subways – “ I Want To Hear What You Have Got To Say” (Young for Eternity (Deluxe Edition))
  14. Fine Young Cannibals – “Don’t Look Back” (The Raw & the Cooked)
  15. Leslie Mendelson – “If You Can’t Say Anything Nice…” (If You Can’t Say Anything Nice…)

Never had a holiday in the tropical sun, good times look like they’re never gonna come . . . My mind is all made up I’m doing all I can I’m trying hard to think but I can’t understand why every time I see you, you just walk away…

 

KFR

Tales From The Drop Box Episode 129 (2018-28)

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A return to (almost) regular programming – Tales From The Drop Box. Episode 129 is a return to the regular mix of stuff that I believe makes this show enjoyable to a diverse listening audience. As this is Thanksgiving Week, I would like to wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving. I have much to be truly thankful for in my life and a not insignificant part of what I am thankful for is the time I have to produce and put out these shows. These shows are, admittedly, an outlet for my passion which is new music.  Of course, I am also thankful that you download and listen to these episodes and your supportive feedback. So my wish for you this week is for you to experience only happiness and joy.  That is, discover the good in your life, avoid negativity that seems to be omnipresent, and experience only joy in your life. Let your positive thoughts and actions be your guide forward through these somewhat dark times. Again, a happy Thanksgiving Day to you and your families! Peace. Here is what you’ll find in Episode #129:
  1. The Ting Tings – “A&E” (The Black Light)
  2. It Looks Sad – “Bike” (Sky Lake)
  3. Together Pangea – “Hi-Fi Television” (Non-Stop Paranoia EP)
  4. The Glands – “Tom Robertson” (Double Coda)
  5. Laura Jane Grace – “Apocalypse Now (& Later)” (Bought To Rot)
  6. Plastic People – “Riding High On Acid” (Visions)
  7. Horror My Friend – “Rattled Bones” (Home Life)
  8. Bad Sports – “Constant Stimulation” (Constant Stimulation)
  9. La Dispute – “Said The King To The River” (Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega and Altair)
  10. Super American – “Date (You Got Blisters)” (Tequila Sunrise)
  11. Late Night Episode – “Lay Off” (Lay Off)
  12. The Men – “Hated” (Hated: 2008-2011)
  13. The Senton Bombs – “Who We Are” (Outsiders)
  14. Discharge – “Protest and Survive” (Hear Nothing Say Nothing)
  15. EUT – “Sour Times” (Fool For The Vibes)
The savage mutilation of the human race is set on course protest and survive . . . and how we’ve trembled at the way that time assembles little fires of desire in the tundra of our skin so, do yourself a little favor savor every time you waver . . . KFR  

Tales From The Drop Box 2018-16 (Episode 117)

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Hopefully you enjoyed your long weekend. I am just getting back from 5 days in Las Vegas attending a legal convention where I had a chance to ponder why I still practice law when I would rather produce episodes of this podcast. I selected the songs for Tales From The Drop Box Episode 117 while listening to a seminar on harassment cases. The topic itself was compelling and a rather serious subject concerning the introduction of #MeToo evidence, i.e. the introduction of other similar incidents as evidence of a pattern or practice of sexual harassment. However, the speaker left me cold and consequently, I looked for a diversion, and you – my faithful listeners – are the beneficiary of that diversion.

Episode 117 is fifteen catchy tracks covering the gambit of the rock pantheon. Okay, not really. The episode is mostly a selection of catchy indie pop and rock, with some punk rock at the end.  And it has a Pavement classic track. That is just how it all worked out by the end of the seminar. A good analogy is that you are getting the sweetness of desert at the beginning, and the meat and potatoes at the end. In short, the perfect way to eat a meal.  I start with a few tracks that I have had kicking about (and playing repeatedly) from April and May of this year but add a couple of new tracks such as the latest from Interpol, Murder By Death, and Personality Cult. In short, your usual solid lineup of music from the fringe.

Here is what you’ll find in Episode #117:

  1. Say Sue Me – “Old Town (Radio Edit)” (Where We Were Together)
  2. Peace – “Power” (Kindness is the New Rock and Roll)
  3. Belly – “Stars Align” (Dove)
  4. The Lulu Raes – “Slow Ride” (Lulu)
  5. Lady Legs – “Bottomless Pit” (Holy Heatwave)
  6. X-Wife – “Monday Tuesday” (X-Wife)
  7. Personality Cult – Brazen” (Personality Cult)
  8. Murder By Death – “New Old City” (The Other Shore)
  9. Interpol – “Complication” (Marauder)
  10. Lydia – “Tourist” (Liquor)
  11. Exit – “See You Around” (Too Little, Too Late)
  12. Turnstile – “Generator” (Time & Space)
  13. The Longest Hall – “Punch A Nazi In The Face” (Don’t Panic!)
  14. Pavement – “Summer Babe (7” version)” (Slanted & Enchanted: Luxe & Redux)
  15. Black Lilys – “Dust of You” (Boxes)

And she’s eating her fingers like they’re just another meal and she waits there in the levee wash mixing cocktails with a plastic-tipped cigar . . . Hey, wake up and smell the lavender of my flower power, technicolor massacre just rolled into your ends dismembered all your friends…

KFR

January 11, 2014 Dropbox Notes

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Welcome to another year of Dropbox Notes ! This month’s offerings are the best of last year, i.e. my favorite records from 2013.

In the past, I have posted my best albums of [insert year] list with little regard to the order on that list. That is, I just posted my favorite records of the previous year in an approximation of what I liked the best. This year, I struggled to try to get through at least the first 30 albums in order of how good I thought they were; how much I enjoyed listening to them, and how likely I would go back and play them after not listening to them for a year.

That qualifier – whether you would go back and listen to a record after a year of not playing the album – appears (at least to me) to be the real test of a list like this. In the past, most of the other lists I have reviewed (you can find some at rocklist.net) from some of my favorite magazines have not contemplated the long term impact of the records they claim are the best and greatest of the year. Some magazines do a better job of this (and I am confident it is completely unintentional) than others.

For example, looking back just 5 years to 2008, compare these two top 20 lists from Q Magazine and Spin:

Q Magazine 2008 Top 20

1. Kings of Leon – Only By The Night
2. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
3. Coldplay – Viva la Vida
4. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
5. Glasvegas – Glasvegas
6. Duffy – Rockferry
7. TV On the Radio – Dear, Science
8. Elbow – Seldom Seen Kid
9. Raconteurs – Consolers of the Lonely
10. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!!
11. Sigur Rós – Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust
12. Keane – Perfect Symmetry
13. MGMT – Oracular Spectacular
14. Kaiser Chiefs – Off With Their Heads
15. Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III
16. Hot Chip – Made In the Dark
17. Adele – 19
18. British Sea Power – Do You Like Rock Music?
19. Goldfrapp – Seventh Tree
20. Gaslight Anthem – ‘59 Sound

Spin 2008 Top 20

  1. TV On the Radio – Dear Science
  2. Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III
  3. Portishead – Third
  4. Fucked Up – Chemistry of Common Life
  5. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
  6. Santogold – Santogold
  7. Deerhunter – Microcastle
  8. Hot Chip – Made In the Dark
  9. Coldplay – Viva la Vida
  10. MGMT – Oracular Spectacular
  11. Elbow – Seldom Seen Kid
  12. Erykah Badu – New Amerykah Pt 1: 4th World War
  13. No Age – Nouns
  14. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
  15. Beck – Modern Guilt
  16. My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges
  17. Roots – Rising Down
  18. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!!
  19. Okkervil River – Stand Ins
  20. Gnarls Barkley – Odd Couple

There is a little overlap on these two lists but on average from the Q Magazine list, I would listen to 5/20 (25%) and from the Spin list I would listen to 4/20 (20%). Can you guess which records I’d probably revisit?

With this personal observation i.e. that there are very few records that I would continue to play after a gap of a year, this list is prepared with that objective also in mind – looking forward 1 year from now.

And perhaps that is the goal of this “Best of 2013” list – to check back in a year and see how many of the 100 listed here you would go back and listen to in 2015.

With that said, here is my list of the BEST OF 2013 (all capitals because I am shouting):

Tales From The Dropbox Best Albums of 2013

  1. Savages – Silence Yourself
  2. FIDLAR – FIDLAR
  3. Pacific Air – Stop Talking
  4. Guards – In Guards We Trust
  5. The Men – New Moon
  6. Arctic Monkeys – A.M.
  7. Kurt Vile – Wakin’ on a Pretty Daze
  8. Paper Lions – My Friends
  9. Parquet Courts – Light Up Gold
  10. Palma Violets – 180
  11. Fuzz – Fuzz
  12. The National – Trouble Will Find Me
  13. Paper Aeroplanes – Little Letters
  14. Chvrches – The Bones of What You Believe
  15. Speedy Ortiz – Major Arcana
  16. Pure Love – Anthems
  17. California X – California X
  18. Foals – Holy Fire
  19. Future Of The Left – How To Stop Your Brain In An Accident
  20. Arcade Fire – Reflektor
  21. Mikal Cronin – MCII
  22. Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of The City
  23. Starflyer 59 – IAMACEO
  24. Miles Kane – Don’t Forget Who You Are
  25. Lydia – Devil
  26. London Grammar – If You Wait
  27. Royal Bangs – Brass
  28. Upset – She’s Gone
  29. Waaves – Afraid of Heights
  30. Deerhunter – Monomania
  31. The Julie Ruin – Run Fast
  32. Jagwar Ma – Howlin’
  33. Haim – Days are Gone
  34. Bad Sports – Bras
  35. Bastille – Bad Blood
  36. My Bloody Valentine – m b v
  37. Deap Valley – Sistrionics
  38. So So Glos – Blowout
  39. Wooden Shjips – Back To Land
  40. Drenge – Drenge
  41. Hookworms – Pearl Mystic
  42. These New Puritans – Field Of Reeds
  43. The Knife – Shaking The Habitual
  44. Julia Holter – Loud City Song
  45. Waxahatchee – Cerulean Salt
  46. Iceage – You’re Nothing
  47. Yo La Tengo – Fade
  48. Superchunk – I Hate Music
  49. Volcano Choir – Repave
  50. Phoenix – Bankrupt!
  51. Purling Hiss – Water on Mars
  52. Roshambo – Lonesome Men From The Woods
  53. Pissed Jeans – Honeys
  54. Queens of The Stoneage – Like Clockwork
  55. Phosphorescent – Muchacho
  56. Local Natives – Hummingbird
  57. Factory Floor – Factory Floor
  58. Foxygen – We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic
  59. Riots  – Time For Truth
  60. Wonder Years – The Greatest Generation
  61. Fall Out Boy – Save Rock And Roll
  62. Forest Swords – Engravings
  63. James Blake – Overgrown
  64. Thee Oh Sees – Floating Coffin
  65. Mutual Benefit – Loves Crushing Diamond
  66. Strypes – Snapshot
  67. Acres of Lions – Home(s)
  68. Daughter – If You Leave
  69. Grouper – The Man Who Died in His Boat
  70. Ballet – I Blame Society
  71. Tegan and Sara – Hearthrob
  72. Peace – In Love [Deluxe Edition
  73. Taymir – Phosphene
  74. Chastity Belt – Ne Regerts
  75. Auto Defiance – Running on The Edge
  76. Jimmy Eat World – Damage
  77. Courtney Barnett – The Double EP – A Sea Of Split Peas
  78. Dirtbombs – Consistency Is The Enemy
  79. Fitz & The Tantrums – More Than Just A Dream
  80. Hungary Kids of Hungary – You’re A Shadow
  81. Imperial State Electric – Reptile Brain Music
  82. Iron Chic – The Constant One
  83. Sky Ferreira – Night Time, My Time
  84. Matt Pond – The Lives Inside The Lines In Your Hand
  85. Jake Bugg – Shangri La
  86. Murder By Death – As You Wish Kickstarter Covers
  87. Cage the Elephant – Melophobia
  88. Teen Agers – I Hate It
  89. Beware of Darkness – Orthodox
  90. Super Happy Fun Club – All Funned Up
  91. Middle Class Rut – Pick Up Your Head
  92. Banquets – Banquets
  93. Cults – Static
  94. RVIVR – The Beauty Between
  95. Exxonvaldes – Lights
  96. Mama Kin – The Magician’s Daughter
  97. Swearin’ – Surfing Strange
  98. Dead Sons – The Hollers And The Hymns
  99. Growlers – Not. Psych!
  100. Guster – Live With The Redacted Symphony

I’ll add the covers if I get a chance, but otherwise enjoy the list. Part 1 of the list ( 1-50) dropped today. I’ll drop part 2 (51-100) around February 1, so a slightly shorter turnaround this month/

Let me know if you think I’ve missed something, or your thoughts on the list. If you have a list you’d like to share – post a comment or send me the list and I’ll post it.

Until later alligator! I wish you all a terrific and happy 2014. Peace out.