I hope you all enjoyed your 4th of July holiday. To my Canadian friends, I hope you had a terrific Canada Day. Normally, I would be celebrating America’s birthday, but it is difficult to celebrate America’s success when we are in the vortex of a disaster of our own creation. As COVID-19 numbers cross the 50,000 new cases per day threshold and a Federal administration that has fully given up talking about or doing anything about the senseless deaths, the signs for America’s future look a little bleak right now. However, there is still hope. America can reclaim its place as the greatest democracy by taking small individual and collective steps designed to unite one another for a common purpose. That purpose I would offer is to heal and protect our communities from threats from within. If July 4th is to remain a marker for the celebration of our culture and our nation – past, present and future – then action to preserve our democratic way of life must start with us. If we fail to take action to reverse the rivers of division threatening to drown our democracy then we are lost. The fight for a society where all persons are created equal is a good place to start. Black Lives Do Matter. Register to vote. Participate. Be a positive force for change and not just a critic.

In California you can register to vote here: https://registertovote.ca.gov/

As for Tales From The Drop Box Episode 166, it is definitely a hodgepodge of old and new. I think you are going to love a number of these tracks which might have passed you by during the past couple of months as social issues predominate attention and time. You’ll also get some insight into one of my guilty pleasures, San Cisco, including why I feel guilty, along with the usual mix of new music that you should be listening to right now.

Here is what you will find in Episode 166:

1. Hinds – “Waiting For You” (The Prettiest Curse)
2. Tuff Sunshine – “We Seal Every Deal With A Kiss” (Dig Deeper, Peanut)
3. Rusty – “Tricker Tricker” (Dogs Of Canada)
4. Animal House – “Modern Romance (feat. Lucy Sheehan)” (Premium Mediocre)
5. All The Wasted Years – “Ship Going Nowhere” (I’m Fine)
6. Disq – “D19” (Collector)
7. Honey Lung – “Getting Off” (Post Modern Motorcade Music)
8. Raveslut – “Insanity” (No Escape)
9. Jeff Rosenstock – “Leave It In The Sun” (No Dream)
10. Pretty Thrills – “Scarlett” (Pretty Thrills)
11. San Cisco – “On The Line” (On The Line – Single)
12. Silver Sun – “Needle In The Ball Pit” (Switzerland)
13. Terry Sharp – “Put In Bay Ohio Death Bird” (The Death Choir Sings)
14. The Skids – “The Saints Are Coming”
15. Bad Cop/ Bad Cop – “Breastless” (The Ride)

I gave you time in crowded places gave you love in empty spaces waiting for you . . . Don’t let me know all the reasons that it probably shouldn’t work or let me know all the things I’ll never do.

KFR