I saw Wednesday last year here in Dublin. The opening band didn't show up so at the last minute MJ and the other guys in the band knocked out an opening set. It was brilliant! That gig was one of my favourites last year.
To your list I'll add a few others of various genres: Sarah Shook & the Disarmers -- still a relatively recent band with a rough & tumble alt country sound, and their album this year is great Billy Strings -- he's doing interesting things melding bluegrass with rock and pop, and the new Jon Brion-produced album sounds really good so far Horsegirl -- excellent noisy, melodic band from Chicago The Beths -- still just a few albums in, all of them very strong blends of '90s indie rock and a bit of New Zealand alt rock from the '80s Friko -- another great band from Chicago whose debut full length came out this year Yard Act -- a super fun postpunk band from UK with infectious grooves and wry, literate lyrics Fontaines DC -- excellent Irish band with a rare unique sound, containing echoes of the Pogues but also some '90s/early '00s Britpop Last Dinner Party -- a very young all-female band from the UK who have listened to some Siouxie and the Banshees but have a fresh energy of their own The Malenas -- a fun young band from Spain Hinds -- another Spanish band, also lot of fun, whose new album just dropped Sweeping Promises -- great band on Sub Pop
I couldnt put my finger on it who MJ Lenderman's phrasing and voice reminded me of. I hear some Ben Kweller and it finally hit me...WIlly Vlautin of Richmond Fontaine if youre familiar with them.
Just want to say that I wholeheartedly agree: I feel very blessed to be around for this moment in music. For me, the center of this whole scene is Waxahatchee; her new record feels, quite simply, revelatory, to me. And to have MJ on backing vocals and Spencer Tweedy on drums... Wow. It blows me away.
Hey Chris, hope you are doing well. Wow, MJ Lenderman?!? Thought I was the only person who ever heard of him! I live in Greensboro, NC, and he is making quite a name for himself around these parts. I plan on seeing one of his shows in late January when he plays one of my favorite venues in Chapel Hill/Carborro, NC, called Cats Cradle. Come to NC and I'll buy you a ticket! I usually go to shows by myself. At 65, I know I will be the oldest in the audience by 40-45 years. But, with music, and I think music only, age does not make a difference. Take care, John
Two things, interesting list, and interesting topic for conversation. Given the artist that I am familiar with on the list, I will certainly look into those. I am not familiar. As for artist of this ilk, It’s hard to say what that means in the grand scheme of things. Will indie rock make a significant comeback? I think in a lot of ways it already has. But, what defines popular music is driven by the youth market. However, the artist mentioned here appeal to an older yet young demographic that has the income to purchase their music and go to their shows.
I picked up the album today after wearing out the singles, and I really love it. I think he really is this decade's Kurt Vile, guitar prodigy who writes his songs like short stories. I feel like the torch has been past from the Phoebe Bridgers, Angel Olsen, Haim and (fittingly) Waxahatchee era to the new blood: Wednesday, Lenderman, and Jeff Rosenstock - to name a few. Also - am I crazy - or is Live and Loose an instant classic live album?
I think that by showing records that are 8 and 9 years old you’re kind of proving this is not a recent thing. I think your excitement might be born out of the fact that many of these artists (Big Thief, Waxahatchee, MJL) have a sound that owes so much to the 1990s. It’s why I love them too. I was saying to someone the other day, that for these artists it’s like the 1990s influence them the way the 1970s influenced the 1990s alternative/indie scene. North Carolina, specifically, has had a very roots/alt-country infused music scene for the last decade (even a little longer). Megafaun and the Cook brothers, Hiss Golden Messenger, Mount Moriah and HC McEntire… now MJ Lenderman, Wednesday and Fust. That scene is a very real thing.
Do you dock your houseboat at the himbo dome? Lenderman is so great. I’d add J Mascis to the list of influences. Listen to Lenderman’s Live and Loose album and you will hear some Dinosaur Jr hidden in there.
Different voices for sure, but, I hear a little bit of fellow North Carolinian Ben Folds in MJ Lenderman's delivery. Maybe it is the somewhat off kilter songwriting or just his phrasing, but that is something that I've noticed in listening to "Manning Fireworks".
Some of my current instant buy artists/bands: Courtney Marie Andrews, The Delines, Heartless Bastards, Wussy(just announced a new album today and pre-ordered!), S.G. Goodman and La Luz(best album of 2024 so far.) and of course Son Volt and Wilco. Under the radar great 2024 release, Mac Cornish "Never Made Much Of A Lover.
@@TheLongCut1 The Delines "Mr. Luck and Miss Doom" due Feb '25. CMA should have a new one early '25 as well, check out "Honest Life" form '16. Heartless Bastards rock! lead singer Erika Wennerstrom's solo album "Sweet Unkown" is fantastic. Cheers!
Not at all. Pop/rock music is at an all-time low. You need to listen to more music from the 60s/70s to realize how bad things are. Jason Isball was much better when he was drinking.
Love the MJ Lenderman album bought tickets to see him in Manchester also got Springsteen in Liverpool ... show 23 !! Not cheap
I saw Wednesday last year here in Dublin. The opening band didn't show up so at the last minute MJ and the other guys in the band knocked out an opening set. It was brilliant! That gig was one of my favourites last year.
Really hope to see Wednesday soon!
@@TheLongCut1 Keep up the great content - really enjoy the conversational approach.
To your list I'll add a few others of various genres:
Sarah Shook & the Disarmers -- still a relatively recent band with a rough & tumble alt country sound, and their album this year is great
Billy Strings -- he's doing interesting things melding bluegrass with rock and pop, and the new Jon Brion-produced album sounds really good so far
Horsegirl -- excellent noisy, melodic band from Chicago
The Beths -- still just a few albums in, all of them very strong blends of '90s indie rock and a bit of New Zealand alt rock from the '80s
Friko -- another great band from Chicago whose debut full length came out this year
Yard Act -- a super fun postpunk band from UK with infectious grooves and wry, literate lyrics
Fontaines DC -- excellent Irish band with a rare unique sound, containing echoes of the Pogues but also some '90s/early '00s Britpop
Last Dinner Party -- a very young all-female band from the UK who have listened to some Siouxie and the Banshees but have a fresh energy of their own
The Malenas -- a fun young band from Spain
Hinds -- another Spanish band, also lot of fun, whose new album just dropped
Sweeping Promises -- great band on Sub Pop
I couldnt put my finger on it who MJ Lenderman's phrasing and voice reminded me of. I hear some Ben Kweller and it finally hit me...WIlly Vlautin of Richmond Fontaine if youre familiar with them.
Just want to say that I wholeheartedly agree: I feel very blessed to be around for this moment in music. For me, the center of this whole scene is Waxahatchee; her new record feels, quite simply, revelatory, to me. And to have MJ on backing vocals and Spencer Tweedy on drums... Wow. It blows me away.
Same. What a time for great music
I had never heard of MJ Lenderman. But after your video I listened to his latest album. What a fantastic album. Greetings from The Netherlands
This made my day!
Just checked out some MJ Lenderman based on this video and it's great. Very Jason Molina adjacent.
Agree. But I hear Neil Young/Crazy Horse, Pavement, Wilco…
Hey Chris, hope you are doing well. Wow, MJ Lenderman?!? Thought I was the only person who ever heard of him! I live in Greensboro, NC, and he is making quite a name for himself around these parts. I plan on seeing one of his shows in late January when he plays one of my favorite venues in Chapel Hill/Carborro, NC, called Cats Cradle. Come to NC and I'll buy you a ticket! I usually go to shows by myself. At 65, I know I will be the oldest in the audience by 40-45 years. But, with music, and I think music only, age does not make a difference.
Take care,
John
Man, I would love to! You’ll probably see my brother John there
MJ Lederman also reminds me of Anders Parker/Varnaline
I hear that
Two things, interesting list, and interesting topic for conversation. Given the artist that I am familiar with on the list, I will certainly look into those. I am not familiar. As for artist of this ilk, It’s hard to say what that means in the grand scheme of things. Will indie rock make a significant comeback? I think in a lot of ways it already has. But, what defines popular music is driven by the youth market. However, the artist mentioned here appeal to an older yet young demographic that has the income to purchase their music and go to their shows.
I picked up the album today after wearing out the singles, and I really love it. I think he really is this decade's Kurt Vile, guitar prodigy who writes his songs like short stories. I feel like the torch has been past from the Phoebe Bridgers, Angel Olsen, Haim and (fittingly) Waxahatchee era to the new blood: Wednesday, Lenderman, and Jeff Rosenstock - to name a few.
Also - am I crazy - or is Live and Loose an instant classic live album?
I think that by showing records that are 8 and 9 years old you’re kind of proving this is not a recent thing. I think your excitement might be born out of the fact that many of these artists (Big Thief, Waxahatchee, MJL) have a sound that owes so much to the 1990s. It’s why I love them too. I was saying to someone the other day, that for these artists it’s like the 1990s influence them the way the 1970s influenced the 1990s alternative/indie scene.
North Carolina, specifically, has had a very roots/alt-country infused music scene for the last decade (even a little longer). Megafaun and the Cook brothers, Hiss Golden Messenger, Mount Moriah and HC McEntire… now MJ Lenderman, Wednesday and Fust. That scene is a very real thing.
Well put!
Good list in the second paragraph. Personally, HC McEntire is my favorite of all of them. She's way underrated, imo.
Do you dock your houseboat at the himbo dome?
Lenderman is so great. I’d add J Mascis to the list of influences. Listen to Lenderman’s Live and Loose album and you will hear some Dinosaur Jr hidden in there.
Love that line. Yeah, definitely Dinosaur
Different voices for sure, but, I hear a little bit of fellow North Carolinian Ben Folds in MJ Lenderman's delivery. Maybe it is the somewhat off kilter songwriting or just his phrasing, but that is something that I've noticed in listening to "Manning Fireworks".
Some of my current instant buy artists/bands:
Courtney Marie Andrews, The Delines, Heartless Bastards, Wussy(just announced a new album today and pre-ordered!), S.G. Goodman and La Luz(best album of 2024 so far.) and of course Son Volt and Wilco. Under the radar great 2024 release, Mac Cornish "Never Made Much Of A Lover.
Love The Delines and they have another on the way. Will check out the others!
@@TheLongCut1 The Delines "Mr. Luck and Miss Doom" due Feb '25. CMA should have a new one early '25 as well, check out "Honest Life" form '16. Heartless Bastards rock! lead singer Erika Wennerstrom's solo album "Sweet Unkown" is fantastic. Cheers!
Add Pony Bradshaw to you list…great comment by @TheDigitalGramophone
Not at all. Pop/rock music is at an all-time low. You need to listen to more music from the 60s/70s to realize how bad things are. Jason Isball was much better when he was drinking.
Disagree across the board!