Bandcamp Day Reccos, Etc.
Reccos! Interview with Very Good Chicago band, Lifeguard! Reminder to attend Mary Timony's livestream today at 7pm CST! AND MORE!!! (And more! And more! And more!)
March is here and its music is Extremely Good.
I have decided to send this out a day early, for the following reasons:
1) To give you time to explore my Bandcamp Recommendations in advance of Bandcamp Day, so it does not get lost in the torrent of information as easily. Quite an incredible month for music, I must say. Read about it!!!
2) To remind you to buy a ticket to Mary Timony’s livestream at 7pm EST tonight. I would like very much to live in a world where more people know who Mary Timony is and prioritize witnessing her genius in something closer to real time. If you are a member of the seemingly quite large contingency of people who say things like: “Ahh yeah, Mary Timony, I see EMD and Mariana Timony hyping her all the time, but I have never checked her out”—well, I mean, what is wrong with you? If Mariana and I are in complete critical agreement about something, how could it not be the greatest thing ever? Please read this article immediately if you find yourself in this woefully ignorant subsect of society. ;) Seriously, though: Mary Timony is playing songs for the twentieth anniversary of a timeless and incredible album with a bunch of other phenomenal musicians in a gorgeous old church later, and if you come, you can stand by me in spirit and enjoy my perpetual Chatty Kathy bullshit on the chat. It is certified to be Very Good in advance.
I also published an interview with the excellent local Chicago band, Lifeguard. I was trying to help them promote their new 7”, but as it turns out, they did not need my help at all—it sold out well in advance of its release date tomorrow. I highly encourage you to check them out!!!
Some friends on the internet and I came up with an idea for a Musical Redemption League this past week—the goal is to fundraise to buy masters back from evil labels and sign them over to the musicians who created them for free. I have sent one inquiry to a label and am waiting on a reply. If you would like to be a part of this work, get in touch with me. I am planning to create a page for this work when it is more solidified, most likely on my blog. If you know any rich people who actually care about music and/or justice, please direct them my way!
I have been on a brief hiatus from heavy listening and haiku, as I am trying to finish my first taxes as a small business owner for the absolutely insane year of 2020 and do some spring cleaning of my home and mind, so I can be “empty and ready to be filled again” for my next Bandcamp assignment.* While it was an honor and a delight to spend a month as DC’s least native musical correspondent—DC music is a huge part of who I am and how I listen to music—the time has come for me to cut and run! Soon I will be heading out for Sylvania, then to NYC; Stone Mountain, GA; and Charlottesville, VA…following the marvelous flight path of my favorite bird in America, Diane Cluck! It is my greatest honor to write a Lifetime Achievement piece on my favorite contemporary singer-songwriter for my 34th birthday—the culmination of seventeen years, or HALF OF MY LIFE, spent studying her oeuvre and healing deep inside its frequencies and messages. It also feels quite good to have the confidence to report that I am sure I am the greatest author for this assignment. Her music has been enormously important to me for so very long.
I hope that you are all getting a little extra light every day, that the bird songs are strengthening, the ice is melting, and that you find time and attention each day for yourself and for music.
See you at St. Mark’s, hopefully!!!
-EMD
Note: If you are also sloughing through tax season, here is the best song for doing taxes, and the only song I am capable of liking until I am done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*reference to “Yr Million Sweetnesses” by Diane Cluck.
March’s theme song is “I’ll Be A Prince” by Scout Niblett.