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  • The Ledge #648: Hudson’s Best of 2024

    It’s that time of year once again. I’ve spent weeks going through all of the new releases of the past 12 months, and tonight I unveil what I have decided are the 40 best albums of 2024. What a great year! Just like the last few years, my initial list was right around 100 different albums. But I was also more organised than usual. I actually kept a spreadsheet this year of the releases that potentially could make an appearance. Just like Casey Kasem, here are the results in “countdown” order:

    To see the actual list of best albums, go to https://scotthudson.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-ledge-648-hudsons-best-of-2024.html

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #647: Annual Rock & Roll Christmas Party

    It has become an annual tradition for The Ledge to put together at least two hours of (mainly) brand new holiday music that does NOT suck. That’s the key word here. While most commercial Christmas music is banal, saccharine nonsense designed to annoy mall and fast food shoppers, every year sees a plethora of new rock and roll-based songs to get us through this pressurized time of the year.

    Sure, many of these tunes are full of humor and snark, but none of them can be called novelty songs. Yes, there’s also more than a few covers, but how can one not resist redoing the Ramones or Slade? 

    There’s also quite a few tracks from what I like to call “friends of the show”. Jeremy Porter once again has a new Christmas tune. Vista Blue has their usual monthly free EP. White Rose Motor Oil continues their year of classic covers, and Numb Surprise continues to…well, surprise us with spooky tunes that literally creep into my tiny brain. And yes, our pals at Rum Bar Records have their usual spot in the show with some heartfelt tracks.

    Head to http://scotthudson.blogspotcom for more info and setlists!

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #646: New Releases Pt. 2

    Part two of the December new release series also is noteworthy for being the final new release episode of the year! What a fantastic 12 months of tunes we’ve enjoyed, and this episode is a perfect exmple. There’s a ton of new tracks from our friends at Rum Bar Records, including the fabulous new album by Dirty Truckers’ leader Tom Baker. Justine & Me is inspired by Baker’s partner Justine Covault, who tragically passed away in the summer of 2023.  

    There’s also fabulous new tracks by veteran rockers such as Ike Reilly, Lucinda Williams, Brian Jonestown Massacre, and many others. There’s a handful of D.O.A. covers from a fantastic new tribute album, No Escape From What You Are. And, as always, there’s always some brand new bands getting their first airing on my show.

    Oh yeah, and there’s also a sampling of some classics from a number of reissues from The Green Pajamas, Talking Heads, and the long-awaited (I’m) Stranded box set by The Saints!

    For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #645: New Releases Pt. 1

    It’s a testament to the quality of 2024 new music that even in December The Ledge’s monthly new release series is again a two-part extravaganza. Tonight’s part one features the usual new tunes by “friends” of the show, along with great punk, garage, indie, and Americana from artists both new and old.  

    For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #643: Covers

    The special folder on my hard drive was full, so it was once again time to have a show devoted to cover songs. This time around there are fantastic remakes of songs by the likes of the Stones, Pink Floyd, Small Face, Pretty Things, The Cure, Joy Division, and tons of others.

    Most importantly, there’s a generous helping of Jesse Malin covers from the new triple album benefit album, Silver Patron Saints. Two years ago, Malin suffered a rare spinal stroke, and his friends gathered together for this wonderful set of Malin’s own tunes. It’s a rare tribute album that stands proudly with the original versions, and this is one of them.

    For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #642: Reissues and Vault Releases

    Fall is the time for the record industry to unleash a torrent of reissues, box sets, live albums, and all kinds of other sorts of vault releases. Yes, it’s admittedly a bit of a chase for easy cash, but as a collector I love it. Give me that compilation of pre-Velvet Underground songs Lou Reed wrote as a songwriter for Pickwick Records. Give me those box sets versons of my favorite records featuring demos and live tracks. Give me straight ahead compilatons and live albums. Give me all of this stuff!

    If you are anything like me, you’ll love this overview of those sorts of releases. And yes, there is one track here that doesn’t really fit the format…yet it sort of does. I recently picked up Never Understood: The Jesus and Mary Chain, the memoirs of J&MC brothers Jim and William Reid, and I was intrigued to find out that a few years after the band broke up they both helped out their sister, Linda, in a musical project called Sister Vanilla. Yes, you can certainly tell that she learned a lot from her big brothers. This needs to also be reissued! 

    For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #641: New Releases Pt. 2

    So here we go with the second half of this month’s set of new tunes. This time around we have the usual set of fabulous releses from our friends at Rum Bar Records, along with the returns of old faves such as The Lemonheads, Julian Cope, Chesterfield Kings, and Japandroids. Plus some new (to me at least) bands such as The Deflators, Tuxedo Cats,  and The Zack Static Sect. And there’s also a set devoted to some favorite bands that are featured on the Cardinals At The Window charity comp!

    For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #640: New Releases (Pt. 1)

    Once again, the monthly new release episode is expanded to a two part extravaganza! This week’s show is split between “friends of the show” and long time veterans of the business. The “friends” sections include hometown heroes (Off Contact), a fellow Real Punk Radio personality (Intrusive Thoughts vocalist Greg “Rock ‘n’ Roll Manifesto” Lonesome), a couple of Big Stir Records new tunes, and quite a few email submissions.

    As for the “veterans”, it’s amazing how much material some of these artists have put out over the years. The new one by Australian singer/songwriter Paul Kelly is his 29th abum. The Fleshtones have probably put out an equal amount of material. Only Ones leader Peter Perrett is back with a new album, and the Pixies, The Effigies, Nick Piunti, and others have a lengthy discography. Plus, we have the monthly new freebies by Friends of Cesar Romero and Vista Blue! 

    For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #638: The Hudson Basement Excavaton Project

    If you follow me on the various social media platforms (paulisded) you’ve probably seen a variety of pictures with the tagline “The Hudson Basement Excavaton Project”. A little explanation is needed. Decades ago, my son needed a rack to store his records as he had followed in the old man’s footsteps and put together his own sizable library. As I did not at that point even own a turntable, my records were all boxed up and stored in the basement.

    A few years later, home renovatons meant that these boxes were joined by more boxes of CD’s, books, magazines, and other junk that needed to be moved out of the way of new carpet and paint. The original boxes of records were now buried. When I returned to vinyl a decade ago, I had a feeling that somewhere there just had to be a bunch of albums. I mean, come on. I would never sell or give away Replacements records, right?

    This feeling carried on whenever I saw a good stash of used records at local stores, or when a classic album was reissued. There just has to be records somehwere/anywhere! I would take tentative searches while doing laundry from time to time, but just a few weeks ago I hit the jackpot. I found some good ol’ Taco Bell shredded lettuce boxes. You may laugh at that, but those were the perfect boxes to store records. And sure enough, as I moved other boxes around, and squeezed in between other barriers (old lawn furniture, etc.) it was indeed what I’ve been looking for. One great box of vinyl, with another couple right next to it. A few weeks later there was another discovery!

    So tonight’s show is all about some of the gems discovered during this process. Some are quite rare. Others could be pretty easily found in most good used stores. But it’ sover two hours of fantastic old faves from the 70s, 80s, and even a couple from the 90s!

    For more info, including setlists head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #637: New Releases

    By now, most of you know the routine. The first episode of every month features nothing but new releases, and this month is no different. Wait, there is one major difference. Due to a scheduling conflict, there will not be a show next week so for the first time this year there is not a two part new release series. 

    So this month there is one super action-packed episode, full of the usual garage, punk, indie, post-punk, Americana, and whatever other category is out there. There are the usual veterans mixed with brand new acts. There are “friends” of the show, such as Jeremy Porter & The Tucos, who have a fabulous new album called Dynamite Alley. Of course, there’s also a set devoted to our buddies at Rum Bar Records, but there’s another blistering set devoted to new tunes from Slovenly Recordings!  

    For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here