• Tag Archives wilco

  • The Ledge #600: Hudson’s Best of 2023

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    Choosing my favorite records of the year is always a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it’s great fun for a music nerd like me to revisit the hundreds of releases I’ve checked out the last twelve months. But it’s also frustrating trying to thin down those picks into a list that truly represents the past year. Many records that initially seemed a lock are suddenly eclipsed by new records that I simply can’t ignore. Other albums that I had prematurely set aside have revealed themselves to be chock full of fabulous tunes that I can’t imagine living without. 

    Overall, this is another great year for music. I’ll never understand the mindset of people, especially those around my age, that complain how there’s no great bands or records these days. Sure, the pop charts are primarily filled with garbage, and one does have to spend more time than ever finding new artists. But the search has always been a great part of the fun of being a collector, and my main reason I’ve now put together 600 episodes of this show is to share my findings with others. I’m always thrilled when I hear that someone has bought a record due to my recommendation. So please let me know your thoughts on this countdown of my picks for the 40 best records of the year!

    Please head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com to read the countdown of these albums.

     

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  • The Ledge #589: New Releases (Pt. 2)

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    This week’s episode may be a sequel to last week’s new release broadcast, but unlike what usually happens in the film industry there’s no drop in quality. Just like last week, there’s plenty of power pop, Americana, garage rock, punk, and so much more! Plus, I snuck in a couple tracks from the brand new Uni Boys album, which came out today!

    As for the “52 weeks of Teenage Kicks” series, once again I have an artist that I could not find any info utilizing the ol’ google machine. Does anybody out there now anything about Starlet Vain? All I could find is that she has a number of cover tunes on YouTube, and seems to have pretty great taste in her selection of tracks to redo. Please forward any info you have on this artist!

    Like I do every week, I must again plead with y’all for more versions of “Teenage Kicks”. If you are a musician, or have any contact with artists that could record their own take on the classic, please contact me!

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

     

    Download MP3 here


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  • The Ledge #579: New Releases

    Posted on by theledge Comment

    I bet all of you Ledge listeners know the drill. The first show of the month is always new releases, and that’s the case here. But there is a little difference in this week’s show. Normally, I don’t touch on reissued records. That’s for another theme. But obviously I can’t ignore the news that in September The Replacements are putting out a box set version of the classic album, Tim. Besides the usual outtakes and live material, there is a special remix of the entire album by the legendary Ed Stasium! If you’re not familiar with Stasium, he has produced dozens and dozens of classic albums over the years, including records by The Ramones, Talking Heads, Soul Asylum, Long Ryders, Hoodoo Gurus, Reverend Horton Heat, Motorhead, and so many more! Given that the only negative feature of Tim was the mix, letting Stasium do a fix is going to blow people’s minds!

    Yet that’s not my only reissue this week, as fellow Real Punk Radio host Greg Lonesome has just put out a newly remastered version of Shotgun Full of Blues, a record he released 20 years ago as the leader of the Lonesome Kings. There’s a ton of bonus tracks included with this amazing record, including demos and special mixes. But it, my friends!

    As for this week’s edition of “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks”, I actually have a new version. Veteran pyschobilly band Griswalds just released a half studio/half live record, Are Growing Old Disgracefully, and one of the live tracks is indeed a cover of the Undertones classic. And like always, I must again plead with y’all for more versions of “Teenage Kicks”. If you are a musician, or have any contact with artists that could record their own take on the classic, please contact me!.

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

     

    Download MP3 here


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  • The Ledge #567: New Releases, Pt. 1 (RSD Edition)

    Posted on by theledge Comment

    Thanks to last week’s unseasonably chilly weather, I found myself hooking up a turntable to my podcast mixer. Over the course of the next few hours I dgitized the pile of records I had picked up on Record Store Day a few weeks ago. (Why do they no longer include download codes?)

    Once finished, I decided that this wonderful pile of music deserved it’s own show, and since the start of every month commences with a “new release” episode (or two), why not spotlight this music? Technically, these are all new releases as they came out on the same day, even if some of the music dates back sixty years.

    So that’s what we have tonight. Two hours of Record Store Day highlights. From garage rock compilations to long out print albums to live recordings to specially recorded rarities, tonight’s show is varied in not only years but genres. There should be something for everybody. But true new music fans should not worry, as next week’s second part will be a more traditional “new release”, and I have a ton of great material set aside for the show.

    Of course, the one non-RSD track is this week’s edition of the “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks” series. I’ve selected one of the more popular versions of the tune. The Northern Irish rockers Ash released it as a b-side back in 2001, and reportedly still ocassionally pulls it out in concert.

    And once again, I must reiterate that I’m looking for brand new recordings of The Undertones’ classic. If you have the capability, or you have friends in a band, please submit a version. BTW, in two weeks I will be premiering a brand new version by a band that all Ledge fans are familiar with.

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

     

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  • The Ledge #547: Best Albums of 2022

    Posted on by theledge Comment

    Once again, this obsessive mind spent weeks and weeks overthinking this year’s list. Notes were taken. Records were spread out all over the living room. iTunes searches revealed some forgotten gems. But I can once again say that this was a fabulous year for music, as evidenced by this countdown show. Veteran bands made comebacks. New bands made big splashes. Multiple genres revealed new life. It’s a great time for music geeks. So here is my list of the year’s 40 best records (although I only aired 30):

    Continue to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com to read the list.

     

    Download MP3 here


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  • The Ledge #540: Archival Releases

    Posted on by theledge Comment

    It’s no secret that I’m a sucker for box sets and other repackages of previously released material. I may be new release oriented, but I love a good set of odds and ends. Give me those unheard demos. Let me hear those old concerts. 

    Tonight’s show compiles those types of records. There’s unreleased material by a forgotten band that were contemporaries of the New York Dolls. There’s a new mixes of classic Dead Kennedys songs. There’s numerous outtakes by the likes of Wilco and Joe Strummer. And there’s also the recently discovered early recordings of future Velvet Underground tunes by Lou Reed. Plus, a ton of live releases from Todd Snider, Pixies, Soul Asylum, and others.

    I would love it if every listener bought at least one record I played on either of these shows. These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of wonderful songs. And if you buy these records directly from the artist or label, please let them know you heard these tunes on The Ledge! Let them know who is giving them promotion! 

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

     

    Download MP3 here


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  • The Ledge #523: New Releases

    Posted on by theledge Comment

    Once again, the monthly new release episode of The Ledge features some great new tunes from a variety of genres – Americana (Wilco, Drive-By Truckers, John Doe), power pop (Nick Piunti, The Sweet Things), indie rock (Dehd, Savak), and punk (Malta Vista, Screeching Weasel), among others.

    There’s also great new releases from our friends at Rum Bar Records, Big Stir Records, and Spaghetty Town Records. What I’m most excited about, however, is the premiere of the new single featuring one of our Real Punk Radio DJ legends. Greg Lonesome, host of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Manifesto, has a new supergroup which also features Preacher Boy, Olsen Twin, and El Flyin’. Their two track single, which can be found here, is released tomorrow, and both smoking tracks can be heard on this week’s episode!

    I would love it if every listener bought at least one record I played on either of these shows. These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of wonderful songs. And if you buy these records directly from the artist or label, please let them know you heard these tunes on The Ledge! Let them know who is giving them promotion!

    For setlists and other information head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


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  • The Ledge #517: Directors Gorman Bechard and Fred Uhter Discuss ‘Where Are You, Jay Bennett?’

    Posted on by theledge Comment

    For a large percentage of Wilco fans, the glory days of that band were in the late 90’s and early 00’s, with classic albums such as Being There, Summerteeth, and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. It’s no coincidence that those records, along with collaborations with Billy Bragg on previously-unrecorded Woody Guthrie tunes, featured multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett. And when I say multi-instrumentalist, I don’t mean he can set down his guitar to play piano on a few tracks. Bennett was a savant. He was a man who could pretty much turn any object into a tuneful tool.
    Bennett was fired from Wilco in 2001 during the latter stages of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’s creation, and his dismissal was controversially included in 2002’s “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” documentary. After a series of critically acclaimed solo albums, Bennett tragically passed away in 2009.
    Bennett’s story is finally being told with this week’s release of “Where Are You, Jay Bennett?”, and co-directors Gorman Bechard and Fred Uhter are interviewed in this week’s episode about a film that Bechard says he made to “right the wrongs” of that previous documentary. Besides his controversial dismissal from Wilco, Jay’s entire life is showcased, from his mom proudly showing his childhood art to stories behind some of the final songs he wrote before his death. We also discuss the special Record Store Day double vinyl package of Bennett’s last two solo albums, which comes with a DVD copy of the film.
    To purchase “Where Are You, Jay Bennett?”, head to https://www.whatwerewethinkingshop.com/product/where-are-you-jay-bennett-deluxe-bluray-dvd-combo

     

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  • The Ledge #504: Miss Georgia Peach Premiere

    Posted on by theledge Comment

    The Ledge is so proud to be able to present to you the premiere of four tracks from the upcoming record by Miss Georgia Peach. “Aloha From Kentucky”, set for release on March 18 on Rum Bar Records, is a fabulous combo of twang and raunch from the Short Fuses/Beebee Gallini veteran. Produced by Brian Pulito & Travis Ramin, and with musical backing from members of Nashville Pussy and Nine Pound Hammer, this is going to be one record every one should check out.

    Besides these great tunes by Miss Georgia Peach, the rest of the show consists of primarily double shots of records I’ve been listening to in my spare time. There’s some archival rarities from David Bowie, The Heartbreakers, and Lou Reed, some live recordings by The Jesus And Mary Chain, X, Wilco, and King Gizzard, along with a little tribute to the late Rachel Nagy of The Detroit Cobras.

    I would love it if every listener bought at least one record I played on either of these shows. These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of wonderful songs. And if you buy these records directly from the artist or label, please let them know you heard these tunes on The Ledge! Let them know who is giving them promotion!

    For setlists and other information, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


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  • The Ledge #483: Archives, Covers, and Other Stuff

    Posted on by theledge Comment

    Although I have a montly new release episode, I don’t really have a place for new reissues, compilations, live albums, and other odd releases such as that. Once in a while, I do throw a reissued track or two in the new release show, but for the most part it’s hard to find a spot for them in my usual themed shows.

    So tonight those types of releases get their own theme. I can’t say it’s all archival material, though, as there are new recordings by the likes of Los Lobos, The Descendents, and The Beat-Hells. But for the most part, tonight’s show comes from the type of releases I mentioned before. There’s archival collections of bands such as The Outsiders, R. Stevie Moore, and David Bowie. There are rare tracks from reissues of classics by George Harrison, Mudhoney, The White Stripes, and many others. And there’s quite a few great cover tunes.

    I would love it if every listener bought at least one record I played on either of these shows. These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of wonderful songs. And if you buy these records directly from the artist or label, please let them know you heard these tunes on The Ledge! Let them know who is giving them promotion!

     

    Download MP3 here


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