• Tag Archives wilco
  • The Ledge #547: Best Albums of 2022

    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


  • The Ledge #540: Archival Releases

    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


  • The Ledge #523: New Releases

    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 RecordsBig 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


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

    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

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #504: Miss Georgia Peach Premiere

    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


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

    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


  • The Ledge #472: Songs About Records

    There are times where a potential theme for a show pops up out of nowhere. This week’s episode of The Ledge is a perfect example. This past Wednesday afternoon I was on my way to a local record store, accompanied by a great power pop playlist on Spotify. Suddenly, a song came on that I hadn’t heard in many years. The tune was “I Need That Record” by Tweeds, a great under-appreciated 70’s power pop band  Besides the fact that this title was exactly why I was in my car at the time, it lit up a little light bulb in my head about a show devoted to songs about my favorite objects, records.

    It didn’t take long to put together the playlist. Wilco’s “Boxful of Letters” was an obvious pick. As were tunes by Todd Snider, Supersuckers, Nick Lowe, and Elvis Costello. iTunes searches came up with a vast majority of the rest of the tracks.

    But it was the discovery of an old Wreckless Eric track that secured the idea of this show. “33s + 45s” deals with the aftermath of a breakup, and the inevitable splitting of the music library. These lines hit me hard:

    “My dismantled living room full of your home

    Packed up in cardboard boxes

    Spaces in the record shelves where you’ve taken what was yours

    And possibly some of mine”

    After going through a list of some of those great records that were the soundtrack of fantastic memories, Eric adds the perfect explanation for those that don’t understand the mentality of the record nerd:

    “This might be so much fucking plastic to you or anybody else

    But to me it’s everything

    This is my life

    Thirty-threes and forty-fives”

    Or, as the Guinea Worms sang in the concluding song of the show, “(There’s really nothing better than a) Box of Records”!

    After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy! 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


  • The Ledge #458: The Ledge Awards

    A few weeks ago, I put together a countdown show of my 40 favorite albums of 2020. Now for this annual Ledge Awards I go through various other categories for the past year – Best Reissue, Best Live Album, Best Compilaton, Best Covers Album, Best New Artist, Best EP and Best Single. It’s a great roundup of a fantastic year of music.

    After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy! 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.

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #435: Scott’s Favorite Records, Vol. 5 – Americana

    Americana, country-punk, No Depression, alt-country. Whatever you want to call this twangy-ish sort of music it’s been a part of my life since the early 80’s. Nope, not after the scene exploded with Uncle Tupelo. The country influence has always been a part of college rock, which is the first half of this week’s look at my favorite songs of all time.

    The second half does kick off with Uncle Tupelo and the wonderful spinoffs Wilco and Son Volt, along with quite a few fantastic singer/songwriters and revved up Gram Parsons acolytes. Actually, acolyltes of both Parsons AND The Replacements!

    After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy! 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.

     

    Download MP3 here


  • Live Ledge #397: New Releases

    Tonight’s new release show is the broadcast that was planned for last week. In fact, it’s the exact set of songs that were put together before the shocking news about Kim Shattuck caused me to quickly put together a tribute to the fabulous Muffs leader.

    So this month’s new release show includes a lengthy set of Americana-ish veterans (Charlie Parr, Pernice Brothers, The Figgs, Wilco), Suicide-esque atmospheric punks (Atom, Rocket 808), female rockers (Baby Shakes, Paranoyds, Sweet Knives), covers (Dirty Nil, The Pretty Flowers, Das Clamps), and lots of good ol’ rock and roll from new and veteran artists.

    I also talk a little bit about the great show I saw earlier this week. The Cowboys made a stop at Total Drag Records, and as I’m known to do at these types of shows I purchased their entire discography. Or at least what they had with them. Great band and a fun show.

    After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy!

     

    Download MP3 here