Let's Play Ten

There are big changes going on in social media and a lot of people, including musicians and artists, are scrambling to figure out what to do next. Ben and MP finally address the blue elephant in the room and discuss alternatives to diffuse that musky stench in the air. Pretty subtle, eh? But, while the little blue bird breathes its last, the music stork is still delivering bundles of rock and roll joy. Here's this episode's high-flying playlist:

• Hoity-Toity, "Playing The Game"
• Sun Spots, "Never Gonna Change"
• Casper Skulls, "Yards"
• Suki Waterhouse, "Neon Signs"
• Subsonic Eye, "Aquarius"
• swim school, "kill you"
• Hello Mary, "Spiral"
• Bikini Beach, "Traffic Lights"
• Ally Evenson, "Sinister"
• Stereo League, "Operator, Please"
• EVV, "I Just Need More"
• Anorak Patch, "Cousin Sam"

(Click on any of the above to purchase music directly from the artists)

Tiny bottles of band sweat? Thrift store bric-a-brac? Re-purposed Bic lighters? All hail KING MERCH! Ben and MP evade the big issue and discuss how band merch, now available from the comfort of your phone, helps keeps DIY artists solvent so they can keep bringing you the music you love....like this:

Episode playlist:

• Wunderhorse, "Leader of the Pack"
• Dosser, "Kids"
• Tigers Jaw, "Reckless"
• Blondshell, "Cartoon Earthquake"
• Fright Years, "Warning Signs"
• Molly O'Malley, "Diern"
• Blair Gun, "Lemondrops"
• Customer, "Floorboards"
• Can't Swim, "I heard they found you face down inside your living room"
• Church Girls, "I Hate This House"
• oldsoul, "July"
• M.A.G.S., "Wait"

Be prepared. Or don't. Either way, changes are afoot in the world of touring. If fans can't afford to go to shows and bands can't afford to tour, are there alternative solutions to this live music conundrum? Ben and MP consider some possibilities. But, it's really all about new music...

This episodes playlist:

• Looming, "Burned Bridges"
• Corella, "Do You Want It?"
• The Burma, "Into The Light"
• LAPeCHE, "Slight"
• Chestnut Grove, "No Stranger"
• Expert Timing, "Super Ordinary Unimpressed"
• The Snuts, "Knuckles"
• Gladie, "Nothing"
• Jmsey & Beck Pete, "I'll Be Okay"
• Low Hummer, "Panic Calls"
• Pretty Sick, "Human Condition"
• Body Type, "The Charm"

It's rough out there. The "are-we-or-aren't-we" post-Covid environment and global inflation have driven the emotional and financial costs of being a "working musician" through the roof of the van. More artists are reluctantly electing to stay home rather than tour. Ben and MP try to navigate the complex world of independent tour sustainability. And of course, there's our whole raison d'être...

La playlist de cet episode:

• The Sonder Bombs, "The Star"
• The Wonder Years, "Doors I Painted Shut"
• The Rills, "Spit Me Out"
• New Junk City, "High Contrast"
• Teens In Trouble, "I'm Not Worried"
• Press Club, "Cancelled"
• Same, "Admin Reveal"
• Harvey Rushmore & The Octopus, "The Wiper"
• Girl Scout, "Do You Remember Sally Moore?"
• Coupons, "I Can"
• Calicoco, "Underneath"
• Sydney Sprague, "Think Nothing"

Special thanks to Molly Payton, Faux Fiction, and Sprints

"Rock is dead", so say the aged pundits. We disagree, and challenge anyone to explain what "rock is dead" even means. How do you kill something that keeps evolving? Thankfully, we have some brand new music that proves Rock and Roll still has a healthy heart rate and a throbbing pulse.

This episode's playlist....STAT!

• Brother O'Brother, "Elixir"
• Mike Adams at His Honest Weight, "Cherry Corolla"
• Mercury., "Moment"
• Love'n'Joy, "Lure of Fortune"
• BRKN LOVE, "Forever's Enough"
• Jobber, "Entrance Theme"
• Prima Queen, "Eclipse"
• Future Teens, "Team Sports"
• Goldpark, "I Guess It's Never Enough"
• Julie Odell, "Envelope"
• Feverdream, "Twin Flames"
• Riverby, "Imagine The Ending"

Opening Theme: Faux Fiction, "Hello"

Closing Theme: Sprints, "I'm In A Band"

Ben and MP ponder the existence of the music God, and reach out to some of our favorite artists with some not-so-existential questions. Plus, we discovered a few "new to us" artists, which excites us more than finding a freezer full of creamsicles.

This episode's playlist:

• Youth League, "Nineteen Ninety Nine"
• THICK, "Happiness"
• DISQ, "(With Respect To) Loyal Serfs"
• Molly Payton, "Do It All The Same"
• Sprints, "Literary Mind"
• Durry, "Big Boy"
• Pinkshift, "GET OUT"
• The Luka State, "Stick Around"
• Snarls, "After You (Samantha's Song)"
• Michigander, "Stay Out Of It"
• Church Girls, "Surface"
• James Barrett, "Master Plan"

Opening Theme: Faux Fiction, "Hello"

Closing Theme: Sprints, "I'm In A Band"

Introducing a new podcast about truly independent music. In each episode, Ben Cannon and MP Cavalier introduce 10 newly released songs from bands on small labels, indie labels, or no labels at all. These are the bands you find by accident in small local record shops and those places on the internet where the hunt for new music is as much fun as finding it. We'll talk about why we love this music, tell some stories, and hopefully help you find your new favorite band. Our first episode is a long one, but you'll hear 10 amazing new tracks from artists on the verge of the verge. And, you'll get our "Plus Ones", two tracks that aren't so "new", but were part of our personal journeys to "Let's Play Ten".

This episode's playlist (links are embedded):

• Stay Outside, "Wood Panel Prince"
• Rat Tally, "Zombies"
• Wildermiss, "W.I.F.I."
• Saint Aubin, "Where Did I Go Wrong"
• J. Graves, "Bested"
• Faux Fiction, "Almost Happy"
• Why Bonnie, "Sailor Mouth"
• Kali Masi, "Method Acting"
• HIMALAYAS, "Alone"
• Pool Kids, "I Hope You're Right"
• The Mysterines, "Bet Your Pretty Face"
• Harmony Woods, "Easy"