Look At My Records!

For Episode 92 of Look At My Records!, Tom welcomed back Morus Alba to the program. This time, the band played a raucous full band live set in the Look At My Records! studio, belting out some excellent songs from their latest album, Nightmare/Miracle. The band then sat down for an extensive interview that covered a wide range of topics, including the making of Nightmare/Miracle, their new (to me) bassist Micah Prussack, and their plans for the rest of the year. Plus, we played some great records. Tune in to find out which member of Guided By Voices taught Rizzo guitar while he was a youth!

You can purchase Nightmare/Miracle via the band’s Bandcamp. While you’re there, I’d also highly advise that you act quickly and snag a cassette of their debut record, “Stay Asleep,” as only a few copies remain! Their music is also available on all streaming platforms, including Spotify

A big thank you to Corey Zack of Cocoon Recording Studio for engineering the live set! It sounds awesome!

Episode 91 previews a great upcoming month of gigs in Jersey City. Tune in as Tom gives you a run down of some of the best with songs from Sean Kiely, Mike Krol, Swearin’, Wyldlife, Ted Leo, Jean Pool, Sam Kogon, The Holy Smokes, White Rope, Neon Funeral, Naomi Vernon, The Lo-Fi’s, Surfer Blood, and more!

See you out there at these upcoming gigs:

August 1st: Sean Kiely Acoustic Trio at Fox & Crow

August 3rd: Mike Krol, Swearin’, and Wyldlyfe at White Eagle Hall

August 8th: Holy Smokes, Sam Kogon, Dominy, Jean Pool at FM Bar

August 9th: Fancy Colors at FM Bar

August 11th: Purple Mountains at White Eagle Hall

August 15th: Neon Funeral, Tidal Gloom, Losing Language at FM Bar

August 16th: Bunny X, White Rope Presented by Happy House at FM Bar

August 17th: Humble Beginnings, Digger, Jettison, Avery at FM Bar

August 24th: Ted Leo at White Eagle Hall

August 29th: Naomi Vernon at Fox & Crow

August 29th: The Lo-Fi’s at Pet Shop

August 29th: Surfer Blood at Monty Hall

August 31st: Future Island at White Eagle Hall

Episode 90 celebrates the 30th birthday of one of the best independent labels in the biz, Merge Records! The label is in the midst of a weekend long celebration down in North Carolina to commemorate its founding by Superchunk members Mac MaCaughan and Laura Ballance back in 1989, so I decided to have my own little celebration by compiling my favorite songs by Merge artists. The episode starts in the early years of the label with some great 7-inch releases from Superchunk and Archers of Loaf, then travels into the mid-to-late 90s with some classics by East River Pipe, The Ladybug Transistor, and more. Then, the playlist touches on some early aughts indie pop, and enters the 2010s with some great releases from Hospitality and Times New Viking from the 2010s. The episode concludes with a song from 2019 by the inimitable Mountain Goats.

30 looks good on you, Merge! Here’s to many more!

Tom was delighted to welcome Queue to the Look At My Records! program for Episode 89! Tune in to this extra long episode to hear all about the trio’s beginnings at Penn State, their influences and creative process, and a whole lot more. This episode also includes an extensive discussion of the British/Irish film Sing Street, including an ear-worm from the soundtrack, “Drive It Like You Stole It.”

Keep your eye on Queue, as the band just finished recording new material. It’ll be dropping sometime in the near future! Their current releases are available on all streaming platforms and can be purchased via Bandcamp.

You can also see the band performing live at the following shows:

July 17th - Our Wicked Lady with Desert Sharks, Treads, and The Warhawks

July 20th - Pete’s Candy Store for the Left Bank Summer Fête

Jersey City musician Tom Barrett stopped by the Look At My Records! studio for Episode 88 to chat about his brand new solo EP. Tune in to hear all about the new EP, Three Songs, including a live performance of the EP’s third track, “I Once Believed We Were Free.” Plus, you’ll enjoy additional tunes from Mission of Burma, Sebadoh, Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, Neil Young, and Kurt Vile!

Tom will be performing with his newly assembled backing band, The Cuts, on July 9th at Pet Shop. Sean Kiely (who produced Tom’s new EP) and Christopher Landry’s project, College Radio, are also performing.

You can also catch Tom performing on August 3rd in a backyard in Ringwood, NJ. Ask a punk for the address!

You can purchase Three Songs via Bandcamp. The EP will also available on CD at Tom’s upcoming shows. Three Songs is also available on all streaming platforms, including Spotify.