Rough Sundays

A wee bit of craic, this episode — recorded up in Donegal. From parting glasses to wild mountain thyme, the anthem of the troubles, a cover from the country's most revered, sea shanties, dogs + yoga and a lot more. So throw another turf on the fire, help yourself to something strong, sit back and let's pay tribute to this magical, magical isle. 

A special show from host Aric S. Queen's hometown of Tulsa, taking inspiration from visiting Historic Vernon AME Church on Mother's Day, taking us back to that old-time gospel this show was founded upon, featuring the music from that very church, as well as a handful of one-mic + loud congregation tracks, some soul, some spiritual-leaning folk and much more. 

No way are we going to let an Easter Sunday get started without some proper old-school gospel music. From bellies of lead to the rise + fall + rise again of Ethiopian jazz, as well as the Queen of Soul (and New Orleans, for that matter), some Love & Harmonettes, Bay Area quartets and even a somewhat modern track. Have some Good Lord, you heathens, of all days!

Somehow and in some way, it's two shows in two weeks HALLELUJAH. Speaking of which, it's an old-timey gospel-heavy show this week, with quartets from the 40s & families from the 50s, plus French goodness from the 70s, boring Irish legends and even some highlife from Ghana. How do we do it? 

Last show before The Big Trip and boy-oh-boy, did we break out the big guns for this one. Kicking it off with the Choir of Fire—with a subsequent story of a dear friend meeting the bandleader last weekend—to the great (or, should be) Dorthy Love Coates, some flugelhorn funk, reggae from the most-improbable place and much, much more. So you know the drill: Coffee. Sit. Listen. Happiness. It's Rough Sundays!

From high atop the Smokey Mountains, it's the first of two Tennessee Specials! Kicking it off with a Negro Spiritual more than 100 years old, then moving through the gospel, bluegrass, country, fiddle and ending with the Queen of Soul... plus lots more. It's less than 30 minutes long—which is saying something as slow as things move around here—and it's probably the only podcast you'll ever hear recorded next to Dollywood while playing Dolly Parton THAT'S THE LEVEL WE PRODUCE enjoy, now, y'hear? 

Back to the roots—both of music and childhood—as we check in from Middle America, aka Tulsa, where fire and brimstone wouldn't be to far off the already scorching forecast. From old time gospel from the 1940s courtesy of "The Thunderbolt of the Middle West", to the lady who turned Bob Dylan onto folk singing, a founding group of Ethiopia's Golden Age of Jazz, one of reggae's most under appreciated + overlooked voices and a Miles Davis number you might not know, plus a hilarious story involving said Prince of Darkness and Oklahoma's infamous red dirt. It's 35 minutes of goodness, just perfect for making, waiting, pouring, waiting, sipping and finishing a coffee. Press play!