On this episode, Steve Strait and Wellington Davis join birthday boy Burke Wasson to break down The Midlife Critics’ Songs of the Week for #FreshCuts Vol. 59 (links and song list below). We marvel at a Record Store Day exclusive elected as our #1 song of the week. We contemplate air guitar, making a bumper sticker about one of our fellow critics, and ponder how to get a former Southeastern Illinois College professor in the group. And Burke kicks off the episode with some birthday wishes he’d like to see.

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Listen to #FreshCuts Vol. 59 on the following apps:

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3gPfNJF59NEDZx8nC2QxjC?si=6XQxHGqUTli8_bRhK-sSCw

Apple Music:

https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/freshcuts-vol-59/pl.u-pMylemRiyvAqN

Amazon Music:

https://music.amazon.com/user-playlists/ed3426f1ebc2400c9b2790a6b8fca7bbsune?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_QXwUPrRu66Acf88A6HA4aWMrP

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhGwwDGyNc-8d_QCbl4U_OuLTpx-ezlJL&si=0jNt34wzQc9_8Hx3

Out of 44 nominations, these 22 songs had the top half of a record-setting number of votes:

1. Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives - Rhapsidio Sangre de Christo in E Major (2025) (Record Store Day exclusive) (Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/mAHX0ZA50hI?si=0XBEmhXPkn_aMNNk) (Nathan Ferrell)

2. Rainbow Kitten Surprise - It’s Called: Freefall (2018) (Brandon Simmons)

3. Butthole Surfers - Who Was In My Room Last Night? (1993) 

4. Hüsker Dü - Games (1985) (Burke Wasson)

5. Billy Bragg & Wilco - Walt Whitman’s Niece (1998) (Eric Fodor) 

6. Toots and the Maytals - Pressure Drop (1969) (Bryan Mosby) 

7. Joywave - Destruction (2015) (Steve Strait) 

8. Primus - Tommy The Cat (Live at the Henry J. Kalser Auditorium/1997) (Jennifer Jenny Jen)

9. John Hartford - I’m Still Here (1984) (Jeremy Cook)

10. Tony Rice - Likes Of Me (feat. Vassar Clements, Jerry Douglas, Todd Phillips, Sam Bush & Béla Fleck) (1984)

11. George Harrison - I’d Have You Anytime (1970) (Jesse Morgan)

12. Goose - Feel It Now (2025) (Nathan Ferrell)

13. Taj Mahal & Keb’ Mo’ - Room On The Porch (feat. Ruby Amanfu) (2025) (Jennifer Bowles Hutchinson)

14. The Nerves - Hanging On The Telephone (1976) (Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_Xja9C09k2w?si=SasKb2jm6DlAA3OE) (Doug Lindmark)

15. Mt. Joy - God Loves Weirdos (2025) (Wes Dorris) 

16. Nikka Costa - Like A Feather (2001) (Marsha Morgan) 

17. Goose - Your Direction (2025) (Jennifer Bowles Hutchinson) 

18. Gram Parsons - Love Hurts (feat. Emmylou Harris) (Live) (1973) 

19. Brian Eno - Mother Whale Eyeless (1974) (Burke Wasson) 

20. The National - Fireproof (2013) (Jennifer Wasson) 

21. Spottiswoode - I’m A Worrier (2025) (Burke Wasson)

22. The Frightnrs - I’d Rather Go Blind (2015) (Bryan Mosby)

STRAY CUTS (songs that didn’t make our top half, but did make the #FreshFour of Wellington, Steve, or me):

1. Patriarchy - Suffer (2022) (Grant Wasson) 

2. JENNIE - like JENNIE (2025) (Jennifer Jenny Jen)

3. Houndmouth - Sedona (2015) (Garrett Gaskins) 

4. Armageddon - Buzzard (1975) (Steve Strait)