The Ledge (mp3)

Two weeks ago, I unveiled my list of the 40 best albums of 2024. To get to that number, though, I considered over 100 different records that came out over those 12 months. Tonight’s episode is devoted to those records that almost made the list.

Just like with that show, there’s a lot of my favorite genres, most notably power pop. There’s two fabulous sets of that type of music, but there’s obviously plenty of indie, garage, and good old punk rock. There are plenty of new artists, yet 2024 also saw the revival of quite a few great bands from the past, such as The Dictators, The Chesterfield Kings, and Fastbacks.

Next week, I’m looking at putting together a tribute to two great Minneapolis musicians who recently passed away – Slim Dunlap and Beej Chaney. What tracks would you like to hear during this broadcast?

For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

It may be a new year, but it’s the same great formula for the first Friday of the month. Yes, it’s nothing but new releases for the first show of 2025, and it’s highlighted again by what we like to call “friends of the show”. White Rose Motor Oil have yet another great cover. The wonderful two-piece The Ex-Bombers have a magnificent new seven-inch single. Numb Surprise, The False Positives, E\ric Hisaw Band and many others have strong new tracks.

Of course, there is also the latest lineup from our friends at Rum Bar Records. Miss Georgia Peach returns with another collaboration with Nashville Pussy. The Legendary Swagger follows up their reissue of Sinners, Harlots & Hooligans with an upcoming new record, Broke And Broken. Plus, we have two tracks from Brad Marino’s new rarities album, On The Brink: Rarities, Remixed & Unreleased!

For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

It’s that time of year once again. I’ve spent weeks going through all of the new releases of the past 12 months, and tonight I unveil what I have decided are the 40 best albums of 2024. What a great year! Just like the last few years, my initial list was right around 100 different albums. But I was also more organised than usual. I actually kept a spreadsheet this year of the releases that potentially could make an appearance. Just like Casey Kasem, here are the results in “countdown” order:

To see the actual list of best albums, go to https://scotthudson.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-ledge-648-hudsons-best-of-2024.html

It has become an annual tradition for The Ledge to put together at least two hours of (mainly) brand new holiday music that does NOT suck. That’s the key word here. While most commercial Christmas music is banal, saccharine nonsense designed to annoy mall and fast food shoppers, every year sees a plethora of new rock and roll-based songs to get us through this pressurized time of the year.

Sure, many of these tunes are full of humor and snark, but none of them can be called novelty songs. Yes, there’s also more than a few covers, but how can one not resist redoing the Ramones or Slade? 

There’s also quite a few tracks from what I like to call “friends of the show”. Jeremy Porter once again has a new Christmas tune. Vista Blue has their usual monthly free EP. White Rose Motor Oil continues their year of classic covers, and Numb Surprise continues to…well, surprise us with spooky tunes that literally creep into my tiny brain. And yes, our pals at Rum Bar Records have their usual spot in the show with some heartfelt tracks.

Head to http://scotthudson.blogspotcom for more info and setlists!

Part two of the December new release series also is noteworthy for being the final new release episode of the year! What a fantastic 12 months of tunes we’ve enjoyed, and this episode is a perfect exmple. There’s a ton of new tracks from our friends at Rum Bar Records, including the fabulous new album by Dirty Truckers’ leader Tom Baker. Justine & Me is inspired by Baker’s partner Justine Covault, who tragically passed away in the summer of 2023.  

There’s also fabulous new tracks by veteran rockers such as Ike Reilly, Lucinda Williams, Brian Jonestown Massacre, and many others. There’s a handful of D.O.A. covers from a fantastic new tribute album, No Escape From What You Are. And, as always, there’s always some brand new bands getting their first airing on my show.

Oh yeah, and there’s also a sampling of some classics from a number of reissues from The Green Pajamas, Talking Heads, and the long-awaited (I’m) Stranded box set by The Saints!

For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

It’s a testament to the quality of 2024 new music that even in December The Ledge’s monthly new release series is again a two-part extravaganza. Tonight’s part one features the usual new tunes by “friends” of the show, along with great punk, garage, indie, and Americana from artists both new and old.  

For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

Given that it’s Thanksgiving weekend, I thought it was high time to have a show consisiting of nothing but tracks from albums that I’ve been playing around the house. Yeah, not exactly a novel idea, but it’s a great soundtrack for a weekend of record shopping, partying, or even putting up the dreaded holiday decorations. (Ok, probably best for the partying category.)

Sure, it’s nothing but old material but it’s not the type of old material you normally hear. There’s classic garage rock from 60s legends such as The Sonics and The Who. There’s edgy singer/songwriter tunes from Jesse Malin and Graham Parker. There’s a whole set devoted to highlights from the ill-fated Sex Pistols film, The Great Rock and Roll Swindle. Naturally, there’s all kinds of material from the much-lauded “Hudson Basement Excavation Project”. 

For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

The special folder on my hard drive was full, so it was once again time to have a show devoted to cover songs. This time around there are fantastic remakes of songs by the likes of the Stones, Pink Floyd, Small Face, Pretty Things, The Cure, Joy Division, and tons of others.

Most importantly, there’s a generous helping of Jesse Malin covers from the new triple album benefit album, Silver Patron Saints. Two years ago, Malin suffered a rare spinal stroke, and his friends gathered together for this wonderful set of Malin’s own tunes. It’s a rare tribute album that stands proudly with the original versions, and this is one of them.

For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

Fall is the time for the record industry to unleash a torrent of reissues, box sets, live albums, and all kinds of other sorts of vault releases. Yes, it’s admittedly a bit of a chase for easy cash, but as a collector I love it. Give me that compilation of pre-Velvet Underground songs Lou Reed wrote as a songwriter for Pickwick Records. Give me those box sets versons of my favorite records featuring demos and live tracks. Give me straight ahead compilatons and live albums. Give me all of this stuff!

If you are anything like me, you’ll love this overview of those sorts of releases. And yes, there is one track here that doesn’t really fit the format…yet it sort of does. I recently picked up Never Understood: The Jesus and Mary Chain, the memoirs of J&MC brothers Jim and William Reid, and I was intrigued to find out that a few years after the band broke up they both helped out their sister, Linda, in a musical project called Sister Vanilla. Yes, you can certainly tell that she learned a lot from her big brothers. This needs to also be reissued! 

For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

So here we go with the second half of this month’s set of new tunes. This time around we have the usual set of fabulous releses from our friends at Rum Bar Records, along with the returns of old faves such as The Lemonheads, Julian Cope, Chesterfield Kings, and Japandroids. Plus some new (to me at least) bands such as The Deflators, Tuxedo Cats,  and The Zack Static Sect. And there’s also a set devoted to some favorite bands that are featured on the Cardinals At The Window charity comp!

For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com