Bryan Mosby, Travis Boots, Nathan Ferrell, Steve Strait, and Wellington Davis join your host Burke Wasson to break down our songs of the week countdown. You'll hear a lot of great stories, comparisons between shoegaze and dreampop, and which song might get Steve punched in the face. The standings and playlist will post by the end of Friday. Enjoy ! This one gets weird, in a good way!

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Wellington Davis joins Burke to discuss our Songs of the Week from #FreshCuts Vol. 90. Steve Strait, Wes Dorris, and Zach Anthony share their words on songs from this week. And after Burke had the #1 song the first 2 weeks of 2026, we have a new champion. The standings will be revealed by Friday, Jan. 23. To hear our countdown, listen to this episode.

If you enjoy this podcast, you can donate any amount, big or small, to keep it going through the following apps:

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The last 30 minutes of this episode are a beacon of how society should be, as Wellington Davis, Bryan Mosby, and Travis Boots join your host Burke Wasson to discuss our #1 song of the week. But before then, we go on a sonic exploration of discovering long broken-up bands, music from a current public pariah before she was despised, a trio of Mike Patton songs, new punk rock, spoken-word songs with heavy riffs, a documentary on a 1974 boxing match, and a song that is a worldwide hit that was overlooked in our group. Plus, tons of juvenile humor interspersed with scholarly observations - or what I like to call the sweet spot.

Watch Breadcrumb Trail, a 2014 documentary on the band Slint at this YouTube link: https://youtu.be/GsRpS6XGiOs?si=0_bLdA_8Hu1Mcxzv

If you enjoy this podcast, you can donate any amount, big or small, to keep it going through the following apps:

PayPal at [email protected]

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Thank you for your support. It means a lot and helps cover monthly fees.

The standings will be posted by Friday, Jan. 16. This week’s volume features songs from Flea, Lola Young, ShitKid, Mike Patton, Dan the Automator, Water From Your Eyes, Aesop Rock, Father John Misty, Massive Attack, Portishead, Gogol Bordello, They Are Gutting a Body of Water, Slint, The Lemonheads, Santo & Johnny, Lady Lazarus, Way Dynamic, Faith No More, Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E., Hole, Mother Love Bone, Mercy Girl, G YAMAZAWA, Bent, and Charles Wesley Godwin.

Claire Knight, Nathan Ferrell, Travis Boots, Steve Strait, and Wellington Davis join your host Burke Wasson for a wide-reaching talk on The Midlife Critics' songs of the week fron #FreshCuts Vol. 88. We dig deep and get down.

If you enjoy this podcast, you can donate any amount, big or small, to keep it going through the following apps:

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#FRESHCUTS VOL. 88 STANDINGS:

1. Dexter and The Moonrocks - All Your Friends Still Scare Me (12/31/2025) 12 + Claire, Jen, Zach, Scotty, JJJ 17

2. The Velveteers - All These Little Things (2/14/2025) 12 + Travis, Wellington, Steve, Wes, Jesse 17

3. Friendship Commanders - DEAD & DISCARDED GIRLS (10/10/2025) 13 + Travis, Claire, Wellington 16

4. Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol - 1-800-EAT-SHIT (2024) 13 + Burke, Nate 15

5. Bad Magic - Long Way Home (2023) 13 + Burke, Grant 15

6. Katastrophy Wife - Gone Away (2002) 12 + Claire, Nate, Mosby 15

7. Medium Build - Last Time (8/29/2025) 12 + Scotty, JJJ 14

8. King Garbage - Let Em Talk (2022) 10 + Jen, Steve, Wes, JJJ 14

9. EKKSTACY - i walk this earth all by myself (2021) 12 + Jesse 14

10. Nas & DJ Premier - Pause Tape (12/12/2025) 10 + Travis, Wellington, Mosby 13

11. David Bowie - Lazarus (2015) 12 + Grant 13

12. MJ Lenderman - Knockin (2023) 11 + Zach, Scotty 13

13. My Morning Jacket - Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am (feat. Merrill Garbus & Brittany Howard) (2010) 10 + Wes, Mosby, Grant 13

14. Paul Westerberg - Things (1993) 11 + Nate, Grant 13

15. Sinéad O’Connor - I Am Stretched On Your Grave (1990) 12 + Jen 13

16. Brother Wallace - Who’s That? (11/11/2025) 11 + JJJ 12

17. Armand Hammer & The Alchemist - Super Nintendo (11/7/2025) 10 + Burke, Steve 12

18. Andovia - Bled My Heart (10/10/2025) 10 + Burke, Nate 12

19. Oracle Sisters - Asc. Scorpio (2020) 11 + Wellington 12

20. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Satan Said Dance (2007) 11 + Claire 12

21. Ween - Monique the Freak (1995) (2005) 12

22. Genesis - It’s Gonna Get Better (1983) 11 + Jesse 12

23. Token - Peter (feat. Tech N9ne) (7/13/2025) 9 + Steve, Mosby 11

24. Kyle Shutt - Big City (2019) 10 + Travis 11

Listen to #FreshCuts Vol. 88 in countdown format on these streaming services at these links:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0y8LjXqJ20ninEw7C448ho?si=_RBUX03gTvmwa9O8FehDxA&pi=kUniqiNXShCU7

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/freshcuts-vol-88/pl.u-4JomWrbtypqDP

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/user-playlists/2d3166a4758c41768c748cffa1e6c15bsune?ref=dm_sh_plkbJJJUoIhS3KUDoDwnWEDGn

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhGwwDGyNc-_oa1eksodvC7n7Sq_vCETS&si=nRSWNxmsweuPu6xv

Listen to Nathan Ferrell, Steve Strait, Wellington Davis, Claire Knight, Bryan Mosby, and Grant Wasson join your host Burke Wasson for the most conversation we've ever had on this podcast, counting down the results of our group's songs of the year poll. The full list will be revealed in the Facebook group shortly . For now, find out what they are, which song is #1, and what we think of all of it. Plus, a celebrity drops by. And the panel hijacks the podcast when Burke loses his connection.

Special message from Burke Wasson:

Curt and Gretchen Wasson's span of influence on their sons is far-reaching and our topic of this very special episode. My brother Grant and I talk for an hour and 19 minutes on memories from childhood, when our parents were 10 years or more younger than we are now. You're going to hear some great stories, clips from several songs, and how Grant and I became who we are musically. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you may need Kleenex. You'll also hear a recording that I made 3 years ago at a concert. That came up organically, and I have the audio proof.

And as a bonus to this very special bonus episode, I've included a playlist of songs from this episode. You can hear it on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, or YouTube. Links below:

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/merry-christmas-mom-dad/pl.u-zPyLK2gI4vV7q

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0G14raSS0DkVHpaFuJnKBM?si=3FMDrSYITPedBFq54-cd5w&pi=tBkBHhB_QrC

YouTube:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhGwwDGyNc-_Rs3IFtQtF8HyWPgxW9jxc&si=a40OEmEYMh81cg3u

Amazon Music:

Wellington Davis and Claire Knight join your host Burke Wasson to get into this week's songs - which will go into our big songs of the year poll on Friday, Dec. 12. We also reveal a specially themed future #FreshCuts volume, discuss how our kids integrate our music into their lives, and put some perspective on Travis Boots' efforts to infuse more hip-hop into the group.

If you enjoy this podcast, you can donate any amount, big or small, to keep it going through the following apps:

PayPal at [email protected]

Venmo at @Burke-Wasson

CashApp at $BurkeWasson

Thank you for your support. It means a lot and helps cover monthly fees.

2025 LAST CHANCE #FRESHCUTS

1. My Morning Jacket - Half a Lifetime 13 + Garrett, Wes, Zach, JJJ 17

2. Portugal. The Man - Denali 12 + Burke, Steve, Wes, Grant 16

3. Year of October - Rabid Badger 11 + Wellington, Claire, Nathan, Scotty, Grant 16

4. Hayley Williams - True Believer 12 + Burke, Claire, Travis, Nathan 16

5. Jeff Tweedy - Caught Up In The Past 11 + Burke, Nathan, Grant 14

6. THEE OH SEES - Infected Chrome 10 + Claire, Steve, Zach, Mosby 14

7. Deftones - ecdysis 11 + Wes, Nathan 13

8. Tycho & Paul Banks - Boundary Rider 10 + Wellington, Travis, Jesse 13

9. RIO KOSTA - Unicorn 10 + Wellington, Steve, Jesse 13

10. Father of Peace - No Complaints 9 + Jen, Scotty, Zach, JJJ 13

11. Ty Segall - Shining 10 + Scotty, Grant 12

12. Big Thief - Los Angeles 10 + Scotty, Garrett 12

13. Aesop Rock - Poly Cotton Blend 10 + Burke 11

14. Turnstile - LIGHT DESIGN 10 + Garrett 11

15. Lifeguard - Under Your Reach 9 + Mosby 10

16. Vondré - Hola de Nuevo 8 + Claire, Mosby 10

17. billy woods - Corinthians (feat. Despot & El-P) 7 + Wellington, Steve, Wes 10

In this specially themed episode, Wellington Davis and Steve Strait join your host Burke Wasson to get into songs reconsidered. These songs didn't get enough votes the first time around, and now we've given them the respect that they're due. We now like a good number of songs that we originally rejected...but we still don't like others. More episode info will post by Friday, Dec. 5. Enjoy!

If you enjoy this podcast, you can donate any amount, big or small, to keep it going through the following apps:

PayPal at [email protected]

Venmo at @Burke-Wasson

CashApp at $BurkeWasson

Thank you for your support. It means a lot and helps cover monthly fees.

In this special Thanksgiving episode, your host Burke Wasson gives thanks to The Midlife Critics and is joined by fellow critics Wellington Davis, Nathan Ferrell, and Steve Strait. We discuss everything from Sigourney Weaver, Bill Paxton, and the movie "Creepshow" to cross-genre bands, artists better to hear as an album than in #FreshCuts, "unc" rock hate gone too far. And Wellington perhaps performed surgery during recording. It's all part of the fun, and we have a great discussion on our songs of the week from #FreshCuts Vol. 87.

If you enjoy this podcast, you can donate any amount, big or small, to keep it going through the following apps:

PayPal at [email protected]

Venmo at @Burke-Wasson

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Thank you for your support. It means a lot and helps cover monthly fees.

1. Portugal. The Man - Angoon (2025) 13 + Wellington, Zach, Jenny, Grant 17

2. At The Drive-In - Starslight (1996) 12 + Wellington, Nathan, Travis, Jesse 16

3. This Is Lorelei - Dancing in the Club (MJ Lenderman Version) (2025) 10 + Steve, Zach, Scotty, Wes 14

4. Earl Sweatshirt - Hoarse (2013) 11 + Travis, JJJ 13

5. Dr. Dog - Where’d All the Time Go? (2010) 11 + Wellington, Grant 13

6. Urban Dance Squad - Good Grief (1994) 9 + Nate, Steve, Scotty 12

7. They Might Be Giants - Santa’s Beard (1988) 11 + Nathan 12

8. Alice Phoebe Lou - Old Shadows (2025) 10 + JJJ 11

9. Crumb - Ice Melt (2021) 8 + Wellington, Mosby, Jesse 11

10. Field Music - Measure (2010) 7 + Burke, Wes, Grant, Jesse 11

11. American Aquarium - Casualties (Live at Red Rocks) (2025) 8 + Zach, Scotty 10

12. Pinback - Loro (1999) 8 + Jenny, Jesse 10

13. Stephen Malkmus - China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider (2016) 9 + Wes 10

14. Stephen Wilson Jr. - Gary (2025) 7 + Steve, Wes 9

15. AVTT/PTTN - Received (2025) 9

16. Tuba Skinny - Kansas City Stomps (2024) 7 + Jenny, Mosby 9

17. Minutemen - #1 Hit Song (1984) 9

18. Cyril Ferguson - Ya Mar (1974) (YouTube exclusive) 8 + Burke 9

19. John Grant - Sigourney Weaver (2010) 5 + Burke, Nathan, Steve 8

20. Dead Air - Teeth Grinder (2022) 6 + Travis, JJJ 8

21. Super Furry Animals - Slow Life (2003) 8

22. Holger Czukay - Ode to Perfume (1982) 6 + Grant, Mosby 8

Listen to #FreshCuts Vol. 87 on:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6rV01tnvfyXlR1GTpOFqnR?si=SqFsaXuaQTmQbhY4N9iNVQ&pi=hd10Qw99TEOSc

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/freshcuts-vol-87/pl.u-06oxRgNTyNk0Z

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/user-playlists/1137299818c146a5afee82810f8724b2sune?ref=dm_sh_02WeNp4B8k13rWmni7en3Y0SP

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhGwwDGyNc-8X45XQ-5_eVFuwMwH-2C3-&si=6IjttQExyZ-mQzr0

And listen to Travis Boots’ Amazon Music playlist here on Amazon Music: Cedric Sucks

https://music.amazon.com/user-playlists/f0ecab79f62a46bfa7d78c79476b6033sune?ref=dm_sh_CcARPi9bShhh7M4hnV3Itzf2s

Your host Burke Wasson is joined by the return of “King Wellington” Davis, Bryan Mosby, Jesse Morgan, and Nathan Ferrell to discuss our favorite songs from #FreshCuts Vol. 87. We discuss. And now that we’ve figured out how to discuss songs we don’t like, we take advantage of that in this episode. 

If you enjoy this podcast, you can donate any amount, big or small, to keep it going through the following apps:

PayPal at [email protected]

Venmo at @Burke-Wasson

CashApp at $BurkeWasson

Thank you for your support. It means a lot and helps cover monthly operating fees.

1. ​Phantogram - When I’m Small (2009) 14 + Wellington, Jesse, Mosby, Steve, Grant, Nathan 20
2. ​Khruangbin - Bin Bin ii (2025) 14 + Eric, Jesse, Nathan 17
3. ​Chris Robinson Brotherhood - Rosalee (2015) 11 + JJJ, Scotty, Jeremy, Steve, Nathan 16
4. ​Sharp Pins - Bye Bye Basil (2023) 13 + JJJ, Grant 15
5. ​Thundercat - Upside Down (Candy Crush) (2025) 15
6. ​Pavement - You Are a Light (1999) 13 + Jeremy, Steve 15
7. ​Sinéad O’Connor - Just Like U Said It Would B (1987) 13 + Mosby, Jesse 15
8. ​Gorillaz - The Happy Dictator (feat. Sparks) (2025) 13 + Mosby 14
9. ​Molchat Doma - Судно (Борис Рыжий) (2018) 11 + Wellington, Eric, Grant 14
10. ​Griffin Winton - Cutthroat (2025) 11 + Burke, Zach 13
11. ​Pacifica - Don’t Save Me (2025) 12 + Travis 13
12. ​Gatlin - Florida Man (2025) 12 + Jenny 13
13. ​Blondshell - Thumbtack (2024) 12 + Jesse 13
14. ​Yonder Mountain String Band - Nothin’ but Nothin’ (2008) 12 + Lisa 13
15. ​(the) Melvins - A History of Bad Men (2006) 11 + Wellington, Grant 13
16. ​Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile (1999) 12 + Jeremy 13
17. ​Funkdoobiest - Wopbabalubop (Soul Assassins Remix) (1993) 10 + Zach, Travis, Nathan 13
18. ​David Gray - Smile Like You Mean It (Live Radio 1 Session) (2005) 12 + Jenny 13
19. ​Darrin Hacquard - Toe The Line (2025) 9 + Burke, Mosby, Wes 12
20. ​BLK ODYSSY - HEARTBREAK (2025) 11 + Wes 12
21. ​Jesse Ed Davis - Keep Me Comin’ (1973) 11 + Eric 12
22. ​Lifeguard - It Will Get Worse (2025) 10 + Wellington 11

STRAY CUT:

1. ​Steve ‘n’ Seagulls - Silvera (2025) 8 + Burke + JJJ 10

Listen to #FreshCuts Vol. 87 at the links on these apps:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6R2JvigWtiSw29XLgl0USV?si=EN1vCLLHTIyXH_M8gpSrwA&pi=D03A5tZgRjyCY

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/freshcuts-vol-86/pl.u-06oxR0bFyNk0Z

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhGwwDGyNc-_yHft6FoZONcvZNcrpwY20&si=bmaQDumtUafjGq30

Amazon Music:

https://music.amazon.com/user-playlists/ec4a38b8de7d4c29a89c1dd4698d58a5sune?ref=dm_sh_C37o8gsKD0NWTW38aP1AUGjCR