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Marc Fagel @marcfagel.bsky.social · 3h

It was a National concert, with War on Drugs' frontman joining them for this track, so that seemed accurate.

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Marc Fagel @marcfagel.bsky.social · 3h

Found someone who can comfort me, but there are always exceptions...

Empty Pages (Remastered 2010)

YouTube video by Traffic - Topic

youtu.be

Marc Fagel @marcfagel.bsky.social · 3h

2000 Great Songs #1116: Empty Pages. One of those hoary dinosaurs of the FM dial that nonetheless gets me to perk up my ears, peak Traffic elevated by Steve Winwood's reliably soulful pipes and an unusually funky rhythm section. But the jam should be longer!

My Top 2000 Songs #1116: Empty Pages

Music-obsessed retired lawyer, sharing a few thoughts on some choice cuts from my obscenely oversized music collection each day.

www.jitterywhiteguymusic.com

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Marc Fagel @marcfagel.bsky.social · 3h

The first 15 songs of the 1100s on my Top 2000... a nifty hour-long playlist to kick off the weekend. open.spotify.com/playlist/7kE...

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Marc Fagel @marcfagel.bsky.social · 3h

Wait til you see me recklessly enlist em-dashes.

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Marc Fagel @marcfagel.bsky.social · 20h

As covered by The National (with War on Drugs):

The National & War On Drugs - Bring On The Dancing Horses (Cover)(Toronto 2024)

YouTube video by ShakyShorty

youtu.be

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Marc Fagel @marcfagel.bsky.social · 1d

Saddened to wake to news of John Lodge's passing. While the Moodies weren't always the most convincing "rock" band, his more upbeat tracks were a fun counterpart to their more melodic and arty numbers. Plus, still one of the best concerts I saw as a kid.

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Marc Fagel @marcfagel.bsky.social · 1d

Hating all the faking, and I'm shaking while I'm breaking your brittle heart...

Echo & The Bunnymen - Bring on The Dancing Horses (Official Music Video)

YouTube video by Echo & the Bunnymen

youtu.be

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Marc Fagel @marcfagel.bsky.social · 1d

Today’s Connections gives a wink to Big Star fans!

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Marc Fagel @marcfagel.bsky.social · 1d

2000 Great Songs #1115: Bring On The Dancing Horses. While I hate when artists toss a new song onto a hits collection, compelling fans to pick up a record they don't otherwise need, @bunnymen.com offered the rare example of the new song being totally worth it. One of the definitive 80s tracks.

My Top 2000 Songs #1115: Bring On The Dancing Horses

Music-obsessed retired lawyer, sharing a few thoughts on some choice cuts from my obscenely oversized music collection each day.

www.jitterywhiteguymusic.com

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Marc Fagel @marcfagel.bsky.social · 1d

Fun cover from indie rockers Yuck:

Bled White

YouTube video by Yuck - Topic

youtu.be

Reposted by Marc Fagel

Toppermost @toppermost.bsky.social · 1d

“The real highlight on 'Crashing Dream' is Don’t Feel Bad, dueling bass and guitar lines that feel deeply indebted to 'Revolver', a punchy psych-pop track that carries on where the debut left off”

@marcfagel.bsky.social picks his top #RainParade tracks

www.toppermost.co.uk/rain-parade/

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Reposted by Marc Fagel

Toppermost @toppermost.bsky.social · 2d

“The psychedelic opus This Can’t Be Today, a lysergic expedition, hypnotic keyboards, fizzy guitars, backwards tapes, stop-start tempos, wall-of-sound reverb”

@marcfagel.bsky.social picks his top #RainParade tracks – this one on ‘Emergency Third Rail Power Trip’

www.toppermost.co.uk/rain-parade/

Emergency Third Rail Power Trip album cover

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Reposted by Marc Fagel

Lee Coursey @lee-coursey.bsky.social · 2d

#music #musicsky #nowplaying

#playlist: "Four Albums of the Week", an interleaved, resequenced, alternating mix of songs from four albums. This week featuring Rain Parade, The Beatles, The Bats, and The Asteroid No.4. Enjoy! 🎶

Hat tip to @marcfagel.bsky.social

open.spotify.com/playlist/59Z...

Four Albums of the Week

open.spotify.com

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Marc Fagel @marcfagel.bsky.social · 2d

Sadly, the rest of the album (and later work) isn't nearly as good as the first album & EP; that's the one song that sounds like a holdover from Third Rail.

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Marc Fagel @marcfagel.bsky.social · 2d

Have you ever heard the Things' Outside My Window? Pretty obscure mid-80s Paisley Underground band, clearly ripping off Rain Parade, but good album--out of print for decades but finally available. Or The Asteroid #4, An Amazing Dream, as a more contemporary take on the Rain Parade sound.

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Marc Fagel @marcfagel.bsky.social · 2d

Fun combo. The Bats' Daddy's Highway is another one of my all-time favorite albums. I have to concede I've never loved the Three O'Clock (a little too twee, and the production on their records is kinda thin), though the early Salvation Army stuff on this particular record is decent.

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Marc Fagel @marcfagel.bsky.social · 2d

Yes, they totally nailed that Revolver guitar/bass sound. I'd add in "Don't Feel Bad" from Crashing Dream as a pretty explicit merger of "And Your Bird Can Sing" and "Tomorrow Never Knows."

Don't Feel Bad (2025 Remaster)

YouTube video by Rain Parade - Topic

youtu.be

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Marc Fagel @marcfagel.bsky.social · 2d

Totally with you! I hated Yes when I was in my high school prog phase, largely on account of Anderson’s vocals. But I like them more now; the remastered albums sound great, and I’m a little more tolerant of the vocals.

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Marc Fagel @marcfagel.bsky.social · 2d

Oh, yeah, I'm still all in on prog! My faves remain Gabriel-era Genesis (Nursery Cryme, Selling England) and early King Crimson (Court of the Crimson King). But I'll occasionally spin some Yes (Yes Album, Fragile) and even Tull (Thick as a Brick).

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Marc Fagel @marcfagel.bsky.social · 2d

It may not seem quite right; but I'm not fucked, not quite...

Bled White

YouTube video by Elliott Smith - Topic

youtu.be

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Marc Fagel @marcfagel.bsky.social · 2d

2000 Great Songs #1114: Bled White. It was an open question how well Elliott Smith's dark, intimate songwriting would hold up when given a big budget and dense, Beatlesque production... and it turns out, pretty great.

My Top 2000 Songs #1114: Bled White

Music-obsessed retired lawyer, sharing a few thoughts on some choice cuts from my obscenely oversized music collection each day.

www.jitterywhiteguymusic.com

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Marc Fagel @marcfagel.bsky.social · 2d

Ha! But, yeah, that Jay run was peak Wilco. Though the next two were pretty good. Very hit and miss since then, though there are some gems sprinkled about. I made myself of latter-day favorites and it gets the job done. open.spotify.com/playlist/64O...

Wilco: The Great Lates (2009-2023)

open.spotify.com

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Marc Fagel @marcfagel.bsky.social · 2d

I've only listened once. I'd say it's better than many of the Wilco records of the past decade, but still suffers from his reluctance to write the sort of catchy, straightforward rock/pop/Americana song at which he once excelled. Once I shrink it to a more manageable length I think it'll be better.

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Marc Fagel @marcfagel.bsky.social · 2d

For the latest Toppermost, I gave a quick walk through the history of Rain Parade--responsible for one of the greatest albums of the 80s (and ever!)--and picked their Top 10 songs.

Toppermost @toppermost.bsky.social · 2d

NEW post: Rain Parade – "made one of the truly essential records of the 80s & formed the template for many of the psych-pop acts that followed"

@marcfagel.bsky.social picks 10 by @rainparadeofficial.bsky.social #RainParade (pic David Arnoff) #PaisleyUnderground

www.toppermost.co.uk/rain-parade/

Photo of Rain Parade band by David Arnoff

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