Friday, June 27, 2025

ThisSmallPlanet.com Cool New Music Summer Playlist July & August 2025



BEST NEW SINGLE: Bright Eyes - "1st World Blues". 
Conor Oberst & Alex Orange Drink collaboration


Dropkick Murphys new single "Who'll Stand With Us" from their new album For The People.

BEST NEW ALBUM: FOR THE PEOPLE. DROPKICK MURPHYS (STREAMING NOW).

    

It's always satisfying to find out someone Irish, whether from home or in the diaspora, is anti-racist and radical, rather than the racist and reactionary some would have you believe we are. I believe the natural position of The Irish is to support the underdog because of our history as victims of British imperialism, survivors of a great famine, and immigrants in search of. It pains me to see when it is otherwise. But it is wonderful to see people like Dropkick Murphys embrace the Irish tradition of sticking up for the less fortunate. They've mined Woody Guthrie lyrics for several songs, carrying on those traditions as well. They support Ukraine. They have a song on the new album with Billy Bragg (a cover of an Ewan MacColl's song "School Days Over"):



Cries for justice and unity are never far from the hearts and minds of this band and their fans. At the same time, Kneecap, from Belfast, Northern Ireland, have ignited fierce debate regarding their support of Palestinian rights. For many, it is perfectly logical for the Irish to support Palestinian self-determination. Kneecap makes a point of saying they are from "Ireland", not "Northern Ireland" and certainly not "British subjects of The United Kingdom". It reminds us that Ireland is still divided, with the six north-eastern counties "belonging" to the Untied Kingdom. It reminds us that people still dream of a re-united Ireland and that Ireland has a history of oppression and colonialism and that there are STILL British troops in Ulster. In that light, support for Palestine makes perfect sense, especially recalling old links from the 1970s between the IRA and the PLO. The situation in Gaza today is an emergency and needs to be addressed immediately. Mo Chara from Kneecap made a mistake at a show in London in November 2024 when he took a yellow Hezbollah flag someone from the crowd handed him, wore it around his neck and then displayed it on stage, while saying, "Up Hamas! Up Hezbollah!" Voicing support for banned terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah is illegal in the UK and he is now facing prosecution (next court hearing on August 20). Furthermore, Hamas and Hezbollah have attacked civilians and have many reactionary, medievalist followers. Hezbollah is not even Palestinian. It is an Iranian-funded Shia militia based in Lebanon which intervened in Syria's civil war on behalf of the brutal Assad dictatorship and has also killed civilians in Lebanon, Israel, and Palestine. We can support a Free Palestine without supporting backward groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. Kneecap has said they don't support Hamas, Hezbollah, or attacks on civilians but have also said Mo Chara's prosecution on terrorism charges is retaliation for their political stance, is highly ironic considering British history in Ireland, and that on stage Mo Chara is "playing a character" and not necessarily delivering a peer-reviewed presentation on history and politics (with footnotes). Mo Chara (or his handlers) should have known (or found out) what the British law is regarding these issues and acted accordingly, unless they wished to challenge the British law banning support for Hamas and Hezbollah, which they have given no indication they intended to do. In that case, Mo Chara is "guilty as charged" of the offenses. Kneecap, and the Free Palestine movement in general, need to clarify that their support for Palestine does not mean support for Hamas or Hezbollah, and that their condemnation of Israel is based on the facts of Palestinian suffering, not the blindness of anti-semitic bigotry.

                Michael Donnelly arrested at anti-apartheid ship action, San Francisco, CA., 1986

UPDATED: July 25, 2025

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I live in a car and listen to music and world news. 

I would write more if I had a home.

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                                                 Alex G on Colbert

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Cool New Singles (with links to YouTube videos)


The Beths. "No Joy".

Bob Dylan & Barbra Streisand. "The Very Thought Of You"

Bright Eyes. "1st World Blues". BEST NEW SINGLE. Conor Oberst/Alex Orange Drink

David Byrne. "Everybody Laughs". & "She Explains Things To Me"

Jay Som. "Float".

Jeff Tweedy. "One Time Flower". & "Out In The Dark"

Johnny Marr. "Rebel Rebel" (live)(feat Neil Tennant)(David Bowie cover)

Juan Wauters. "Manejando por Pando"

Kim Gordon. "Bye Bye 25". Updated political version.

Kneecap. "The Recap".

Kurt Vile. "Classic Love" (feat Luke Roberts)

Manu Chao & Santa Fe Klan. "Solamente".

Mavis Staples. "Godspeed" (Frank Ocean cover)

MJ Lenderman. "Just Be Simple" (Jason Molina/Songs: Ohia cover).

Neko Case. "Wreck". 

The Molotovs. "Today's Gonna Be Our Day". & "Suffragette City".

Robert Plant. "Everybody's Song" (Low cover)

Shame. "Quiet Life".

Tom Morello. "Pretend To Remember Me".

Wednesday. "Wound Up Here (By Holding On)"

Wet Leg. "Davina McCall"

Woody Guthrie. "Deportees (Plane Wreck At Los Gatos)". 



Cool New Albums


Alex G. Headlights.

Chaka Chawasarira. Useza. Zimbabwean master of the matepe. Interesting.

Dropkick Murphys. For The People. BEST NEW ALBUM. Digital out July 4, 2025. CD/LP out October 10, 2025.

Eric Andersen. Dance of Love and Death. 82-year-old folkie's new material is quite striking.

Haims. I Quit. I had the lowest of expectations but it's pretty good, actually.

James McMurtry. The Black Dog And The Wandering Boy. Great stories, great songs.

Jason Isabel. Something More Than Free.

Jonathan Richman. Only Frozen Sky Anyway. Quirky smart funny songs? Yep. In spades.

Juan Wauters. Mvd Luv. Nice, gentle songs in Spanish and English.

Kurt Vile. Classic Love EP.

Laura Jane Grace. Adventure Club. 

Lord Huron. The Cosmic Selector Vol. 1. Dreamy little epics.

Mike Polizze. After the Deluge. Cool songs.

Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts. Talkin to the Trees. Surprisingly strong album from this vet.

North Mississippi Allstars. Still Shakin'. Worth listening to. Fresh takes on classic blues.

Open Mike Eagle. Neighborhood Gods Unlimited. Smooth hip hop.

Queens Of The Stone Age. Alive In The Catacombs. Intriguing.

Patti Griffin. Crown Of Roses.

Paul Weller. Find El Dorado. Super Famous in England, Little Known in America.

Peter Rohan. Tales of the Free Mexican Airforce. Tribute to the sound of The Texas Tornados, featuring Flaco Jimenez on a couple of songs.

Slick Rick. Victory. The Return Of The Master Storyteller.

The Swell Season. Forward. Solid offering from folk duo Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová

Tyler, The Creator. Don't Tap The Glass. He's a creative little bastard, innit he?

Unknown Mortal Orchestra. Curse. Pretty good.

Wavves. Spun. They're back and gooder than ever.

Wet Leg. Moisturizer. Sophomore slump? Not here....

Willie Nile. The Great Yellow Light. Good rockin'


Pulp Doing "Common People" at Glastonbury 2025


Archival: Reissues and Randoms


Billie Holiday. Songs For Distingue Lovers.

Bruce Springsteen. Lost And Found (Selections From The Lost Albums). Some of this is really good but doesn't sound at all like the Springsteen we're used to.

Husker Du. Jan. 30, First Ave Pt.1. The first in a batch of "new" archival releases. Past releases have suffered from poor audio quality, but that's not a problem here. Nice to hear a band at its peak (1985) who would still totally slay today easily.

The Kinks. The Journey, Pt. 3. Great Kinks collection of their later period, songs from the late 70s and 80s and some classic hits from a live show in 1993. I already had The Journey, Pt 1 & Pt 2 (both highly recommended). Actually any excuse at all to listen to old friends like The Kinks, The Who, The Yardbirds, Small Faces, Faces, Jeff Beck Group, et al is welcome.

Sly And The Family Stone. The First Family: Live at the Winchester Cathedral 1967. Early appearance by the ensemble.



Highly Anticipated Cool New Releases

There aren't a whole lot of huge releases coming this summer or fall, so far, but there is plenty that came out between January 2025 and June 2025, which you can see here and here, including a few of which I feel I haven't even given a proper listen to yet, and some of which are still on heavy rotation, including: Ty Segall Possession, The Lumineers Automatic, Pulp More, Peter Doherty Felt Better Alive, Pavement Pavements (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), Aesop Rock Black Hole Superette, The Minus 5 Oar On, Penelope!, and Fontaines D.C. "It's Amazing To Be Young".



Woody Guthrie. Woody At Home - Vol. 1 + 2. [Shamus]. August 12, 2025. 22 unreleased tracks by an American master.

Suede.  Antidepressants. September 5, 2025. Britpop kings return.

Shame. Cutthroat [Dead Oceans] September 5, 2025. Sounds good.

David Byrne. Who Is The Sky? [Matador].September 5, 2025. Always interesting.

Jeff Tweedy. Twilight Override. September 26, 2025. Probably sounds like Tweedy.

Robert Plant. Saving Grace. [Nonesuch]. September 26, 2025.

Jay Som. Belong. [Polyvinyl/Lucky Number]. October 10, 2025. Cool stuff.

Lana Del Rey. Classic (other previously rumored titles: The Right Person Will Stay and Lasso) [Interscope]. Release date: Delayed (To Be Announced). Summer 2025? Autumn 2025?



You may also be interested in:

+ ThisSmallPlanet.com Cool New Music Playlist Spring 2025 (April, May, June)


+ Kneecap Court Controversy With Their Pro-Palestine Stance



+ Photos from the UC Berkeley Campaign Against Apartheid Protests (1986)                                                                            



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