When I was removed from the constant discovery zone of college radio, I often poured through music magazines to find my way to new artists. This meant that, like a sportswriter considering whose name to write on his or her MVP ballot, I was unduly susceptible to a performer with a good story. Jack Logan had a great story. He was a longtime songwriter who came to prominence fairly late in life, after moving to Georgia, where he befriended Peter Buck of R.E.M. While Logan was still making his living as a swimming pool motor technician, he started releasing albums, … Continue reading One for Friday: Jack Logan, “Teach Me the Rules”

Though I like to think my musical tastes have diversified somewhat in recent years, two decades ago there was no surer pathway into my preferences than big, proud electric guitars. The Chicago band Urge Overkill was already on my radar for that very reason by the time they released their major label debut, Saturation, in 1993. Their prior effort, The Supersonic Storybook on Touch and Go, was championed by CMJ, the college radio trade publication, and I returned to it fairly regularly across my last few semesters as a student at the station. But Saturation, officially released just a couple … Continue reading One for Friday: Urge Overkill, “Sister Havana”

I’m going to break one of my chief rules for One for Friday today, so let’s start with a modified version of the regular disclaimer. The track I post today seems to be available for purchase as a physical item, although its unlikely to be stocked as a matter of course in your favorite local, independently-owned record store. Instead, I humbly suggest that you consider contacting the proprietor of said store and asking if Home by Hothouse Flowers can be ordered. Perhaps you’ll be able to pick it up two weeks from tomorrow when there will be a lot of … Continue reading One for Friday: Hothouse Flowers, “Movies”