don't sleep on cuttlefish; dudes is SMART

Soundcloud recently announced Fan Powered Royalties - a different approach to paying out artists than what any of the other streaming services use. I've been fascinated with this approach ever since I read about Deezer's User Centric Payment System. This article does a good job of explaining "pro-rata" payouts vs "user-centric" payouts but the gist of it - instead of paying artists with the most repeated plays on a given platform, payouts are based on direct plays from subscribers.

Maybe I'm oversimplifying it or misunderstanding the approach but, as far as I can tell, they're going to try and pay out artists based on actual plays; not an algorithm of who should be paid. This is closing in on 1:1 plays to payments.

The Soundcloud promo site sells it pretty well but there's a lot of documents to sort through to figure out how to be eligible for it. To start, if you're on Soundcloud and don't have ISRC codes on your tracks, you should go ahead and do that ASAP.

However it shakes out, it's a very worthwhile experiment and I'm happy to see a big company like Soundcloud trying this out.

The debut release from No Stress came out yesterday. Prelude No. 1 is a quick listen but it covers a lot of ground incorporating hip-hop, jazz, gospel and a bit of glitch all into one tidy package. It's a yk Records release and it's probably one of the most different things I've had a hand in putting out into the world. And I say that positively. It's hard to pinpoint a favorite track because of the variety of styles. "Freedomlove" is a good jumping off point but there's something hypnotic about "We Sure This Is A Dream? and something entirely soothing about Trust Falls with My Enemies." All told, you really can't go wrong.

Pick it up on Bandcamp or stream it anywhere.

In promotion of their latest LP, In The City, Tower Defense has released the video for the lead track "Manifest Destiny." It's a highly stylized DIY affair that features bassist Sarah Shepherd hurdling through Nashville before ending in a rather precarious situation.

It's certainly not a big budget video but I have an intense fondness for bands that figure out a way to do something engaging without spending a lot. They put together an affordable green screen setup and figured out a way to make it work. I love the results.

It's also a great song worth repeating at least a few times. I know that's my bias talking but I really love how full force the band sounds here. Pick up the LP or digital over on Bandcamp or stream the record anywhere. And, of course, watch the video.

went on an 80s video binge. on the fence about the song but enjoying the video.

recent discovery. v into it.

the album is 20 years old. The band put out a playlist of songs that helped inspire it

if anyone has an HD version of this, please direct me towards it

Another new yk Records artist debuted a brand new track today. Jack Silverman emailed me awhile back with a Soundcloud link of 3 tracks he had recorded with Roger Moutenot (Yo La Tengo, Sleater-Kinney, TMBG). It's not uncommon for me to get requests to put out new music but the release roster is generally already so full I have to politely decline. However, after one listen of Silverman's EP (Now What - due March 26th), I was hooked. The first track from the EP, "Mixed Signals", is now available on Bandcamp or wherever you stream music. There's an oddly haunting voice throughout the track that has an intriguing back story.

This is the song that really started it all. I just started hearing this melody in my head, and then tried to find the chords that made it work. When I got set up, something in my guitar or pedal board was picking up radio interference, and I couldn’t get rid of it. When I turned up the volume, I realized it was a radio preacher. So I figured, hit RECORD. Some of those demo tracks are in the final mix, including the preacher.

I already loved the track but learning that the voice was a bit of an accident made it even more enjoyable.

I posted about the upcoming No Stress album and am happy to announce a second single has dropped from March 2nd record. "Wake Up" is a very different vibe from the prior single but I love that. Hard stop. Dara Tucker provides some wonderful vocals to this legitimately soothing track.

Hear the track on whatever streaming service or pick up the record over on Bandcamp.

There are a lot of newsletters out there. One of them is Today in Tabs - a rundown of Internet highlights for a given day with plenty of color commentary that is legitimately amusing. There's plenty of entertainment out there in the form of Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, etc but there's nothing more pleasant than an easy referenced list of absurdity. Sure, no one needs more email but this one is worth it.

Keeping on that Fat Tuesday celebration tip, here's a playlist from some pals of mine that sets the mood. If ya like what you hear, you can catch them weekly on the Nashville Mixtapes show. I do recommend.

Hey, it's Fat Tuesday today! Over the past few years, I've really grown a real affection for all things New Orleans and the massive culture of celebrations involved with Mardi Gras. With COVID-19, this year is a bit different and official Mardi Gras parades were cancelled. However, NOLA residents made the best of it by creating a new tradition called Yardi Gras; in which homes are decorated in the style of the traditional floats to keep the party going.

This Yardi Gras Walking Tour is a great introduction to the concept. It's 30 minutes but really a fascinating look at the work being done across the city to keep their traditions going.

Beyond that, I'd also recommend the official NOLA.com 2021 Mardi Gras Videos. It's three parts - Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 - that goes through a massive amount of history of the parades, the different Krewes that have formed over the years and, of course, The Mardi Gras Indians; hands down the most fascinating piece of New Orleans culture.

Enjoy an indulgent Fat Tuesday and watch six hours of videos! You earned it.

always respect her insights.. definitely a list worth checking out

love this cover art. Reminder to listen to it.

Been a minute since I had enough cobbled together videos for a Friday Videos. Weekly just doesn't feel like a pace I can sustain anymore. I mean, I am 42 now. Makes sense that I'd falter a bit in my old age. But enough lamenting and explanation!

If you have not already, please take a deep dive into the GIF works of Alexandre Louvenaz. They are a beautiful nightmare, each and every one.

And on to the videos. Enjoy!

• Thom Yorke Was Raised in a Barn - perfectly stupid.
• David Lynch Swears - I fully believe that Lynch swears better than anyone else. Top 5 on the Planet.
• Wakey Wakey - remembered this 2018 Don't Hug Me I'm Scared clip recently and discovered that the show this was meant to tease is still happening.
• 1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted a Culture Trailer - this is deserving of its own post but please watch this trailer and if you are in the unfortunate position to know any homophobic individuals, make them watch it a few times.
• 10 Hours of Infinite Fractal and Falling Shepard's Tone - Endurance Challenge! How much of this can you handle? Maddening.
• Buying a Pizza with Bitcoin, 2011 - it's hard to believe this video even exists and double-y difficult to acknowledge that it's 10 years old.
• Matt Berry Mashup - been gorging on What We Do In the Shadows lately and it's just further proof that Matt Berry is endlessly entertaining.

Stay safe out there. Keep wearing the dang mask.

"I got tired of waiting for Weezer to release another album so I made one myself" -Billy Cobb

I can't tell you how frequently I see Weezer news announcing some new album that is laden with the author's hope that maybe, just maybe, it'll get back to that Weezer sound they love. They're always disappointed. It's been 25 years since the release of Pinkerton and folks are still holding out hope that they'll come back around. Hell, even Weezer themselves are planning on an album inspired by Weezer.

I occasionally dip my toe into the contemporary Weezer waters. I've heard a few tracks from OK Human but even the title makes my skin crawl. That said, I recognize it's just not for me anymore. Pop culture does not allow me to avoid it entirely but I am comfortable not caring one iota. All that said, stumbling upon Zerwee and Zerwee, Pt 2 has been a real treat. Artist Billy Cobb is actively and openly aping the early 90's Weezer sound in both releases. In interviews he states how carefully he's constructed the songs to have all the "right" Weezer ingredients and I'd confidently say he's cracked it.

Are both these releases shamelessly appealing to nostalgia? Yes. Am I okay with that? You betcha.

If Weezer actually released an album in this style I'm sure folks would flip but they've done it. I'd love to see Billy Cobb take this experiment through to the next logical step - making Weezer inspired music that somehow delivers an original twist to the formula. Just have to wait and see.. maybe it'll take 25 years but I'll be tuned in.

a novel approach to helping subsidize local NOLA bars

a repository of GIFs that could only be described as a Delightful Nightmare

very excited for this project. Full album due out in mid-March.