Here’s the playlist for this week’s episode! Ryley Walker is such a gifted guitar player that it’s easy to forget that he’s an excellent songwriter and arranger, too. I have three different songs from him on this week’s playlist that show different facets of his considerable talent.
There’s also some songs from bands I played with on tour this week, and some friends, guests from past shows, etc.

“Rocks on Rainbow” – Ryley Walker: Ryley and I talked a little bit about our shared love of Richard Thompson and his slack-key tuning/fingerpicking style. Ryley has his own special take on this, perhaps less averse to dissonance as Richard Thompson, but no less affecting. This track is hypnotic and lovely.

“Busted Stuff” – Ryley Walker: Ryley and I didn’t get into a discussion about the whole “Lillywhite Sessions” record, but if you want some background, I’d suggest reading the Pitchfork review of it. I didn’t really understand why Ryley covered an unreleased Dave Matthews Band record in its entirety, and maybe I still don’t, but the Pitchfork review contextualizes it in a way I couldn’t here. Walker, of course, makes this song his own and extraordinary.

“On the Banks of the Old Kishwaukee” – Ryley Walker: This song really calls back to Ryley’s love of Fairport Convention, and showcases his knack for melody and his ability to write strong electric folk tunes.

“Coming Up for Air” – The Gary: My band PDP recently played with the Gary in Austin, and they are one of my favorite bands in the world. Singer Dave Norwood’s vocals always conjure a certain character in my head: A really solid, gentle guy who has been pushed nearly to the point of breaking, and now there’s going to be a fight.

“Song 25” – The Austerity Program: There are very few bands in the world who capture existential despair and a Southern Gothic level of anxiety than the Austerity Program. Going down the rabbit hole of their recorded output is a journey into a Dustbowl of shattered expectations and tragedy. Surprisingly, in person, Justin Foley is absolutely hilarious. I guess it’s true what they say: The Austerity Program is a land of contrasts.

“Just Say Something” – Endiana: PDP played some shows with Endiana a few weeks back, and I just love their incredible facility as players and their laconic lyrical approach and performance. Easily my favorite Indianapolis band of all time, and worthy of more of your attention.

“Stay” – Paper Saints: Another band I recently met on tour. I hate these sorts of cheap comparisons, but it’s just so hard not to say this: If Siouxsie and the Cure and Psychedelic Furs had formed a super-group… The late 2010s goth revival is making the ghost of my teen self so happy, and not just for the shaggy black haircuts and padlock chokers. The commitment to melody here is really inspiring to me. Great band.

“Mental Illness as Mating Ritual” – Whores: Future podcast guest Christian Lembach not only has a great noise rock band, his song titles have little worlds wrapped up in them. See also: “I See You Are Also Wearing a Black T-shirt”. Christian and Kevin Chapman, the guitar player from Paper Saints, were once roommates. Small world.

“Outlive You” – Friendship Commanders: Next week’s episode will be an interview with this absolutely stellar Nashville band. I’m going to keep hammering this band into your ears until you realize that you should love them.

“Herzog” – Five Eight: This is the band for whom I’ve played drums for like 30 years. This is our song about Werner Herzog trying to figure out what happened to the dude who got eaten by bears.

“Alcoholics and Meth Addicts” – The Powder Room: Just a reminder that this is the band who wrote the Crash and Ride theme song. I love this band and played with them for a while. Gene, the genius behind these melodies and great guitar parts, now plays lead guitar for T Hardy Morris. This song, though, is SUCH a banger. I bang my head every time I’m editing it into an episode.