Genius #21.5 - Sept Scrap Heap
FM Synthesis livestream! New emo, punk, rock, vaguely americana, etc. records
My brain was still kind of scrambled in September, but I have put some of the puzzle pieces back together trying to make sense of my notes on these albums. Some winners in the scrap heap! Some big releases that I didn't love! I am a little worried that I have become sick of music!
YouTube Classic - FM Synthesis
Digitone architect Ess did these livestreams in early COVID days – I remember following along in Portland OR with my Digitone to try to make sense of FM synthesis. The livestream was originally aired in 2 parts: the parts have been lost for 5 years, but the first half surfaced last week. Ess goes over the history of FM synthesis, the terminology for the components of FM synthesis, important ratios, etc.
The FM explanation is done using a mix of graphs, Max patches, and Ess' Digitone, but the information is usable on ANY FM synthesizer (Korg Volca FM, King Of FM iOs app, Garageband FM Piano etc.). I'm holding out hope that pt 2 shows up sometime as well.
Scrap Heap
Emo (kinda)
wakwise
Algernon Cadwallader - Trying Not To Have A Thought (Saddle Creek, Sep '25)
What a comeback! My emo revival days were very short-lived (I loved Some Kind Of Cadwallader, but I'd already dropped off the train by the time Parrot Flies came out). This record blew my expectations away. If you want emo songs about the MOVE collective, this is yr record.
Liquid Mike - Hell Is An Airport (self-released, Sep '25)
Love another Liquid Mike record. Mid-Fi power-pop songs about being bored & remembering bad times. Legit earworms. If you're into Joyce Manor kinda stuff, Liquid Mike got the 90sec pop-punk jams.
HLLLYH - URUBURU (self-released, Jun '25)
Ok not really emo, but did YOU know that The Mae Shi reunited under a new name? There was someone at 29th St Tavern wearing a HLLLYH shirt & i frantically googled. I don't love the record, but that's ok! Great prompt to re-listen to The Mae Shi.
Punk (different from emo)
genbooks13
Guck - Gucked Up (Three One G, Aug '25)
Scuzzy weirdo punk stuff, kinda somewhere between Chat Pile & Melt-Banana. Droll vocal delivery with a little growling. Cool sizzly guitar lines. Hate that most of my write-up will be going over the great song titles like "Guck Dynasty" and ones that can be inferred like "GUBAR" and "IDGAG." "Faith Hill Void" is an all-timer bit.
Stress Positions - Human Zoo (Three One G, May '25)
Extremely sick political powerviolence with lyrics that directly speak to the ongoing Genocide in Gaza.
Adore - Biter (Big Scary Monsters, Sep '25)
Very cool debut from the young Irish trio. Fun noisy pop-punk with post-punk influences. Every song has one moment that caught me off guard. Lyrics are spunky, production from Daniel Fox of Gilla Band.
Rock (different from emo, different from punk)
Inch
Inch - Inch Lifestyle (self-released, July, '25)
Cheers to Aled for sending this my way! Lo-fi 2010s garage-y/punky rock music is BACK. Times New Viking, No Age, Japandroids, etc. Screeching feedback & cymbal-heavy drumming over slow riffs, emotional vocal melodies are delivered into a bullhorn. Let's fucking go.
Guerilla Toss - You're Weird Now (Sub Pop, Sep '25)
This one will need another listen from me – I wasn't in the mood for the big goofy skronky sounds. If you're into bouncy dancey stuff & can tolerate a band trying to be annoying, this will prob be a good one for you. I'll be re-listening!
Gumby's Junk - Business & Pleasure (Joyful Services, Aug '25)
Cheers to my buddy Dan for the rec! Chaotic pop music in the vein of Palm. Recorded by Greg Saunier of Deerhoof & you can really tell. There's a hint of baroque chamber stuff in here, so it reminds me a lot of like an evil version of that Fievel Is Glauque album that came out earlier this year.
Vaguely Americana
Wednesday
Carson McHone - Pentimento (Merge, Sep '25)
A little less lively than McHone's fantastic 2022 Still Life, but still a good listen for soft songs about living well and living thru tough times.
Wednesday - Bleeds (Dead Oceans, Sep '25)
I think this record holds a lot more meaning for the folks following the tabloid details of the romance between singer/songwriter Karly Hartzman and guitarist MJ Lenderman. This one opens really strong, but I don't think the second half if as strong as the first.
Big Thief - Double Infinity (4AD, Sep '25)
It's about time we had an entire album dedicated to how bad it is to be 33 years old (l'Age du Christ). Their Israeli bassist quit, you can listen to Big Thief again.
Others
Samba Touré
Stan Rogers - Northwest Passage (Springfield Sound, 1981)
I've listened to this record before, but it came up on shuffle & I felt compelled to listen to it. Did you know that Stan Rogers was like 30 years old when he wrote The Northwest Passage? Fucking crazy. Great record of legit sea shanties and Canadian country songs about cattle rustling. Live a little, listen to something different.
Samba Toure - Baarakelaw (Glitterbeat, Jan '25)
Legendary Malian guitarist with all the dust you can handle. Twangy guitars, harmonicas, and a weary chorus of multiple vocalists + a bunch of overdubs. The album title translates to The Workers and has a mix of Malian songhay music, blues, and psych rock.
David Byrne - Who Is The Sky? (Matador, Sep '25)
Children's music for Gen Xers. Middle of the album had a couple bangers on it tho.