Another week, another Mercury music section to pack with your sunscreen as you set sail on the ship of dead souls that is the KISS Kruise (“Wet, Wild & Rockin’”). How cruel, someone put KISS makeup on that poor, bloated manatee. What’s that? That’s not a manatee? It’s Gene Simmons? Christ, he looks terrible. Um, can I still run over him with my boat?
It took a handful of years, and three records, for Jason Isbell to establish himself as a solo artist. It also took a few years for his absence to completely ruin his former band, the Drive-By Truckers.
LISTEN:
Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – “Alabama Pines”
Author and musician—just like my idol—Alina Simone walks the fine line between humor (in print) and tragedy (in song).
LISTEN:
Alina Simone – “Beautiful Machine”
Gentlemen, fire up those vaporizers and pay your respect to underappreciated stoner metal kings, Orange Goblin.
LISTEN:
Orange Goblin – “Blue Snow”
End Hits: Peter Criss will also be on that cruise, but sadly he’ll be cooking at the buffet’s omelette station. “Beth I hear you calling/But I can’t come home right now/Me and the boys are cooking Denver omelettes/And we just can’t find the cubed ham…”