What I Learned After Listening to Every Taylor Swift Album

For years, whenever Taylor Swift came up in conversation, my go-to response was, “I like her public persona, but her music isn’t really for me.” It was easy to say, but one day I realized something: I had never actually given her music a real chance. So, I decided to dive in headfirst and listen to all of her albums, chronologically, as they were released.

The journey started with her self-titled debut, and right away, I was surprised. I had always thought of Taylor Swift as a pop star, but her early albums are undeniably country. I’ve never been much of a country fan—though I do enjoy some Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. While Taylor’s early work had its charm, the themes of love and faith felt broad and vague, which makes sense given her widespread appeal. It didn’t resonate with me personally, but I could see the seeds of her future stardom.

As I moved forward in her discography, I noticed the gradual evolution in her sound. By the time I got to Red, Taylor was starting to leave her country roots behind, and 1989 marked a full transition into synth pop. Now, synth pop isn’t a genre I typically gravitate toward, but it was an improvement in my mind. The shift showed her willingness to experiment and reinvent herself, a quality I respect.

It wasn’t until Lover and beyond that I found genres I connected with more. Albums like folklore and evermore leaned into indie vibes, which are genres I often enjoy. But even here, I found myself underwhelmed by the lyrical content. The stories and themes felt shallow compared to what I’ve come to expect from indie music. Then, with Midnights, Taylor pivoted back to synth pop, and her latest album, Tales of the Tortured Poets, seemed to aim for a folk-inspired sound but didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

By the end of this musical journey, I realized I probably won’t be revisiting Taylor Swift’s discography. I prefer music that challenges me or dives deep into unique perspectives, and much of Taylor’s work seems designed for broad appeal. That’s not inherently a bad thing—it’s just not what I’m looking for. I’ll admit, though, my YouTube Music algorithm may never recover from this experiment!

That said, there were a few things I came to appreciate about Taylor Swift along the way. Her decision to re-record her earlier albums as Taylor’s Version to reclaim her music from the greedy hands of the industry? Badass. It’s rare to see an artist take such a bold and principled stand. And her talent—both as a songwriter and as a cultural icon—is undeniable. Another surprise? Just how much of her music I’d already heard in passing without realizing it. Taylor Swift has been a constant presence in the cultural background for over a decade, and my dive into her music underscored just how omnipresent her work is.

At the end of the day, I’m now informed when I say, “I like Taylor Swift the public persona, but her music isn’t really for me.” This journey helped me understand why her fans love her, and while I may not be joining the Swiftie ranks anytime soon, I respect the artistry and effort behind her incredible career.

Kirk Aug

Kirk is a writer, beekeeper and a fellow traveller on spaceship Earth. Follow Kirk on instagram @kirkaug

Ty Listens to "Chromakopia"

Tyler, the Creator's eight studio album, "Chromakopia", was released at 6am this morning. I waited until 10am to listen to it. My daughter had a doctor's appointment this morning, and since she was a little nervous, I let her pick the music, which was Taylor Swift of course, whom I adore. But after I dropped her off at school it was my time to shine. I was by myself, so that let me really listen to the record with zero distractions, which I prefer when new music from an artist I love is released. I had also listened to "Noid" since he released that a little early. I love that track, so I was all keyed up to hear what else he was going to give us.

I'm here to say that this record is amazing. Tyler, the Creator has a knack for music, and he is one of the best out there with his craft right now. He continues to grow with each new release. He seemingly gets better and better while still maintaining his super unique, super cool rap voice. I love how gruff and grimy it sounds. But make no mistake, he has grown up and matured. He isn't the same guy from Odd Future. He is his own person now, and he more than shows that on "Chromakopia". This record is one solid song after the next. There's straight up hip hop, there's pop, there's R&B, he kind of gives the listeners a few different genres to chew on, which I love. I also appreciate how each song flows right into the next song. There's no long pauses in between the tracks. When one song ends, it feels like the ending of said song has a line or lyric that gets you in the right headspace for what is coming next. I like when records move at that type of pace. And this isn't a quick 10 song, 30 minute record. The album is almost an hour long, clocking in at 53 minutes with 14 songs. And, as I said before, there's not one on the listing that is worth a skip. You need to hear them all when you turn on this album. There's a clear theme, which is Tyler, the Creator dealing with his newfound stardom and massive fame. Make no mistake, he is a massive, massive artist. He sells out arenas now. He is going on a world tour to support this record, and I wouldn't be shocked if shows sell out in record time. This record kind of gives the listener a glimpse into how he feels and how he is dealing with all of this. I like when artists talk about real life stuff like that. I don't know what it is like to be famous. I've never been asked for an autograph or been tailed on the street so someone can meet me. I don't have bodyguards. I can go places with freedom. Some people, like Tyler, the Creator, don't have that luxury. And on "Chromakopia", he lets us know how bizarre that is. He lets us know how messed up it can be when a person is obsessed with you. He really lays bare each and every feeling he has toward his fame and stardom and I love this record for that. I also love the beats, the lyrics and the way they are put across throughout the album. So far my favorite track is "Sticky". I also really enjoy "Rah Tah Tah". And "Noid" is a bonafide hit. I wish he were coming closer, or even to Saint Louis on this tour because I'd love to see him perform these tracks live.

Tyler, the Creator is on fire right now. He has been on fire for a good long while now and I don't see him slowing down one bit. Go listen to "Chromakopia". It is another in a long line of stellar records from Tyler, the Creator. He is a master at his craft. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Check Out King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard on their Tour

A buddy of mine invited me to see King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard live last night. Let’s discuss.

I have never really listened to their music much before. I have heard a few tunes, and my friend told me to listen to their most recent record, which I enjoyed quite a bit. My brother is a super fan as well. He couldn't go last night, but he has told me a ton about the band before. So, I met my friend at the venue, The Factory in Chesterfield, which is rad, and we took our seats.

The opening band was called Geese. They were pretty solid. They are kind of post punk/rock music. They had some cool visuals in the background while they played. I liked their stuff and I will be listening to them in the future. Then King Gizzard took the stage. Again, due to my lack of knowledge, I didn't know what to expect. I know that they play a bunch of different genres of music, that they have recorded 26 records and that they are super talented. But I have never seen a live show and I didn't know what they would bring to the table. I was super impressed with the next two hours of music. They opened the set with a run of metal music. They were shredding. They blew through these songs and I found myself bopping along. Immediately I was impressed with how proficient they were with their instruments. Metal music is tough to play, but these guys made it look easy. The guitars sounded really good too. They had the right distortion and you could hear every note in every solo. After the metal music run, they switched over to some psychedelic music. Again, I was shocked, in a good way, that they were so easily able to pull off a totally different genre. They sounded great yet again. The instruments sounded good too. And this time I could fully hear the lyrics and singing, which was dynamite. I loved the use of a wah wah pedal during this part of their set. They switched over to electronic at this point. The stagehands brought out a table that had a bunch of different boards attached to it. Every member of the band, except the drummer, gathered around the table and took the crowd to space. They were making crazy noises come out of those boards. The mics had a wild robot-like effect being used. They made a genre of music that I don't really like very listenable for me. One of the band members informed us that what the "leader" of the band just performed was totally improvised, which is wild. That takes an insane amount of talent to do that at every show, and it was rad. The set ended with about seven or eight songs that were a mix of blues and rock. This was my favorite part of the show. I love this style of music and King Gizzard played it exceptionally. The tone and sound coming off the three guitars was amazing. The keyboard player busted out the saxophone. Earlier on the "leader" of the band played some flute. Some of the other members got to show off their vocals during this part. The two guys who are front and center on the stage absolutely destroyed the guitar.

When my buddy and I left, I was in awe of what I just witnessed. Not knowing much about the band made the experience that much better for me. This was all new to me, and it blew me away. The band has a great energy on stage. They want you to dance and have a good time. They seem to genuinely like playing music with one another. The fact that they can shift from genre to genre was so cool. My buddy told me they play a different set every night, which is bonkers if you think about it.

I don't know why I never bought into the hype before, but King Gizzard more than won me over last night. I am a fan for sure now. I have found myself listening to their music all day today and enjoying the hell out of myself. This was a great, great show. I definitely recommend seeing them live if they are near your hometown. You will have a blast. I sure know I did. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Seeing Califone Perform Live was an Experience Unlike Any Other

Last night my buddy Kirk invited me to a concert. I haven't been to a show in awhile, so I was pretty stoked to check it out. I listened to some of the band's music prior to the show, which I very much enjoyed. Kirk also let me know that there were only 50 tickets available. The show was in a small venue, so they had to limit the amount of tickets they could sell. All of these things made me even more excited to go.

The band we saw is called Califone. I had not heard of them until last Friday. Their music is cool. It is ambient. I told my dad that the music felt like a warm blanket. I enjoy the singer's voice and like how mellow the music can be from time to time. Seeing them in such a small venue had me very curious to see how it would all work. It worked wonderfully. We saw the show in the basement of someone else's home. When we drove up to the house, we did some street parking and walked to the front door. There was a board in the front that said the band name and how to get in. We walked up, were greeted by a few people and an adorable pug, and they let us in after Kirk gave them his name. We walked downstairs, found a few seats and chatted for a bit. The lead singer walked where everything was set up, tuned his guitar and waited for his drummer. The show was scheduled to start at 8pm, and that is exactly when they started.

From the jump, this was an awesome experience for me. Califone is awesome. Seeing two of the members playing live was rad. The singer/guitar player was amazing. He used a lot of effects from his pedalboard that I liked a lot. He used reverse a ton to help loop the guitar for each song. He also played a good amount of slide guitar, which is something I'm a big fan of. His voice sounded great. Being in a small room, with different acoustics could have caused some issues, but it did not. He sounded great. I also really enjoyed the lyrics. He reminds me a little bit of Bob Dylan. I believe Bob Dylan is the greatest songwriter of all time. Califone's lead singer/songwriter is not far off for me. His lyrics are very poetic. He paints a nice picture, tells a nice story. I found myself listening even harder last night. I wanted to get the full live experience. The percussionist was excellent as well. Kirk mentioned that he played and experimented like not many other percussionists out there. I agree. He was playing synthesizer at one point. He used a violin bow to make noises on his cymbals. He would use different drums that he would attach to his high hat. He played other wood instruments that added a really nice sound. He was dynamite.

All in all this was a wonderful experience for me. The band was awesome. The crowd was there to enjoy the music. No one acted up or acted out of pocket. Everyone that was there was very friendly and respectful. The venue was cool too. It was akin to going to a friend's house to hear a band, except this band was way better than your friend's band. I highly recommend going to a small show like this. This was so damn cool to see where I saw it with who I saw play live. I am forever a fan now, and I will be looking out for more shows like this in the future. What a cool experience. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Listens to "Bando Stone & the New World"

Supposedly Childish Gambino, Donald Glover, released his final album. The record is called "Bando Stone & the New World". It has been out for over a week now, but I have finally fully listened to it through its entirety twice now. I wanted to give it some time before writing a review. Let’s discuss.

On first listen I was let down a bit. My problem is I compare all of his records to "Awaken, My Love". That is unfair to him as an artist, and unfair to me as a listener. That album is one of a kind. It is, in the music industry, a masterpiece. For me it is one of the best records to ever come out. I shouldn't compare his other work to that record. I did it with "Atavista" recently too. While I like "Atavista", it doesn't hit me like "Awaken, My Love" hits me. So, instead of writing a first reaction review of "Bando Stone", I decided to give it another full listen.

On this second go round I found myself enjoying it a bit more. I found some of the songs more fitting to what I like to vibe to when I listen to music. "Lithonia" is a true hit. That song has a great hook, Glover crushes his vocals and it is an upbeat sounding tune. "Steps Beach" is a nice and mellow reprieve from the other songs on the album. It has a nice guitar groove as well. "Yoshinoya" is one of his better straight forward rap songs. It reminds me a ton of the stuff on "Because the Internet". That album is dope, and "Yoshinoya" would fit in quite nicely, although I'm stoked it is on "Bando Stone". I really like the lyrics to "Dadvocate". The beat on the song is what brought me in the first time. But the second listen I focused more on the lyrics, and they made me like the song even more. And I really adore the closer, "A Place Where Love Goes". It feels like a finale to not only the record, but to Glover's musical career.

These tracks make this record very solid. But, there are some songs that are just not for me. I am not a fan of "No Excuses". I like that he is giving his often collaborator Ludwig Goransson some credit, but the song is just a meandering mess for me. It is ambient sounds with Glover sometimes singing a verse here and there. I want more lyrically from Glover. The album opener, "Hearts Were Meant to Fly", has its moments, but it falls just a little flat to my ears. "Happy Survival" features a band I really like, Khruangbin, but it feels more like one of their tunes featuring Glover. I want it to be the other way around when listening to his music. As for some of the other features on the record, I'm too old now to know who some of these artists even are. My son knows who they are, but I'm at a loss. I don't know who Chloe or Yeat or Foushee is. I should remedy this, and maybe I will, but for now they are anomalies.

All in all this record is hit or miss, but the hits are really staying with me. The songs I really enjoy will be staying with me for a long, long time. Songs like "Lithonia" and "Yoshinoya" will be getting a ton of spins when I decide to listen to Childish Gambino. I definitely recommend checking the record out. Glover really goes for it. He tries a bunch of different genres all within seventeen songs and one hour of music. And if this is truly it for him as Childish Gambino, he has given us plenty of great music to listen to for the rest of our lives. Glover is a true genius and I will check out all of his further ventures. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Politics Week: AMERICA: F*** YEAH!

Ty is on a court ordered vacation this week, so RD is taking over the writing duties. Due to the incredible time, we live in, RD is going to cover politics every day. The views expressed in these articles are the same as the website owners since it is RD that owns the website.

All compliments and complaints can be sent to rkulik@publicforumproductions.com

Have you heard the song “America: Fuck Yeah”? It was in the underrated film “Team America: World Police”. If you have or have not heard the song, takes some time and listen to it.

That song rocks. It should be our new National Anthem.

I just wanted to give some love to the most patriotic god damn song every made.

America is the fucking best.

RD

RD is the creator and Head Editor of SeedSing and the host of The X Millennial Man Podcast

Support SeedSing and The X Millennial Man on patreon.

Greatest American Music - The Genius of Jack White

I have found myself listening to more and more White Stripes lately. Let’s discuss.

I went through a big phase where they were one of my most listened to bands. Then I fell off. I never really pinpointed why. I think it was a number of things. But, the main issue I had was, I despise Jack White. I still do. He seems like a real piece of work. He feels pretentious to me. I don't like the way he speaks. I don't like his dumb little faces he makes when he is out in public. I think he took his persona a little too far, and now that is his whole being, I must have read something negative about him, and that was all I needed to stop listening to his band. I had all the records, I dove into their history, I saw them live, I felt like I did it all. But, due to the fact that I still listen to, and adore, The Black Keys, Spotify put it upon themselves to play more White Stripes when they curated a Black Keys inspired playlist for me. At first I'd skip and move along. But, one day I decided to listen.

The song was "Apple Blossom", off one of their earliest records, and I wanted to hear it again. I think I wanted to understand why I was so into this band at one point in my life. That particular song took me back. I was instantly into the music. I was vibing out. This made me listen to more and more of their music, and I have found it quite enjoyable. I have rediscovered why I like this band so much too. There is one single reason in fact. That reason is, drumroll please, Jack White.

As much as I dislike his personality, as much as others say he is kind of a jerk, as much as his public persona bugs me, the dude is a musical genius. His writing, while simplistic, is dope. I like the old timey blues lean to a bunch of their songs. You can hear the influences. From Robert Johnson to BB King and Muddy Waters, it is all there. You can feel the imprint a band like Led Zeppelin left on him as a younger person. You can hear the ripping guitar and heavy distortion that made them such a big hit in the early 2010's. That, that right there, the sound, that is what I love most about this band. Meg White is a fine drummer. She can keep the rhythm, she does some pretty cool fills and she seems to enjoy drums. But Jack White is the true driving force behind this band. And it is his guitar playing that makes it so listenable.

I was driving my son home from camp today and the song "Ball and a Biscuit" came on. This is a true hit. This song slaps. This is such a simply written song. But the guitar is truly amazing. That is what makes the song so damn good. Jack White shreds solos over and over and over again. He switches from distortion to reverb and back like it is nothing. The guitar in this song gives me mixes of Zeppelin and if Son House had played an electric guitar. It truly slaps. It is probably one of my favorite songs of all time, and it is solely due to the guitar in there. White, for all of his warts, is an undeniably phenomenal guitar player. The dude knows what he is doing and he does it well. He takes risks on that instrument and he hits more often than not. Even when The White Stripes stopped making music, his other projects worked for me as well. The only reason, he shreds guitar over and over and over again. And I cannot get enough of it when I listen. So, for all the reasons I should not like him, his music is reason enough for me to separate the art from the artist. He has not been accused of some things that other famous people have, so maybe I should be a little less angry about his nonsense.

All in all, I'm stoked that I was able to get to this place with his music because Jack White is a really dope guitar player, and if you are on the fence about listening to him, let it go and try it out. You will not be disappointed.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Listens to Courtney Barnett

My dad is always on the lookout for new music. Ever since I can remember, he searches, finds stuff and passes it along to his kids. He has introduced me to a bunch of artists I currently listen to. I have always said that he influenced me on my taste, and that rings true to this day. So, when he gives me a suggestion, I listen.

Recently he told me about an artist he found on YouTube named Courtney Barnett. My dad will sit around and watch tons of different artists on the internet and whittle it down to the few he wants to listen to and tell us about. Courtney Barnett must have stuck in his head for a bit, because he brought her up until I listened.

I am glad that he kept mentioning her. She is a pretty dope artist. She is unique and different from current musicians. She has this folk lean to her music, but her singing is akin to Lou Reed. She is monotone, but in a very cool, very listenable way for me. Her instrument of choice is the guitar, and she can play. She goes both electric and acoustic. I prefer her acoustic stuff, but that is only because I like acoustic music more, especially when listening to folk music. She can play. She is no virtuoso, but she can strum it well enough to help carry her song. She also has features sometimes, and when she does that, she tends to let the other musician shine on guitar. She does the majority of the singing, and I like her written lyrics. She is not the best singer in the world, but she can carry a tune. Her voice is different too. She does the monotone stuff, the Lou Reed stuff, but she has these really deep and introspective lyrics. I listen to her more for what she is saying than how she is saying it. She goes into detail in songs. It takes me a few extra listens to get what she is saying, but when I do, it is a very nice payoff. I like how she blends words and melody. She has a real knack for writing a really good folk song. I like what she has to say. That is what has drawn me in most with her so far.

She also has a ton of music. After my first listen, I headed over to my Spotify account and was floored at the amount of music she has on there.  There's a whole lot. And it is all pretty damn good. She has multiple albums, a bunch of singles, she is featured on other records and she is putting in the work. I also like that not everything sounds exactly the same. They have a folk/lo-fi quality, but that is her preferred genre. She can go in different directions within the genre, and she does that very well. She is young too, like in her 20's. That means she has a long, long time to make more and more music. I get hyped with stuff like that. She is still young, so she hasn't reached her music writing prime yet. I get amped to think of what she will write after she lives a little more. I'm sure it is going to be epic.

I'm glad my dad kept at it with Courtney Barnett. I don't know if I would've jumped so deep if he hadn't. And I'm glad that her music is in my life now. She is a very good, very unique artist that more people need to check out. And she has a long career ahead of her. Go check out her music. You won't be disappointed. I think I'm going to go listen to some more of her music now. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Is Clipse Coming Out with a New Record?

If someone sat me down and asked me my favorite genre of music at this point in my life, I'd have to say hip hop. That is the one genre that has stuck around through all of my musical flings. I used to love jam music, I still dig dingy blues rock, I went through my alternative rock stage and hung on to some of those artists and I have even found myself enjoying pop music since having kids. The one constant has always been hip hop.

From a young age my older brothers turned me onto groups like Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Del the Funky Homosapien, Biz Markie, Beastie Boys, Run DMC, pretty much any cool hip hop that came out in the early to mid 90's. As I got older I started to listen to my own picks. I was early with Missy Elliot. I bought the Timbaland and Magoo album. I found Biggie on my own. I gravitated to an artist like Fabolous with ease. NERD was my introduction to Pharrell Williams. It was during this time that I came across a group called Clipse.

Back in 2002 I had no idea who Clipse was. But, it turns out that their record "Lord Willin" was produced by the Neptunes, so I was in. The Neptunes were Pharrell's production group at the time. And in 2002 that was all I needed to check an artist out. If Pharrell was attached, I was in because I loved NERD. So I went to the local Best Buy and scooped up "Lord Willin".

What I then heard kind of changed my mind on hip hop. This was different. This, to me, was futuristic. Clipse were great. They had this excellent back and forth that I had not been able to find in other duos. Pharrell's beats and production was top notch. Go back and listen to their massive hit "Grindin". You can understand why it was such a monsterous song. I listened to the record the other day, and while it is all good, "Grindin" is on a whole other planet.

After hearing "Lord Willin", I was fully bought in. I bought the other Clipse records that were out at the time. I listened to them over and over. After four records, they stopped, but I still followed up. I didn't check out any of Malice's stuff, I don't know if he did any solo work, but I kept up with, and still listen to, Pusha T. He is one of my current favorite artists. He still sounds to me like he did back in 2002, and that is an accomplishment all its own. I remember being super bummed out when he had to cancel a show in STL because I had purchased advanced tickets. I am a Pusha T fan through and through.

When I started to see things pop up on music sites I follow that Clipse was possibly going to make a new record, I got a little hype. Then I started seeing more and more people bringing it up. I was still a little skeptical because I hadn't heard anything from Malice or Pusha T. But then they showed up at a fashion show in Paris the other night together, and it seemed legit. I let myself get excited. This seemed like the real deal. To hammer that feeling home even further, Pharrell came out and said he was going to be producing the next Clipse record. This meant it was true. I would hope he wouldn't put that out in the world if he didn't want to get fans' hopes up. So I am all in now. This definitely looks to be true. With Pharrell on board and both Malice and Pusha T hanging out, I am fully expecting and will be patiently waiting for a new Clipse record. They haven't put out any new music since 2009, so I am fully expecting this to be amazing. When these two dudes get together, with Pharrell producing, great things seem to happen. I don't know when a new record will come out, but you better damn well believe that I will be streaming the hell out of it on day one.

I cannot wait. I am overly excited about this. This is some good news on the music front. So far, just the fact that they have announced possible new music, I have found my way back to their old stuff and getting thrilled at the idea of what's to come. The new record can't come soon enough. And when it does, you better believe I will be singing its praises on this very website. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Listens to Jalen Ngonda

I have recently come across the music of Jalen Ngonda. While looking at reels on Instagram, I watched a video of him performing live. I was blown away. His voice is soulful. It is as old school as it gets. The moment I heard his voice I thought of the old soul artists that my folks listened to in the house growing up. His voice can get high like Otis Redding's. He has some Al Green in there. I got Bobby Womack vibes from him. And to top it off, he plays guitar as well. He is an old school soul musician in the modern era.

I watched the first video, and like I wanted it to do, my Instagram algorithm kept giving me more and more of his work. I loved every new video I saw. I started to follow him on Instagram and started to listen to his music on Spotify. I'm all in now. I was hoping to be the first person to notice him, but he is getting more and more famous by the second. Since I first saw that video, which was about a month ago, he has been on a headlining tour. He has played festivals. He has made more videos. And to top it all off, he was recently hanging out with Elton John, posting a picture online for proof. It was amazing to see. I'm thrilled for him.

I want more artists like this to get their moment. They deserve their time to shine. We too often opt for bubble gum music fed to us by what I have to assume is AI. No one wants to go all out anymore. We want an earworm that we can hum along to while we go about our day. Jalen Ngonda is different. He is doing something cool. He is bringing back a sound that we all need right now. His music has a vibe. I dance along in my car when a song of his comes on. My kids have taken notice, and he is one of the few artists that they don't ask me to skip. He is damn good at his craft.

He reminds me most of early Leon Bridges. When Bridges first came out I had the exact same feel. He was a young dude who had an old soul. His first record is so great and so cool and so soulful. I ate that album up. He also dressed the part. He had a whole thing going on. I saw him on his tour for his first record, and it was everything I wanted it to be. Jalen Ngonda is giving me the same feeling. He wears old school t-shirts. He will sometimes be sporting a bucket hat while he plays. In the videos I have watched, he wears jeans. He dresses comfortably and sings like an angel.

I am curious to see where his career goes from here. I will most definitely see him live if/when he comes to Saint Louis. As I said above, I want him to get bigger and bigger because he is doing some cool music in an age where most people spit out dribble. Go check out Jalen Ngonda if you want to hear some old school, very well played soul music. He may be doing it better than any modern artist. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Thundercat, Wooten, Claypool. Who is the King of the Bass?

While out for coffee this morning, a Thundercat song came on while we were driving back. I am a big Thundercat fan. He is a magician, a virtuoso if you will, on the bass.

When the song came on, my buddy Kirk mentioned that he just recently heard of Thundercat. I started to instantly sing his praises. I mentioned how I have seen other people online say that he is like a Transformer on the bass. He is an amazing bassist. I said, after heaping compliments on Thundercat, how I think he is one of the best bassists in the world. I mentioned that the only bassist that I think is better is Victor Wooten. Victor Wooten is truly one of a kind. I saw him live once, and boy oh boy was it amazing. I didn't know much about him when I went to the show, but I left a true convert. I was hooked. I devoured his whole catalog. I have been talking him up ever since. I said all of this to Kirk and my dad, and then Kirk hit me with a doozy. After saying that Wooten was the greatest bassist of all time, and Thundercat was second best, he asked me, what about Les Claypool? I had to sit back and think. I told him that he just shook my whole view on this topic. Les Claypool is also a wizard. He plays the bass like he is from another world. He also plays a bunch of different genres. He is stretchy. He can do some wonderful things on the bass.

Now I am stuck. I don't know who, of these three musicians, is the best at the bass. And I am sure that there are other bassists out there that I am forgetting. I don't listen to jazz or hard rock stuff where bass is a driving force. I don't know some of the underground or not yet discovered artists. Leave me alone. I am going totally based on my listening experience. These are the people I like. These are who I know and can talk a little bit about. If I didn't name your favorite bassist, I'm sorry. But also, get over it.

So, taking these three guys as my base, who is the best? Who plays the best? Who is the best writer of the three? Who has the longest staying power? Who is the most technically proficient? These are a few questions I have been pondering since we first talked about this about two hours ago. So, as far as who plays it best, or who is the most proficient, all three have their own high marks. Victor Wooten is the first person I ever heard play harmonics. He was also going wild at the live show. He was going fret to fret, string to string. He crushed. Thundercat, as previously mentioned, is a transformer. The stuff he does on the bass is second to none. He plays faster than Victor Wooten. He makes it look so easy, but what he is doing is incredibly difficult. He is the first person hip hop artists ask to be on their records. He is truly a virtuoso. As for Les Claypool, I mean, this dude is amazing. He literally shreds on the bass. He makes it sound like a guitar sometimes. He is almost too good at the bass. He has his own circus that he runs, and his band is who everyone wants to watch. He is the best of the best among a group of the best bass players in the US. As far as staying power, they all have a good deal. Thundercat has the hip hop community, as well as his solo stuff. Victor Wooten has a solo career, as well as playing with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. As for Claypool, he has his circus. He has played with many rock bands. He has his own band. They are all going to be around for a long time. As for writing, Thundercat isn't that great, but his playing hides that. Victor Wooten is more an instrumentalist than a writer. As for Claypool, I almost feel like he is goofing off when he writes songs, and that is a-okay. I also like his goofy lyrics. And his playing is pretty damn dope. So, I am still finding myself stuck. At moments it is easily Thundercat, but then I go back and remember all the stuff I just said about Claypool and Wooten. Wooten's live show is a core memory. But, I haven't seen Thundercat or Claypool in concert as of yet. And they are all incredibly proficient on the bass. If I had to make a pick, if I was somehow forced to, I'd go with Thundercat, but just by a hair. And that may change from moment to moment.

All in all, these three dudes are at the top of their craft. If you haven't heard these guys play, do yourself a favor and start right now. They are all more than worth your time. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Thoughts on the Drake/Kendrick Lamar Beef

I think we all know who the real winner is in this whole Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef. It has to be, unequivocally, Kendrick. Let’s discuss

I have only listened to Kendrick's three songs. I only want to listen to Kendrick's songs. I am a big fan of his work, so when he puts new music out there, I'll be very quick to listen to it. On the other hand, I have always been a Drake hater. I don't like his music at all. I think he is a phony. I think he is a try hard. I think he thinks he is way cooler than he actually is. And as a rapper, he is subpar at the very best. I know he has a ton of fans, but so does the band Nickelback, and they are pretty tough to listen to sing a single note. I was speaking with my father earlier today and I told him that Drake, to me, is similar to Bruno Mars. He said that is giving Drake too much respect. So, even my father, who is not a hip hop person, has listened to the songs enough to know that Drake is nowhere near Kendrick's level.

The reason I compare Drake to Bruno Mars you ask? They are both phonies. They are taking on personas that don't fit their real life. By all accounts, Drake grew up wealthy. He was a child actor. He had everything given to him. He had to work for nothing. He is, for all intents and purposes, a silver spoon kid and grown up. He raps about what he has read and seen on tv. He never had to live through some of the stuff that real rappers, like Kendrick Lamar, have rapped about before. Kendrick Lamar has seen some things. He has been through some stuff. His wasn't the easiest life to live growing up. He wasn't on television. He didn't have things handed to him. He had to go out and earn a record deal. He had to freestyle rap. He had to prove himself. And he is standing here today as one of the best to ever do it.

It isn't just me saying this as a fan. You go and look at the discourse, what others are saying, the clear and away winner of this whole ordeal is Kendrick. Almost everyone agrees to this. Fans and non fans. Supporters of music and people just here to listen to what each of them have to say. Kids and grown ups alike. We all agree that Kendrick Lamar is the winner.

I went back this morning and listened to his three tracks this morning, just to refresh my memory. If you want me to rank the three songs, "Euphoria" is the clear number 1, then "Not Like Us" is 2 and "Meet the Grahams" is third, for me. But all three of the songs are biting. They cut and they cut deep. Kendrick tells a story and he is going hard after Drake. There was a moment when I was listening to "Euphoria" and Kendrick was going in hard, I actually felt bad for Drake for a second. Kendrick Lamar is so good at saying all the right things in a rap battle, and he lays it all on the line. He is burning every bridge. He doesn't seem to care what Drake's fans think of him. Kendrick has clearly decided to go scorched Earth, and I'm here for it all. I want more of this. I love it that a true rap icon is going after this punkass wannabe. I want him to hit even harder. I want Kendrick to expose everything. Kendrick doesn't need ghostwriters or yes people around him telling him how great he is all the time, and that is why he is winning this going away.

I'm excited to hear what he has to say next, if he decides to say more. Get him, Kendrick. I'm on your side all the way. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

A Sampling of the Upcoming Talking Heads Tribute Album

A while back I had heard some rumors that a Talking Heads tribute album was coming out. It was going to be musicians covering their live, and best, album, "Stop Making Sense". I was hyped for the record. Then I totally forgot about it. This happens to me from time to time. I get excited about something, then it gets delayed and then I forget.

Thanks to watching Instagram reels, a musician I had never heard of, Girl in Red, put out their version of "Girlfriend is Better". It was just a commercial, just a short snippet, but it got me excited yet again. I checked Spotify to see if the full record was out, and while it doesn't come out for a few more weeks, there are four songs from the record available to listen to right now. So I fired it up on the car ride to school this morning.

The first song I heard was Paramore's version of "Burning Down the House". Paramore has gotten more on my radar lately. I really like their newer single, "Hard Times". It isn't that emo sound they became known for. This is more like a pop/soul hit. I love it. So, I was looking forward to hearing their take on "Burning Down the House". I think it is great. They do the song justice. It has their new sound sprinkled throughout the song, but it pays homage to what  Talking Heads did with this song in the first place. It was a good track for me to start off the new record with this morning. "Burning Down the House" was followed by Teezo Touchdown's take on "Making Flippy Floppy". This song has always been hit or miss for me. Sometimes I'm super into it and want to hear it over and over. Other times, I skip it without a second thought. I also have no idea who Teezo Touchdown is or what kind of music he makes. But, this version of "Making Flippy Floppy" is rad. It is fun. It has a great groove to it. Teezon Touchdown sings his heart out, and I'm here for it. His take on the song has me interested in checking out his other music. My daughter was goofing on his name, but after a minute, she started to dance to the song a bit. That is as good a recommendation as a newish artist can get in my house. Lorde then came on with "Take Me to the River". This is a cover in the first place, one which I think Talking Heads does better than the original. Lorde really nails it. She is one hell of a singer, and hearing her belt this one out brings me back to her hit record "Melodrama". When given proper material, or writing something herself, Lorde is one of the best in the business. She takes this old song and makes it new. She makes it her own. She absolutely nails every note. The band that accompanies her is right at her level, and they nail it as well. This is my favorite track on the record so far. I have already listened to it multiple times. The final song I heard is the aforementioned "Girlfriend is Better" by Girl in Red. The few seconds I heard on Instagram last night awoke my senses. The full version is even better. If not for Lorde, this would be my favorite track. It is fun, groovy, poppy, rocks out and I want to go back and listen over and over again. I also am going to check out Girl in Red's music for sure. When a band can do such justice to one of the best songs ever written, that is a sign of a band I'm going to become a big time fan of in the near future.

I'm all in on these four songs, and cannot wait for the rest of the record to come out soon. Go check this little ep out right now, and when the full record comes out, let's all rock to it together. I'll have a review when the full album comes out. For now though, I'm excited to have these 4 tracks. I think I'll go listen to them again. You should do the same. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Have We Heard Frank Ocean's Last Album?

While driving to my daughter's field trip to chaperone this morning I decided to listen to Frank Ocean. I really enjoy his work. His music is a vibe. It relaxes me. I can really sit back and chill while listening to his stuff. It puts me in a good mood and makes the rest of the day a breeze. But, while listening this morning I realized that we may not get any new music from him ever again. Let’s discuss.

Looking at his discography, the last full length record he put out was "Blonde". That was pre pandemic. And he is notoriously hard on himself and the music he releases. It takes him forever. He never seems to like the third and fourth run through of his music. He is a perfectionist to a fault. He is way too hard on himself. He sets the bar far too high. And I saw what he did at Coachella last year. He was a headliner. People were hyped to hear new music. There were expectations. And he came out, vibed to his own music, sang a few notes here and there and left the stage, not returning for any subsequent weekend. He was supposed to play all three weekends. He claimed that he sprained his ankle, but I think he got too much in his own head. I have to imagine he read, or heard what people were saying about his lone performance and it got to him.

Since Coachella, Frank Ocean has been nowhere to be found. He has been silent on the music front and the social media front. No one seems to know what he is doing. No one seems to know if he is making new music. I like to think he is working hard in the studio. I like to imagine he is going the extra mile to erase what happened the last time he performed live. I like to think he has holed himself up and is cranking out some epic stuff. But I have doubts. I fear that he may just walk away.

I could see him doing just that. He could walk out of the music industry right now and be looked at as a legend based simply on "Blonde" and "Channel Orange". Those are two of the greatest R&B records to ever be released. The writing is top notch. The production is second to none. The stories he paints from song to song is some of the best music that any fan could ask for. So why not just walk away? Why not just wash his hands of the music industry and walk out in a wild yet legendary way. I would not be surprised at all if he did just that. If he just up and quit and moved to the mountains, he'd be forever considered one of the best to do it in the industry. Coachella would be forgotten. The long, seemingly unending wait for new music would be no more. He could go out, leave it all behind and enjoy retirement. What's really stopping him? I listen to his two full length eps all the time. I won't stop listening to those two albums ever. I know his fans will listen to them endlessly.

So, if I had to make a prediction, if people are trying to figure out where my mind is with Frank Ocean and his next step, I'd have to say I don't think he is going to be making any new music anytime soon. Maybe he will never make new music ever again. And while that really bums me out, I will always have "Blonde" and "Channel Orange", and for that I am forever grateful to Frank Ocean. While I hope he makes new music, I don't foresee it coming, maybe ever. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Listens to "Ohio Players"

The Black Keys new album "Ohio Players" was released this morning. Let’s discuss.

I'm a big time fan of The Black Keys. I have been for over 20 years now. So, any time they put out a new record, I get pretty psyched. Today was no different. I've been pretty pumped about this album for a few months now. They released three songs prior to putting the record out, and I liked all three of them. I also read some early reviews, and they were very, very solid. I liked their past couple of albums, but it wasn't like the first time I listened to them. I used to block out hours to listen to their new albums. I would dedicate full days just to listen. But I got older and had kids and couldn't find the time to do that. It has kind of become a listen to the new music whenever I find some free time. Today, with my kids being in school and my wife working, I had ample time to listen to the record.

I have listened from start to finish twice now, and I have got to say, I am finding myself getting more and more into the album with each listen. This is good stuff. I was listening to it with my dad in the car on our way to coffee this morning and he asked why I seemed more into this new record as opposed to some of their other recent albums. I told him that this record is grimy like their earlier records. That is what I grew to love about this band from the start. The first time I heard them I was taken aback at how grimy and dingy they sounded, in the best possible way. The reverb and distortion is what instantly drew me to them. That is back on this record. But it isn't all grimy, they have their newfound refinement here as well. The Black Keys have grown and gotten better at what they do. So, when they meld their old style with the new style, I am going to be all in. I told my dad that the reason I am so into the record is the grimy refinement. That is my go to description of this new record.

The album starts off like an old school record, with a distorted, reverb heavy grungey blues song, but Auerbach has grown so much as a singer, and that makes it all the more better. The moment I put this song on this morning, I was instantly bobbing my head and vibing out in my car. The record only got better from there. There is so much on the album for me to like with my musical taste. They have grunge, blues, and rock. They also have hip hop, keyboards, and slower, love adjacent songs. It kind of runs the gamut for a band like The Black Keys and I'm here for it. Two separate songs feature hip hop artists, one of which is Juicy J. When I saw his name on the tracklist I was stoked. And boy did he deliver with his verse. The other rapper, Lil Noid, is new to me, but his track reminds me of a Blakroc song, a great Black Keys side project. I enjoy the love songs. It is nice to hear them slow it down a bit and sing some sweeter stuff. And their original sound, the thing that made me want to hear them, it is here tenfold and it is awesome.

There is something so perfect when it is Dan and Pat doing the heavy lifting. They are what makes this band work. I know they have added some band members when they tour, but when the push comes from those two it is near perfection. The guestlist is pretty solid outside of Juicy J and Lil Noid. Beck, Noel Gallagher and Dan the Automator are featured on the record as well. This is a nice return to form with their newfound refinement.

I really like this record. I recommend giving it a listen. It is fun and really, really good. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

I Used to Be Cool: Music Edition

The Simpsons

There are many things that can make you feel old. I have had a bunch of these feelings lately. I was playing catch with my son the other day and my shoulder has not stopped hurting. I will get a cut from trail running and it will take forever to heal. If I sleep weird it is always a bummer the next day. These are typical getting older things. But there was an incident the other day that really put me getting older into perspective.

One of my nieces, who is a sophomore in college, was coming to town to go to a concert. I was talking to my folks before she got there, and asked what show she was going to see. They told me they didn't know, but that the show was at a venue called The Duck Room. I'm familiar with this spot, but I have not seen a show there in quite some time. I went on their website and looked up the calendar and saw the band. They are called Bendigo Fletcher. So, first off, I do not know if this is a band or a solo act. That was my first inclination that I was older.

I then looked at the full calendar or upcoming shows. I was scrolling and scrolling and kept coming up empty. I had no idea who any of the artists were. And it is not like I don't listen to cool music. I love finding new music to listen to. I'm open to almost any suggestions. But I was drawing a total blank. I thought to myself that The Duck Room is more of an indie venue. It is smaller and they book more up and coming acts. So I checked The Pageant website. I have gone to The Pageant a bunch over the years. I have seen all kinds of acts there. I saw A Tribe Called Quest when Phife was still alive. I saw The Black Keys when they had to set up their own equipment. I saw a live taping of Comedy Bang! Bang!. I've seen acts like Leon Bridges. The Shins and The Mars Volta. Needless to say, The Pageant gets all kinds of bands and artists to play there, big and small. But when I was scrolling through their calendar, it was mostly blank again. In fact, the only acts I recognized were comedians and tribute bands. I also knew a few of the older bands, guys a bit older than me, but that was it. All these groups or solo acts, who look hip and cool, I had zero idea who they were. I had never heard of more than eighty percent of the people playing The Pageant. It was the same with the venue next door to The Pageant, Delmar Hall. I could not recognize anyone. My buddy told me he was taking his kids to a show there soon, I asked the band, he told me and I had no idea who he was talking about. He knew the band, knew the songs and he is my age, but I was oblivious. I went on to check on some other venues around town, and much to my chagrin I only knew the big acts playing arenas and bigger spots around STL. It truly bummed me out. I've been thinking about it since Saturday night and I am disappointed in myself for not knowing a bunch of traveling musicians.

This “problem” has extended from there to other parts of my life. My other niece, who is a senior in high school, makes fun of my taste in hip hop. I listen to "old people" hip hop according to her. When did Kendrick Lamar become "old people" hip hop? My nephew plays stuff on YouTube when he visits and I have no clue what is happening. My son will tell me all these hip hop artists he likes, and I am just confused. I will tell him about the artists I listen to. I will go on and on about Tribe or Biggie or Outkast and he says they are too old for him. To him this is like when my dad would listen to The Beatles and Bob Dylan around the house, two musical acts I now adore but didn't as a kid.

This was a tough one for me. I am still having trouble with aging. I used to be cool, but I guess I am not anymore, especially when it comes to what is considered popular music. At least I still have the artists I enjoy making new music. But maybe this is just how it goes the older you get and I just have to deal with it. It's a bummer, but that is the way it goes. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Listens to "Penith"

Last week Lil Dicky put out his latest album "Penith". For all intents and purposes it is a soundtrack to his show, which I love also. I have been excited about this album coming out. I mentioned it on the podcast. So, the day it came out, I listened as soon as I could. I went to run at the gym, it was dangerously cold in Saint Louis last week, and turned the record on. I had planned on only doing about four miles that day. But, after turning the record on, I decided to keep going until the record was done. I was so into what I was hearing, I was vibing along and I forgot about my plans and felt good. I ended up doing seven miles that day.

This record is pretty excellent. I have been a fan of Lil Dicky's for a few years now, but he has never really put out a full record. He has songs here and there, he releases them every now and again, but never a full on record. "Penith" is a full on record. There are over twenty songs if you listen to the bonus tracks. What makes this record work so much for me is the space each song puts me in when I listen. I sit back and think about the show and the scene that has each song in it. It lets me reminisce. Again, I love that show, so going back without having to binge it for the millionth time, that is nice. I get to use my imagination. I especially like listening to "Harrison Ave". That song is awesome. It has a very good beat over it, and Lil Dicky's rapping is pretty phenomenal on this track. That episode is also one of the best episodes that I have ever seen on tv. "Brand New", which opens the record, brings me right back to Dave changing things around in his life and career. "Mr McAdams" is pretty fun and a good track. I also really like that episode of "Dave" due to the joke they play on the Met Gala. "Ally's Song" is gut wrenching and sad. And it brings me right back to the heartbreak you feel for Ally. "No Fruits or Vegetables" takes us back to season 1 and the wedding episode. That is where I felt this show got pretty great. This was where I was watching and thought, this has some serious legs. "Hi, I'm Dave" is the theme song to the first season of the show. I would listen to this track on Itunes a ton when it first dropped. To hear it again on this record was pretty cool. The album closes with "We Good", which is one of the more uplifting songs on the album. It also gives us GaTa doing his thing for the first time on the record.

I am loving the album so far. I have listened to it from start to finish three times so far and am not even close to being bored with it or skipping songs. I turn it on and just let myself sit back and listen. I was driving home from the vet today and on the way home my dog and I had a good time dancing to the record. This record is not just a soundtrack either, this is a good hip hop album. Lil Dicky can rap. He has good guest spots, but this record is pretty much all him, with GaTa dropping in here and there. He has good flow and is pretty damn good as a rapper. The beats are pretty solid as well.

I hope he doesn't stop here. I want to hear more music from him. And I hope the tv show comes back as well. But for now, I have "Penith" to listen to until a new Lil Dicky record comes out, and I'm totally fine with that. Check this record out. It is good. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Happy Birthday to Great All Around Person Dolly Parton

Today is Dolly Parton's birthday. Look, I'm a very late convert to Dolly Parton. I've always known who she is, why she's famous and that she has millions of fans. But, it wasn't until recently, namely the pandemic and the rollout of the vaccine, that I really paid attention to Parton. After what I have learned, I’m a big fan of Dolly.

From what I have read and been told by those close to me, Parton was involved in some way helping the COVID vaccine come out, and come out as fast as it did. I will forever be grateful to her for this. She helped usher in this new normal, and because of her tireless efforts, we are back to some kind of normalcy in America. She is an ally of the LGBTQ+ community. She has never given up her political leanings, but she has always been a supporter of same sex marriage and has always loved that she is an icon within the community. She helped with a telethon after wildfires broke out in the Smoky Mountains. She works with Red Cross and HIV/AIDS related charities. She has an honorary doctorate from the University of Tennessee. Dollywood has been a massive success. She has won multiple awards. She has written books. She revolutionized writing rights for songwriters. Colonel Parker tried to goose her out of money for the song "I Will Always Love You". He claimed that it was standard procedure for a songwriter to hand over half the publishing rights when another artist, namely his artist Elvis Presley, covered a song. Parton refused and the rest is history. Parton was not only a genius songwriter, but a genius business person. She has earned an endless amount of money during her career. She's gone on to do multiple genres of music. She is a country icon, but she has also done pop and rock records. She has covered old blues standards. She has a Christmas album. She's even done bluegrass. Not to be outdone on the stage, she is also a fairly accomplished actor. I just recently watched "9 to 5" with my wife, and Parton was the best one in the whole movie. Her music is all over soundtracks. She's appeared on "Grace and Frankie". She has multiple Hallmark Christmas movies. She has lent her voice to many, many animated movies and shows. She has almost an entire "Simpsons" episode dedicated to her. She's been married to the same person for over 50 years. She's never had kids, but she loves them. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She has countless awards, including an Oscar. And she just performed at halftime of a Thanksgiving NFL game. She is a wonderful, beautiful star.

Dolly is 78 years old today, but you would never be able to tell. That is amazing. Dolly Parton is a national treasure. I wish I had come to her stuff earlier in my life. I was a snob when I was younger about music and movies. I still have snobbish tendencies, but it is getting better. I would not have watched "9 to 5" or listened to her music in my 20's. Now, being 41, I loved "9 to 5" and I will pop on "Jolene" at the drop of a hat. I love that tune. Happy Birthday Dolly Parton. Here's to many more and keep doing all that you do for the country. You are one hell of an awesome person. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Best of 2023 - Music

Today I have my top 5 music/rediscovering albums and moments of 2023. Music has always been a big deal in my life. Unfortunately I have not heard much new music the past couple years. I find myself going back to stuff I used to listen to, or finding older music that was popular a few years ago. I am not hip anymore. I'm 41 now. I don't know all the cool new artists out there at the moment. Maybe things will change as my kids get older. But right now, my music taste is not current. Keep that in mind as you read my list.

At number 5 I have Lil Dicky announcing his new record. I am a fan of his music. But even more so, I am a fan of his wonderful show "Dave" on FX. And this most recent season focused on him touring his new music. He also did a bunch of stuff in season two that referenced this upcoming record. The album is entitled "Penith". I can remember howling when he was doing publication for this record in season two. But he played some of the music in the show, and I found myself vibing out. He also did an entire episode this past season where he did a song with Rachel McAdams. It was a great episode, it centered around a fashion ball, and the song is dope. He also had some autotune stuff he did with Brad Pitt that I am curious to see if that made the record. He also had a great video for a song about his childhood crush. I am stoked. I feel like he hasn't put out new music in quite some time and I am more than ready to listen when the record comes out in January.

At number 4 I have my personal reintroduction to the band MGMT. I listened to them when they first came out, but after a bit I found them to be a bit pretentious and kind of forgot about them. Then I started to play a game on my phone called Beatstar and they had a song of theirs featured on the game, "Electric Feel". I would play the song on the game and find myself bobbing my head while playing. I was playing it one day and I looked at my wife and said, "this song slaps". Then I went to Spotify and started to listen to the record with "Electric Feel". I then went back to the beginning and found myself enjoying pretty much all of their work. They make pretty darn good music. They have a pretty cool sound. They make music to dance to. It is all pretty great and I'm glad that I stopped being a music snob with MGMT's discography. It has been nice to reacquaint myself with some pretty sweet, poppy and dancy music.

At number 3 I have my discovery of the band LSD. LSD is a three piece super group consisting of Sia, Diplo and Labrinth. The music is rad too. This is another band that Beatstar introduced me to. And I'm here for it. The music blends a bunch of genres. They have pop, electronic, hip hop and dance music vibes. The songs are catchy and fun to sing along to. They only put out one record, that I know of, and that record is one of my new favorites to listen to a lot in my car and home. I like the version of Sia this record has brought out. I enjoy Diplo's production here. And I love that I get to hear an artist new to me, Labrinth, who is great at his craft. LSD is one of my better personal discoveries lately and I'm glad they are in my music life now.

At number 2 I have Killer Mike's solo record, "Michael". This record is everything I hoped it would be. Killer Mike crushes verse after verse on this album. His guest list is second to none. He brought back a whole bunch of Atlanta rappers and let them shine here. But above all, Killer Mike further cemented his place as one of the best rappers in the game, now and possibly of all time. I knew going into listening that I was going to like this album, I just didn't know how much. Well, I love it and have been listening to it a bunch since this summer. Killer Mike is amazing and continues to do amazing work.

At number 1 I have Lil Yachty's "Let's Start Here". This album came out of nowhere for me. I have never listened to Lil Yachty priors to this record. He was never on my radar. And when people who's musical taste I trust would talk up this record, I laughed it off. Lil Yachty is a party rapper in my eyes. But "Let's Start Here" is an achievement. Lil Yachty did something completely out of his comfort zone, making a psychedelic record, and this is one of the best records I have heard in quite some time. It is wild and insane and wonderful. The songs range anywhere from eight to three minutes. Lil Yachty does hip hop verses, rock verses, R&B choruses and psychedelic stuff all over this album. The instrumentation is incredible. Whoever he got to play the instruments, he knocked it out of the whole entire park. This record is endlessly listenable and awesome. I have been blown away with every listen. Lil Yachty took a chance and hammered it. This album is amazing and you should listen to it immediately if you have not yet. It is worth your time.

That is it for my top 5 albums/musical moments of 2023. Come back tomorrow for my top 5 tv shows of the year. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

I'm Actually Pretty into Two Bruce Springsteen Albums

A week ago I wrote about Bruce Springsteen. I talked about how I appreciate his writing, his work ethic and the breadth of his career. But I also let it be known that I could not get into his music. Try as I might, it just didn;t work for me. Well, I have a little bit of a rebuttal today though.

The podcast about Springsteen is still going on, I'm still listening, and I am still finding it hard to get it. He makes adult contemporary music because his fans are contemporary adults. But in going back there are two records that I do like. There are two records that I can listen to and find myself enjoying what I'm hearing. Those records are "The Ghost of Tom Joad" and "Nebraska".

I have found my listening and repeat listening to these records to be quite enjoyable. They are dynamite, especially "Nebraska". That album is a masterpiece. I also think, despite its grueling lyrics, "The Ghost of Tom Joad" to be a very good record. So when I was listening to "Nebraska" this morning with my dad, we had a little chat. He asked why I was listening to Springsteen if I didn't like him. He reads some of my stuff. As I sat there and contemplated his question, while listening to "Nebraska" with him, it dawned on me. I know why I like these two albums, why I'm able to overlook what I consider misgivings. These records are so good for me, as a listener of music, because they are so stripped back and minimal. These records are like folk records that I adore from the 60's. The record has three musical elements on it, as opposed to his other records that have a full band and a string ensemble. These two records have acoustic guitar, harmonica and Springsteen doing a folky voice. There may be a drum machine here and there, and he may even play piano a bit, but it is very, very stripped down. I love acoustic music. It is one of my favorite styles of music to listen to. I love the barebones of an acoustic guitar. I also like how the acoustic guitar shows an artist's warts. It makes me appreciate the artist even more when they are proficient on an acoustic guitar. I have always loved Bob Dylan, so when you throw a harmonica in with the acoustic guitar, I am even more in. I enjoy the harmonica. And when Springsteen does that folky voice, it works for me. I like when he takes on that voice and really gives it a go. I like folk music, and when Springsteen uses it, singing his very well written words, it is obviously going to work for me. And that is the thing too with these records, the words. These songs tell vivid and enthralling stories. I can let myself get very heavily involved in the stories that are being told when Springsteen is singing. The stories are a drag, but I like stuff like that. I like to be transported into a dark world. It is a nice break for a few minutes.

"The Ghost of Tom Joad" is great, but "Nebraska" is a masterpiece. And it is seemingly an accidental masterpiece. "Nebraska" was just kind of slapped together by Springsteen himself in a farmhouse he was staying in, and it sounds that way. I love the archaic way he recorded that whole record. "The Ghost of Tom Joad" is very stripped down too, but it is mixed and produced by professionals. And that is fine, but it is missing the charm of "Nebraska". That record is amazing.

So, if you agreed with my first piece on Springsteen, but want to give him another shot, listen to "Nebraska" and "The Ghost of Tom Joad". Yes they have Springsteen's voice, but they are both stripped down, small records in comparison to his other stuff, and that is what makes them great. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.