"Show You a Body" by Haley Heynderickx

Song: Show You A Body
Artist: Haley Heynderickx
Album: I Need to Start a Garden (2018)
Also try:  Waxahatchee, boygenius, etc.
Commentary: Got this album when it came out and I've still been sleeping on it. It's generally nice. With a few *nice* songs (see also "Worth it"). What's Haley been up to lately?

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"Guilty" by Tirzah

Song: Guilty
Artist: Tirzah
Album: Devotion (2018)
Commentary:Some nice songs at the end of this album

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"Don't Shoot Guns Down" & "Free" by Sault

Song: "Don't Shoot Guns Down" & "Free"
Artist: Sault
Album: Untitled (Black is) and Untitled (Rise) (2020)
Commentary: Sault released two cool albums last year: Untitled (Rise) and Untitled (Black is). In researching this post, found out they had another this fall but it was only "available" for 99 days? What?! Membership is unclear but may feature some other musicians I've posted: Little Simz and Michael Kiwanuka

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"Talkin' Like You (Two Tall Mountains)" by Connie Converse

Song: Talkin' Like You (Two Tall Mountains)
Artist: Connie Converse
Album: How Sad, How Lovely (recorded in the ...70s? released in 2009)
Also try:  Kimya Dawson
Commentary: Connie Converse is DOPE. This song isn't one that particularly makes me think of Kimya Dawson, but it's still awesome. CC has an interesting backstory; I hope she found peace.

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"Hound" by Salem

Song: Hound
Artist: Salem
Album: King Night (2010)
Commentary: I really liked Fires in Heaven (2020), but the two dudes apparently did their third trio member (Heather Marlatt) dirty, so, idk. Selfishly, I hope they all make music again.

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Mdou Moctar, Live at the Niger River

Performance: Live at the Niger River
Artist: Mdou Moctar
Commentary: Mesmerizing footage and playing. Love these folks returning to their native soil to shred at sunrise. (a rare artist repeat on this page 😉)

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"Kirikisi (Ekassa 24)" by the late Dr. Victor Uwaifo

Song: Kirikisi (Ekassa 24)
Artist: Sir Victor Uwaifo, PhD
Album: Sir Victor Uwaifo Guitar Boy Superstar 1970-76 (2008) Although, I'm curious when it was originally released
Commentary: Sir Victor Uwaifo died last week! Very sad. Loved that highlife sound of his. This song was my ringtone for years. Guitar superstar indeed. Just reading about his influence rn and smiling 🥲 See also my post on this blog from Dec. 13, 2013.

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"The Mute Wide-Open Eye of All Things" by Kiran Leonard

Song: The Mute Wide-Open Eye of All Things
Artist: Kiran Leonard
Album: Devaraun Shaun (2017)
Commentary: When I was looking up the title, I found out how literary this album is? References to James Joyce, every song devoted to an author. Now I have to read some Clarice Lispector. (this is nice music with piano)

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"Nun's Litany" & "Absolutely Cuckoo" by the Magnetic Fields

Song: "The Nun's Litany" (live) & "Absolutely Cuckoo"
Artist: The Magnetic Fields
Album: Distortion (2008)
Album: 69 Love Songs (1999)
Commentary: Not convinced Stephen Merritt's not on this blog somewhere already... The Magnetic Fields have made such interesting and fun music. Let us not forget Pete & Pete. But these 2 songs are great. This live version of "Nun's Litany", lovely. "Absolutely Cuckoo," a superb song off an excellent album.

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القات - يا راعيات

Song: Ya Raiyat - يا راعيات
Artist: El Khat - القات
Album: Saadia Jefferson - سعديا  جيفيرسون (2019)
Commentary: Solid album.

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"Truth" by Alexander

Song: Truth
Artist: Alexander
Commentary: Heard it on Breaking Bad. I like the singing?

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"Conversation with Sam" by Aristotle Nice

Song: Conversation with Sam
Artist: Aristotle Nice
Album: Blood River (2017)
Commentary: Aristotle Nice was handing out his CDs at an event for justice for Sam Dubose. Abolish the police.

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"Hall of Death" by Matt Sweeney & Bonnie 'Prince' Billy ft. Mdou Moctar

Song: Hall of Death
Artist: Matt Sweeney & Bonnie 'Prince' Billy with Mdou Moctar & Ahmoudou Madassane
Album: Superwolves (2021)
Also try:  Superwolf (2003); Mdou Moctar, Les Filles de Illighadad
Commentary: I heard this song and thought, "WOW. Matt Sweeney has been studying those Tamashek desert blues." But it's actually just Mdou Moctar playing lead guitar plus Ahmoudou Madassane of Les Filles de Illighadad. Which is DOPE. And I was also already excited about a 2nd Superwolf album. A nice release!

UPDATE: Saw this live in Feb 2022 (no Mdou Moctar :( :() but Matt Sweeney definitely learned how to play in the desert blues style from Mdou for this song, so it was great.
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"Tiptoe Thru' The Tulips With Me" by Tiny Tim

Song: Tiptoe Thru' The Tulips With Me
Artist: Tiny Tim
Album: God Bless Tiny Tim (1968)
Also try:  Danielson Famile haha, maybe outsider music
Commentary: I have had Songs in the Key of Z (a collection of outsider music for YEARS and somehow I have still neglected to appreciate Tiny Tim. Hot DANG. I would tiptoe thru the tulips with Tiny Tim anyday!!!! Those tongue clicks? He would make a great kids' musician.
EDIT: I liked Tiny Tim for like 3 days before I googled him and heard more about his reactionary fundamentalist beliefs.

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"Thru it all" by Wintertime

Song: Thru It All
Artist: Wintertime
Commentary: Heard this on Queen & Slim.

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"Qongqothwane" by Miriam Makeba

Song: Qongqothwane
Artist: Zenzile kaMakeba kaQhwashu nguVama Yikhetile Ngxowa Bantwana Balomzi Xa Ufun’Uk’bajabulisa Ubathengele Ibotela Yotshwala, professionally often known as Miriam Makeba or Mama Africa
Commentary: A beautiful, traditional Xhosa wedding song. You'll probably wanna open in youtube so you can get closed captions (couldn't figure out how to embed with that option). I need to look up more about the artist. was involved in antiracist/anti-apartheid work and in the process married Stokely Carmichael?! Dope!

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"All the King's Men" by Wild Beasts

Song: All the King's Men
Artist: Wild Beasts
Album: Two Dancers (2009)
Lyrics that resound: 🎵 Girls from Shipley, girls from Roedean. Let me tell my darling what that means 🎵
Commentary: This song popped up in my head after lying dormant for years. I liked this album in 2009 -- might have to give it another listen. The song title makes me want to re-read Robert Penn Warren's excellent novel of the same name.

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"Womp womp" by Valee

Song: Womp womp
Artist: Valee ft. Jeremih
Commentary: Pretty sure I heard this on The Chi. Got bored of the show (not bad, though!) but the music was definitely good. Good Chicago representation.
Edit: I accidentally had this playing in two windows making this post, and the slightly offset combo was not bad

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"Caos e Ordem Tiveram um Neto" by Brii

Song: Caos e Ordem Tiveram um Neto (tr: chaos and order had a grandson)
Artist: Brii
Album: Entre Tudo que é Visto e Oculto (2020)
Commentary: Sometimes I try not to post longer tracks on here, which is probably a mistake.

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"E Zzine Emlih Yamana" by Mohamed Ben Hamadi

Song: "E Zzine Emlih Yamana" ("The Beautiful One is a White Dove")
Artist: Mohamed Ben Hamadi
Album: Opika Penda, Disc 1 (2011; track from late 40s or early 50s)
Commentary: I finally got Opika Pende, a collection of 100 songs of of old 78s from all around the African continent. I appreciate the curation efforts of the Dust-to-Digital label as they sample and distribute world folk musics. Count on me posting more from this compilation -- it's only track 2 of 100.

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"IDK" by Siri Imani

Song: IDK
Artist: Siri Imani ft. TJG
Commentary: Cincinnatians two days in a row. And it's not something from the Free Billy Day Concert, even though Siri Imani was there. Watch this vid though.

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"Ludacris" by Neptune Tha King

Song: Ludacris
Artist: Neptune Tha King
Album: Free Billy Day Concert (2020)
Commentary: I'll be posting more from this show (link above) from the concert of Cincinnati artists benefitting efforts to #FreeBilly, aka getting William Pennington out of prison. Go drop some cash there and download all the tracks Robert is offering up for free. I loved Neptune Tha King -- he was great live (I thought his vocals were overshadowed by autotune on the one album I've heard of his). This was a beautiful day of solidarity. Love to my fellow abolitionists out there #FreeThemAll

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