Islands in the Stream: 8/21/24

Islands in the Stream is a periodic series that highlights songs I've liked by artists who have a relatively low number of monthly listeners. It's like a public service with a dash of the thrill of discovery. What more could you ask for?

"Second to Talk," Logan Edward MacKay
I really don't want to oversell this song, because it's objectively pretty standard stuff. But based on the available evidence, i.e. "Second to Talk," Logan Edward MacKay is an extremely gifted purveyor of uber-melodic, denim-clad rock — while there's nothing unexpected here, it does what you want it to do from start to finish. I spend a lot of time hunting for things I've never heard before, but in my heart of hearts, I'm always going to be satisfied by stuff that sounds just like this, and making it is harder than it seems.

"Obsession, Possession, Liberation, Salvation," Kensington Road
This band is apparently from Berlin, which means I was disappointed when "Obsession, Possession, Liberation, Salvation" sounded more like the work of some talented U2 fans than the theme to Sprockets. Still, I'm looking past that pain to acknowledge that this band is better than most at tapping into the anthemic '80s vein without coming across as overly imitative of that music's trickle-down glory days.

"Champagne," DAWKS
With "Champagne," we move from a heavily '80s-influenced track to one that could have been in heavy rotation at college stations in the mid-'90s — and I say this as someone who DJed at just such a station, and warred openly with his PD until he was fired on the air during the middle of a shift. Time heals all wounds; I don't know if I would have enjoyed DAWKS 30 years ago, but I'm giving this song a thumbs up now.

"Lucky," Kris Ulrich
Kris Ulrich's bio describes him as "an incredible producer, musician, co-writer, road warrior, and friend," which is almost exactly as charming as the subtle, oh-so-late-'80s synth kisses sprinkled periodically throughout "Lucky." That's a clumsily written endorsement, but maybe you get the idea anyway — although I haven't listened to anything else Ulrich has done, I suspect he's a fair hand when it comes to delivering solidly written pop-rock songs that deftly evoke the days when rock's sagest heroes were busy recording beer jingles. I suspect I shall investigate further.

"Restless Things," Cloudbelly
Sometimes, you're just in the mood for a pensive mid-tempo number with double-tracked lead vocals that sound like they might have been recorded while the singer's parents were asleep down the hall.

"Security Camera," Bridget Kearney
This must be the week for sensitively deployed yet utterly '80s synths — if I didn't know any better, I'd think Bridget Kearney's "Security Camera" boasted the award-winning programming work of Jeff Bova and Jimmy Bralower. And aside from the various keyboard noises that make me feel like I'm back in my Bugle Boys, it's also an extremely well-written song.

"How'd You Find Me," Maxwell Stern featuring Ratboys
I feel like this Islands in the Stream keeps flitting back and forth between songs that wouldn't have sounded out of place in the '80s and songs that could have comfortably fit in anyone's '90s Buzz Bin, but so be it: "How'd You Find Me" absolutely reminds me of something I might have purchased on used CD or cassingle at any point between 1995 and 1999. This is, of course, an endorsement.

"Anything," Pat Parker
"I wake up / Skin sweating through my sheets / What the fuck / Did I just say / Is it bad luck / Or just another day?" Same, Pat Parker. Same.

"Fingers on My Side," Hot Joy
The members of Hot Joy say this effortlessly addictive little rocker is about the way seemingly incidental moments often add up to major ones. As much as that might be true, I'm grooving on it tonight because it sounds like it might have been one of my favorite songs from a CMJ sampler. If you're old enough to know what that means, I see you, and I hope you don't pull anything getting out of bed tomorrow morning.

"Well Done Honey," Half Happy
Much as it pains me to say this, I feel like we're probably never getting another album from the Sundays. This is awful, but we can at least be grateful for the long tail of influence the band has left behind — including bands like Half Happy, who give us songs like "Well Done Honey," which sounds an awful lot like the Sundays at their most aggressive, especially if you aren't paying close attention. Well done indeed.