Tales From The Drop Box - Better Than Radio

Tales From the Dropbox Episode 40 is a good one! Okay, I think they all are. However, I truly do believe the past several episodes are close to the vision I had for these podcasts from their inception: to present for your listening pleasure a mix of interesting and diverse new music from a wide-ranging group of artists all of whom are highly unlikely to receive any attention on commercial radio. Why is this universe of music not played anywhere on the commercial monopoly that passes for radio? Why do current radio programmers have no room on their playlists for the likes of Ex-Cult, Beach Slang, or the Rifles?

Money.

But this lack of radio airplay turns out to be  great for all of us that traverse the alternative universe. (Oh …my …God! I just figured out what alternative means in the current day and age…It means an alternative to the crap played on KROQ or _________ (fill in your own local clear channel controlled FM station)). Why? Because you can always find truly terrific music here!

Speaking of vision, I couldn’t help noticing (only because I am old) that Donald Trump has shared his vision of America at a speech in Philadelphia on September 9. As Trump put it:

“We Will Be One People, Under One God, Saluting One American Flag.”

Apparently, the Donald shares the same vision as another infamous leader who came up with this slogan for his political party:

“Ein volk, Ein reich, Ein Fuhrer!” (“One people, one empire, one leader!”).

I, unfortunately, am not too surprised that the Donald would paraphrase Hitler as he seeks the Presidency of the United States of America. As Trump posited in the same speech:

Starting in 2017, we will be one American nation. It’s time to break our ties with the bitter failures of the past and to embrace a new American future. Have to do it. Together we will make America believe again. We will make America united again. And we will make America great again.”

In fairness, Trump is not Hitler. However, Trump’s obvious and vocal appeal to the extreme right – a fear of immigrants, of other religions, of the banning of Muslims etc. – is a parallel to the same rhetoric that launched the Nazi party into power. Not that I’m the only one to notice the parallels. The internet is filled with such comparisons, some from well-known publications (e.g. Who said it: Donald Trump or Adolf Hitler? The theory of political leadership that Donald Trump shares with Adolf Hitler) but the most interesting view is not the similarity of Trumps rhetoric and vision, but rather that the race for the Presidency is apparently a dead heat. Really, has ½ of America gone insane or are we really a nation where the fear of a [black, yellow, brown, immigrant, poor] planet is so great that people are willing to take a chance on Trump?

This is progress?

Here is what you’ll find in Episode #40:

1. Barb Wire Dolls – “Blind To Your Misery” (Desperate)
2. Many Things – “Dear One” (Burn Together)
3. Dirtbombs – “Indivisible” (We Have You Surrounded)
4. Ex-Cult – “Mr. Investigator” (Negative Growth)
5. Beach Slang – “Spin the Dial” (A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings)
6. Malibu Cannibals – “Shine” (Beautiful)
7. The Rifles – “Motorway” (Big Life)
8. Puddle Splasher – “I’m Hurting Me” (Separate States)
9. Gap Dream – “Rock and Roll” (This is Gap Dream)
10. The Wytches – “Cough-Cool” (Home Recordings EP)
11. Avers – “Holding On” (Omega-Whatever)
12. La Femme – “Mycose” (Mystere)
13. Frenzal Rhomb – “We’re Going Out Tonight” (We Lived Like Kings (We Did Anything We Wanted))
14. Stiff Little Fingers – “Johnny Was” (Inflammable Material)
15. Blowout – “If-Else-If” (No Beer, No Dad)

https://dropboxnotes.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/2016-09-18-ep-40.mp3

This street we walk upon this corner full of piss and fear this street won’t bear it long
it slants, it tilts, it’s brought outside alive . . . Woman hold her head and cry, cause her son had been shot down in the street and died from a stray bullet.

KFR

Filed under: New Releases