HIGHLY RECOMMENDED W/ BAL
* Providing the A's to the 5 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Q's today is BAL — a music-makering duo out of North Carolina who dropped a sweet album called ‘Seafoam’ last year on Furious Hooves that’ll carry your eardrums back to the 90s (and you can catch the track ‘Codec’ on the HI54 Mix CD ‘INDIE AMERICA, USA’)
#1 - WHAT IS THE ONE ALBUM (OR EP OR SONG) THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE THE VERY NEXT MUSICAL THING THAT EVERYONE PRESSES PLAY ON THE NEXT TIME THEY FIND THEMSELVES THINKING “WHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO NOW”?
Jordan: Victoria Victoria ‘To the Wayside’. In particular the song “Over my Shoulder.” I needed a certain feeling today, and my mind immediately jumped to this record. Chill, melodic vibes for days.
Jack: Seer Believer’s 2020 release, Bent. I can’t think of a time in the past 2 years when I haven’t been in the mood to listen to this album.
Every single song is perfectly crafted, from the tones to the vocal delivery, to the mix. For me, it is the sonic equivalent of a perfect, sunny day in the mountains. I can’t recommend this record enough.
#2 - WHAT IS THE ONE MOVIE OR TV SHOW THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE NEXT IN EVERYBODY’S NETFLIX QUEUE (OK, DOESN’T HAVE TO BE NETFLIX, WE’RE ALL INTERNET ADULTS HERE AND KNOW HOW TO FIND ANYTHING ONLINE, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER)?
Jordan: The Expanse. This is my favorite sci-fi series in years. The story is compelling and relevant, and it pulls from the greats in all of the right ways.
Jack: Better Call Saul. I loved Breaking Bad, but I feel like everyone on this crew took it up a few notches for this show. Some of the best writing to ever hit TV and the lead characters portrayed by Bob Odenkirk and Rhea Seehorn are so complex, you can’t help but become fully invested. My wife and I used to drop everything for this show.
#3. I (AND BY “I” I MEAN “THE PERSON THAT IS READING THIS”) AM GOING TO THE LOCAL BOOK STORE (OK, MAYBE THE LOCAL LIBRARY FIRST) TO FIND THE VERY NEXT BOOK THAT I WILL BE PUTTING SOME EXTREMELY VALUABLE ‘ME-TIME' ASIDE FOR. WHICH BOOK WOULD YOU GET, IF YOU WERE ME (AND, I SUPPOSE, YOU HADN’T ALREADY READ WHAT YOU’RE ABOUT TO SUGGEST)?
Jordan: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and specifically The Restaurant at the end of the Universe. Douglas Adams books are hilarious, and this one is just so silly and great.
Jack: Jeff Tweedy - Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back). I was buried in this book for 2 days straight. It is so brutally honest and you gain some personal insight into the band. Underneath the pleasant sounds of Wilco, comes a lot of heartache and pain. It shows you the harsh reality of being a creative person, trying to maintain a band like that for almost 30 years.
#4 - WHAT IS THE ONE WEBSITE (OR JUST ANY OLD INTERNET THING: APP, GIF, SERVICE, WHATEVER) THAT YOU WOULD GET REALLY DOWN IN THE DUMPS ABOUT IF IT WERE TO SUDDENLY GO AWAY?
Jordan: It’s Corn. (everyone knows where to find this lol)
Jack: Morgan Ågren and Fredrik Thordendal - "Sol Niger Within". It blows my mind today just as much as it did over a decade ago. I can’t help but laugh every time I watch it because the level of musicianship displayed here is from another dimension.
This performance is special to me because when Jordan and I started BAL, it was just the 2 of us in a storage unit, playing riffs and just nerding out on the things that inspire us. I always thought this clip perfectly displayed how powerful of an arrangement you can create with only a guitar and drums at your disposal.
#5 - AND FINALLY… PLEASE GIVE ONE COMPLETELY UNAIDED RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU THINK EVERYONE SHOULD START DOING / USING / WATCHING / EATING / THINKING / QUITTING / ETC-ING TO MAKE THEIR LIVES A LITTLE BIT MORE BETTER AND/OR BEARABLE.
Jordan: Do something for someone else every day. It’s something I need to do more of, so maybe I’m saying it as a reminder to myself.
Jack: Cook at home as much as you can. I cook almost every night. I like to take my time, throw in some earbuds and enjoy the process. It’s therapeutic for me. I know exactly what is going into our food and with the rising costs of everything, we save some money!
