Week of September 21 – 27, 2026
Sensory Dispensary
“The record you didn’t know you needed is what I am listening to in the other room.”
“The record you didn’t know you needed is what I am listening to in the other room.”
A light week of album listening but some choice cuts show up, and some potential new favorites.
This is an artist my new last.fm/Spotify custom playlist project surfaced for me. I had listened to a previous album back in August that I honestly didn’t recall hearing. I liked this pretty well though, the New York theme is fascinating. I think I must have been working on something or was distracted and didn’t give this the attention it needed. Have added it back in to the queue for a re-listen.
I said this when I shared a song from this as a random earlier this week. In a just world, Poi Dog would be phenomenally popular. Some great stuff on here, “Entrance” is a highlight.
This album is still as fucking perfect as it was the first time I heard it. Given the turmoil of the Let It Be sessions, it’s a wonder this even exists. The fact that is as cohesive and brilliant as it is is just unfathomable to me.
Another artist who popped up in my resurfacing playlist. This was good enough to make me want to hear more, even if there were bits that didn’t hit as well as they could have. I remember hearing the name of this band years ago but honestly never gave them a first thought, much less a second. My loss, I’ll make up for it now.
One never knows what to expect from a Marillion album, they are always deeply inventive while also still managing to incorporate the familiar guitar and lush production you expect. This starts off with the nearly 18 minute “Gaza” which presented the harsh realities of children living in the “temporary” camps on the Gaza strip. Released back in 2012, it hits a little differently now, but I fully endorse supporting the innocent children living in these refugee camps who suffer so greatly because of the heinous acts of others.
“The Rain Song” and “No Quarter” alone make this one essential. “The Crunge” might be the rare omission on my list of Led Zeppelin songs better than “Stairway to Heaven”
Great early boogie, just like you would expect from ZZ Top. “Sure Got Cold After the Rain Fell” is a perfect song.
When you have an albums as great as High Land, Hard Rain and Frestonia, and a song as perfect as “Rainy Season”, even a really good album like this one can just feel like less. It’s an unfair thought and comparison to make, and it keeps me from listening to the rest of the catalog despite the fact that I love all of it.
The Conversation