"There's a time in life for Hoagy Carmichael. There's a time in life for Claude Debussy. There's a time in life for Jerry Lee Lewis. There's a time in life for Destiny's Child. All these things have their moment." ~Elvis Costello
15 Nov 2026 Leave a comment
in Songs You May Have Missed Tags: me me me, middle brother
Middle Brother: “Me, Me, Me” (2011)
Middle Brother, a collective comprised of lead singers of three other bands (Dawes, Deer Tick, and Delta Spirit) unfortunately never followed it up, but their sole 2011 release is a bit of fun.
See also: Songs You May Have Missed #794 | Every Moment Has A Song
26 Oct 2026 Leave a comment
in Video of the Week Tags: donnie iris
Two things distinguished Pittsburgh legend Donnie Iris, who passed away today at 83 after battling bladder cancer.
The first was great rock pop songs, often co-written with keyboardist Mark Avsec, and distinguished by the interplay of contrapuntal vocal parts that evoked Eric Carmen’s hormone-fueled hits with the Raspberries.
And the second was the greatest scream in rock and roll.
Both hallmarks are on full display in this 1981 performance of “That’s the Way Love Ought to Be”.
Thanks to songs like “Love is Like a Rock”. “My Girl”, and of course “Ah! Leah!”, Iris, whose hit making career dated back to 1970’s “The Rapper” with the Jaggerz, was a Pittsburgh treasure.
20 Oct 2026 Leave a comment
in Video of the Week Tags: tom lehrer
SETLIST:
Introduction
National Brotherhood Week
When You’re Old And Grey
The MLF Lullaby
Poisoning Pigeons In The Park
So long, Mom!
Pollution
The Masochism Tango
Send The Marines
Who’s Next
Wernher Von Braun
The Vatican Rag
We Will All Go Together When We Go
20 Oct 2026 Leave a comment
in Video of the Week Tags: tom lehrer
18 Oct 2026 Leave a comment
in Songs You May Have Missed Tags: soon, yes
Yes: “Soon” (1974)
“Soon”, an excerpt from the 22-minute “The Gates of Delirium” epic from 1974’s Relayer LP (truly Yes epitomized “long-player”) was one of the most gorgeous moments the English progsters created, despite the fact that as a single it failed to chart. This song didn’t seem to be formed from the same elements as those which occupied the Hot 100 that year, or really any other.
Like one of their Roger Dean-designed album covers, their best music evoked other worlds entirely.
09 Oct 2026 Leave a comment
in Video of the Week Tags: carpenters
If you’ll indulge me, a few notes and opinions:
First, I know of no performer who could recreate their material live with more perfect pitch than Karen Carpenter. She is literally note perfect throughout, even when Richard’s arrangements contain slippery key changes.
As for brother Richard himself: the bandleader, producer and musician extraordinaire smoothly transitions between three different keyboards during this medley. You probably won’t even notice him doing so.
And guitarist Tony Peluso’s fuzz guitar coda on “Goodbye to Love”, which closes out the medley, might be the equal of Joe Walsh and Don Felder’s postlude on “Hotel California”. It’s a work of rare melodic composition unto itself and doesn’t get enough glory simply because it was performed on an “easy listening” act’s record.
