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I said something on my radio show last week about being intentional and related that to the excuse I sometimes hear (and sometimes have used) when I feel I have fallen short in some way... "Well, it was intentional". We say that as if it excuses our action or inaction. As if it makes everything okay... but to me it should be considered an admission rather than an excuse - as in, I was not being intentional in my actions and so I (fill in the blank). To me, this realization is a wake-up call to be more intentional in how I live my life, I am not going to lie - this is not easy - the habit of floating through life with out thought or concern - is hard to break. And such a life may even be appealing.
I mean, who doesn't want a life of ease and not worries - I think there is a song from The Lion King about it... "every time that I farted...". But, here is the deal, as I see it, we are seeing a reckoning coming for some long-term injustices and transgressions. Whether it is "Me, Too" or Black Lives Matter or LGBTQ+ rights or something else... if some has ingrained bad habits surrounding any of these things - in the words we use, in the way we act - then unless we act with intention, we will continue to follow these bad habits and the "excuse" - "It was not intentional" will no longer be an excuse but a confession that we have fallen short of what we could be if we took the time and effort to be intentional.
Now, we have songs 14-18 of this week's Featured Friday Playlist...
14. "Lonely Without You" by Cayucas
First up today, we have a new single from this band from Santa Monica - whose name comes from a sleepy little down in San Luis Obispo County. It was released ahead of their new album Blue Summer which is due out in September.
15. "Creole Girl" by Vincent Cross
Next up, we have a track from an amazing new album by Irish born, New York based singer-songwriter Vincent Cross. The album is called The Life and Time of James "The Rooster" Corcoran - which is a biographical album about a colorful ancestor of Cross' who was a gang leader and champion of the Irish working class in 19th century Manhattan. Musically, the album draws on the music of the time place of Corcoran's life.
16. "Cryin' Eyes" by Steven Bruce
Next up, we have a track from Same Time, Same Place, Same Station - the debut album by this singer-songwriter from Fredericksburg, Virginia. Bruce was a founding member of Whiskey Revival. This is a stunning debut, and I look forward to hearing much more from him.
17. "You Turn Me On - Jim Sclavunos Remix" by Jonny Polonsky
We have featured Chicago-born, New York based artist Jonny Polonsky before. Here he gets the remix treatment from No Wave legend Jim Sclavunos - who has been a member of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds since 1994 and was a member of Teenage Jesus & the Jerks. Sclavunos was also an early member of Sonic Youth for their first album and a one-time member of The Cramps.
18. "King of Suburbia" by Polymer
We close out this segment of music with the new single from Sydney-based rock band Polymer - from their forthcoming debut album Zealot's Box. A great way to close out this part of the playlist.
Tomorrow songs 19-23...
Featured Friday Playlist
