The Chart Show: It's Just A Mac Thing
by Mark Wheat
August 30, 2018
In a nicely written profile on Macalester College's website last year our #1 band Bad Bad Hats describe how even when they tour to places like NYC they get a ton of Mac grads showing up. But 'the Mac thing' they seem to suggest is, "not being afraid to say what you think, to try new things and making mistakes."
Thanks to over 15,000 of you who showed up to our Music On A Stick show Saturday! Lissie opened it up with a bunch of locals playing in her band, and she even told Jill and Brian at our booth earlier in the day that she got to sing the National Anthem at the Vikings pre-season game with Seattle! Although she decided to sing two more songs from 'Castles' the new album, alone with just her guitar and talked about her farm in Iowa.
Brandi Carlile is inducted to our Chart Hall of Fame for the third time, making her the 61st artist to be inducted for at least three times. If the end of summer is making you sad, Brandi's planned a sunshine getaway in January with some girlfriends at the Hard Rock, Riviera Maya, Mexico for the Girls just Wanna Weekend.
Big Red Machine are still moving up the chart to #10 after eight weeks on for the first song from Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner's new project. It's our Album of the Week, reviewed by Jade.
Santigold, new at fifteen this week surprised us with a full album release at the start of this month "I Don't Want; The Gold Fire Sessions", a "mixtape of poppy island dancehall tunes" according to the Guardian.
Brand new at #16 is Parquet Courts, with a song that could almost be describing the session we did with them in May, although much of the argy bargy was when they were clearing up afterwards and we started talking EPL soccer! Austin, the guitar player turned out to be a huge Man Utd fan, a team that I have just disowned!
For all you Dad rockers out there, you have another hero in Matthew Houck, the man behind Phosphorescent. New at #18 with a song from an album coming Oct 5th, it's his first in five years, in which time he has moved, married and become a father, all the while literally hand building the studio that it was recorded in.
Submit your Chart Show ballot this week for a chance to The Current's Beck giveaway at The Armory in Minneapolis, MN on September 13, 2018!