Over time, my listening habits have changed and at the moment I usually listen to albums completely through. I haven’t done that in years, but it’s actually very rewarding—particularly when the album is good. Every album that will be on this list will fit that category.
Songs from the albums on this list forms the basis of my countdown list for the “Top 9 at 3:09” segment of my “Theme Attic Show,” Wednesdays 2PM-4PM ET on mostly alternating weeks, along with my “Phil’s Faves, Songs” lists!
It’s another peak into my listening habits—which is a goal of mine. If you want to know where I’m heading or what I think about some new music, you will find it here.
I honestly don’t expect there to be much volatility on this list because these albums are what I have been basing many of the sets on my show.
Once again, there will be no boundaries. I will go wherever my musical muse takes me.
Lastly, but most importantly, is my Philby Awards link! A Philby is my annual award for outstanding musical achievement! https://philmaq.com/philbys/!
If you like what you see, don’t forget to spread the word by hitting the “like” button on my Facebook page, Phil Maq!
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Tracy Kash’s album maintains a “Fierce” grip on the #1 spot for a second week!! QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
Top 10 Albums for the Week of May 9, 2021
1. Fierce—Tracy Kash 2. Collaboration—Warriors, Zombies and Other Joedai Pilgrims 3. Moon On Havana—Wendy Webb 4. Almost Ready For the Future—Tom Curless and The 46% 5. Quarantine Dream—Scott Martin 6. Please Yourself—Michael on Fire 7. Listen to Crows—Ariane Lydon 8. Songs of Hope in a Changing World—Eric Gnezda 9. String Theory 2.0—Greezy Wheels 10.The Power, The Glory, and The Monkey Time: Redux 2020—George Stephen Kelly ______________________________________________________________ New Key Album of the Week: Shruggin’ Off the Feelings—New Chums
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Don’t forget to like my Phil Maq Facebook page!
This is a weekly Top Ten list of what I consider to be the best songs that I listened to the previous week. Most songs will be current, but there are no boundaries. I’ve already stated on this web site that I am obsessed with music. I am constantly hunting it down whether it’s online, on CD, from my personal collection, from a library (Yes, I think the library is a great source of music–especially for music that you aren’t sure about.), TV, or radio. Since most of these sources mostly emphasize new music, the odds are pretty good that most of the songs on this list will be new. But in my search, I don’t use any boundaries for the other sources. I am just looking for good music that I haven’t heard, or happened to forget about. Everyone, including myself, has forgotten way more great music than they can ever remember-even if they are also music fanatics.
Also, there will be no rules concerning songs on this list. A song can show up or drop off a number of times. This will be the most volatile of my lists. It all depends on how much music I am exposed to during the week and what I find interesting. On really obscure stuff, I will try to include the source, if I know it.
Most of the songs heard on this list have been played on my radio show, “Theme Attic,” heard Wednesdays 2PM-4PM ET!
This list forms the basis of my countdown list on the “Top 9 at 3:09” segment of my show on mostly alternating weeks, along with my “Phil’s Faves, Albums” lists!
Here’s a link for the complete history of all the Fave Songs:
Lastly, but most importantly, is my Philby Awards link! A Philby is my annual award for outstanding musical achievement! : https://philmaq.com/philbys/
If you like what you see, don’t forget to spread the word by hitting the “like” button on my Facebook page, Phil Maq !
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ Judy Banker is “Born Again” with her second #1 Faves Song!! QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
Top Ten Songs for the Week of May 9, 2021
1.Born Again—Judy Banker (Buffalo Motel) 2.Solo—Arnold Mitchem (Solo) 3.Every Day—Mental Health Day (You Could Be Anywhere) 4. Snake Wine—Transit Method(We Won’t Get Out of Here Alive) 5. Hope—Diamonds in the Rust (The Whole Half) 6.Control—The Cordial Sins (Only Human) 7.Jesus on the Dash—Vegas Strip Kings (Jackpot!) 8. Storyline—Trio of Awesuhm (Cowboys and Aliens) 9. Better Than Gold—Erica Blinn (Better Than Gold) 10.Time Goes By—Territorial Chant (Territorial Chant 6)
__________________________________________________________ New Key Song of the Week: My Mother Gave the World to Me—Jubilant Bridge (Single) QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ Don’t forget to like my Phil Maq page! Thank you!
Grab a buttercream stick, ask a friend to join you, and come along for the ride Wednesday from 2PM-4PM EDT with Phil Maq!
Tune in to 89.3 WHFR.FM in the Dearborn-Detroit area, ask Alexa or Siri to find the station for you, or use this special Philby link: https://www.whfr.fm/streamer/ to stream it!!!
Feel free to share!
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If you like what you see, don’t forget to spread the word by hitting the “like” button on my Facebook page,
Since my show is back on the air (“Theme Attic” heard every Wednesday from 2PM-4PM ET! Here’s a link to stream it: https://www.whfr.fm/streamer/!), I’ve decided to alter my New Year’s Resolution. Sorta…
Initially, this was the goal:
Every week, I plan to highlight two acts that I have never played before!
It was the same one I had two years ago.
When I decided on this goal, I planned to make it more obvious that I was focusing on these highlighted artists by marking the choices as either a “New Key Song of the Week” or New Key Album of the Week.”
Since I started broadcasting again, I now play at least two new artists on average that I haven’t played before. (And I often play way more than that!)
So, the next question became, should I continue my New weekly features?
Before heading back into the studio, I had more time to explore the newest releases–almost in real time.
Putting together my weekly show, is pulling me away from doing that.
At least, I should say, posting a written article about new music is.
I definitely don’t want to go back to having two more weekly self imposed extra deadlines.
Therefore, I have decided to change how I will post them.
Pre post pandemic, I would only consider artists I had never played before.
Post covid radio hiatus, I will consider all new albums that I listen to, even artists that I have played before and who may even have won Philbys!
I intend to only consider fairly recent releases, but I will decide how recent.
I like the freedom to choose from a larger pool of music.
Sometimes my choice will fit the original parameters, but I think, more often than not, it won’t.
But remember, I am already playing new artists, even if they’ve been an artist for decades(!), on my weekly show.
I also wouldn’t count on the weekly album being a weekly feature. It will be a little less frequent and I like that, too. I will only post when something hits me!
I’m expecting my “New Key Song of the Week” to be posted even less frequently than the album blog. But one never knows. About either category.
When I do make a weekly choice, I will add it to my weekly Faves Lists as before!
Whether I consider them for future lists will depend on whether my “snap judgment” is worthy of that.
The seed for this idea came from old 60’s WKNR (Dearborn, Michigan) music guides, that featured a weekly Key Song of the Week, so it’s kind of an homage to the station.
My distinction will be a weekly “key album.”
I hope you like the changes I have made, and together we will continue to explore new music!
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Mother’s Day snuck up on me this year.
It was so early!
Plus my show, “Theme Attic,” heard every Wednesday from 2PM-4:15PM ET, was on Cinco de Mayo, so I was already distracted.
Maybe that’s why “My Mother Gave the World to Me” by Jubilant Bridge hit me in just the right way when I stumbled upon it!
The peaceful tune features Carol Van Alstine’s warm, crystalline lead vocal!
The gifts of the world in the song pass from the world to the mother, then to the child, and back again to the world in a motherly “circle of life!”
Willie Jaeg adds his dulcimer and beautiful harmonies!
Simply breathtaking!
And I will feature this song on my show this Wednesday, May 12, 2021!
Since my show is back on the air (“Theme Attic” heard every Wednesday from 2PM-4PM ET! Here’s a link to stream it: https://www.whfr.fm/streamer/!), I’ve decided to alter my New Year’s Resolution. Sorta…
Initially, this was the goal:
Every week, I plan to highlight two acts that I have never played before!
It was the same one I had last year.
When I decided on this goal, I planned to make it more obvious that I was focusing on these highlighted artists by marking the choices as either a “New Key Song of the Week” or New Key Album of the Week.”
Since I started broadcasting again, I now play at least two new artists on average that I haven’t played before. (And I often play way more than that!)
So, the next question became, should I continue my New weekly features?
Before heading back into the studio, I had more time to explore the newest releases–almost in real time.
Putting together my weekly show, is pulling me away from doing that.
At least, I should say, posting a written article about new music is.
I definitely don’t want to go back to having two more weekly self imposed extra deadlines.
Therefore, I have decided to change how I will post them.
Pre post pandemic, I would only consider artists I had never played before.
Post covid radio hiatus, I will consider all new albums that I listen to, even artists that I have played before and who may even have won Philbys!
I intend to only consider fairly recent releases, but I will decide how recent.
I like the freedom to choose from a larger pool of music.
Sometimes my choice will fit the original parameters, but I think, more often than not, it won’t.
But remember, I am already playing new artists, even if they’ve been an artist for decades(!), on my weekly show.
I also wouldn’t count on the weekly album being a weekly feature. It will be a little less frequent and I like that, too. I will only post when something hits me!
I’m expecting my “New Key Song of the Week” to be posted even less frequently than the album blog. But one never knows. About either category.
When I do make a weekly choice, I will add it to my weekly Faves List as before!
Whether I consider them for future lists will depend on whether my “snap judgment” is worthy of that.
The seed for this idea came from old 60’s WKNR (Dearborn, Michigan) music guides, that featured a weekly Key Song of the Week, so it’s kind of an homage to the station.
My distinction will be a weekly “key album.”
I hope you like the changes I have made, and together we will continue to explore new music!
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Had I run across a release like “Shruggin’ Off the Feelings” by Phoenix based band, New Chums, I may have revived my “New Key Album of the Week” feature sooner.
I mean, what’s not to like?
Five slices of catchy pop/rock melodies should bring almost anything back from the brink!
Here’s a new video from the album, called “The Ride”:
I will be featuring one of the songs’ on my “Theme Attic” show this Wednesday, May 12 from 2PM-4:15 PM!
“We’ve Got Hate on the Run” recently was rewarded with a well deserved Detroit Music Award!
The original post follows the next GREAT sentence!
One of the Greatest Songs Ever Recorded is “We’ve Got Hate on the Run” by Tosha Owens and Detroit Strong!!!
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For as long as I’ve been on the radio, and definitely for as long as I’ve been writing a blog, I will occasionally make a reference to a song being “One of the Greatest Songs Ever Recorded!” (GSER)
I would usually follow that by saying that I would eventually start a category for it, but then never get around to it.
I’ll select a song to celebrate and then give my thoughts about it. Nothing really brand new here that hasn’t been done before. But since I have a website, I can collect them and lay out what my own greatest songs are.
My radio show, “Theme Attic,” is on Wednesdays 2PM-4PM ET.
Even though I always emphasize new music and artists, it’s always fun to take a short drive through the legendary artists, since they influenced those other artists!
But a song doesn’t have to be old or done by a legendary Theme Attic Hall of Fame member to be thus honored.
I can think of several songs that are only a few years old or less that I could identify as One of the Greatest Songs Ever Recorded.
This will be fun, and hopefully you will join me on my journey…at least sometimes!
She has a voice that, when you hear it, makes your heart want to strive to do better!
That makes Tosha’s collaborations with Detroit Strong Music featuring song’s written by Keith Laurin, truly special events! They are both interested in raising Detroit’s image and, indirectly, everyone else’s opinion of the city!
Even though “We’ve Got hate on the Run” is currently on my weekly Faves list, it deserves its own spotlight.
It is a musical tour-de-force combining R&B and Gospel with Classical elements!
I am happy to announce “The Most Awesomest Song of the Day”: “We’ve Got Hate on the Run” by Tosha Owens and Detroit Strong Music!!!
I hope you explore my daily picks with me and that I can take your mind away from what’s happening in the world today!
Over time, my listening habits have changed and at the moment I usually listen to albums completely through. I haven’t done that in years, but it’s actually very rewarding—particularly when the album is good. Every album that will be on this list will fit that category.
Songs from the albums on this list forms the basis of my countdown list for the “Top 9 at 3:09” segment of my “Theme Attic Show,” Wednesdays 2PM-4PM ET on mostly alternating weeks, along with my “Phil’s Faves, Songs” lists!
It’s another peak into my listening habits—which is a goal of mine. If you want to know where I’m heading or what I think about some new music, you will find it here.
I honestly don’t expect there to be much volatility on this list because these albums are what I have been basing many of the sets on my show.
Once again, there will be no boundaries. I will go wherever my musical muse takes me.
Lastly, but most importantly, is my Philby Awards link! A Philby is my annual award for outstanding musical achievement! https://philmaq.com/philbys/!
If you like what you see, don’t forget to spread the word by hitting the “like” button on my Facebook page, Phil Maq!
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Tracy “Kash’s” in with this week’s “Fierce” #1 Faves Album! QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
Top 10 Albums for the Week of May 2, 2021
1. Fierce—Tracy Kash 2. Collaboration—Warriors, Zombies and Other Joedai Pilgrims 3. Moon On Havana—Wendy Webb 4. Almost Ready For the Future—Tom Curless and The 46% 5. The Power, The Glory, and The Monkey Time: Redux 2020—George Stephen Kelly 6. Quarantine Dream—Scott Martin 7. Please Yourself—Michael on Fire 8. Listen to Crows—Ariane Lydon 9. Never Trust the Living—Johnny Mastro and Mama’s Boys 10.Fight Another Day—Heathcote Hill QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
Don’t forget to like my Phil Maq Facebook page!
This is a weekly Top Ten list of what I consider to be the best songs that I listened to the previous week. Most songs will be current, but there are no boundaries. I’ve already stated on this web site that I am obsessed with music. I am constantly hunting it down whether it’s online, on CD, from my personal collection, from a library (Yes, I think the library is a great source of music–especially for music that you aren’t sure about.), TV, or radio. Since most of these sources mostly emphasize new music, the odds are pretty good that most of the songs on this list will be new. But in my search, I don’t use any boundaries for the other sources. I am just looking for good music that I haven’t heard, or happened to forget about. Everyone, including myself, has forgotten way more great music than they can ever remember-even if they are also music fanatics.
Also, there will be no rules concerning songs on this list. A song can show up or drop off a number of times. This will be the most volatile of my lists. It all depends on how much music I am exposed to during the week and what I find interesting. On really obscure stuff, I will try to include the source, if I know it.
Most of the songs heard on this list have been played on my radio show, “Theme Attic,” heard Wednesdays 2PM-4PM ET!
This list forms the basis of my countdown list on the “Top 9 at 3:09” segment of my show on mostly alternating weeks, along with my “Phil’s Faves, Albums” lists!
Here’s a link for the complete history of all the Fave Songs:
Lastly, but most importantly, is my Philby Awards link! A Philby is my annual award for outstanding musical achievement! : https://philmaq.com/philbys/
If you like what you see, don’t forget to spread the word by hitting the “like” button on my Facebook page, Phil Maq !
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ Mental Health Day feels much better as this week’s #1 Faves song! QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
Top Ten Songs for the Week of May 2, 2021
1.Every Day—Mental Health Day (You Could Be Anywhere) 2.Born Again—Judy Banker (Buffalo Motel) 3.Solo—Arnold Mitchem (Solo) 4. Show Them It’s True—The Simon Kennedy Band (Make Up Your Mind) 5. Starcrossed Losers—The Fratellis (In Your Own Sweet Time) 6.Please Don’t Tell Me How to Dance—Cindy Ruenes (Please Don’t Tell Me How to Dance) 7.Hope—Diamonds in the Rust (The Whole Half) 8. Snake Wine—Transit Method(We Won’t Get Out of Here Alive) 9. Control—The Cordial Sins (Only Human) 10.How Will You Go?—Sugar Snow (Woodface Reimagined) QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ Don’t forget to like my Phil Maq page! Thank you!
Tune in to 89.3 WHFR.FM in the Dearborn-Detroit area, ask Alexa or Siri to find the station for you, or use this special “muy caliente” link: https://www.whfr.fm/streamer/ to stream it!!!
Feel free to share!
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If you like what you see, don’t forget to spread the word by hitting the “like” button on my Facebook page,
For as long as I’ve been on the radio, and definitely for as long as I’ve been writing a blog, I will occasionally make a reference to a song being “One of the Greatest Songs Ever Recorded!” (GSER)
I would usually follow that by saying that I would eventually start a category for it, but then never get around to it.
I’ll select a song to celebrate and then give my thoughts about it. Nothing really brand new here that hasn’t been done before. But since I have a website, I can collect them and lay out what my own greatest songs are.
My radio show, “Theme Attic,” is on Wednesdays 2PM-4PM ET.
Even though I always emphasize new music and artists, it’s always fun to take a short drive through the legendary artists, since they influenced those other artists!
But a song doesn’t have to be old or done by a legendary Theme Attic Hall of Fame member to be thus honored.
I can think of several songs that are only a few years old or less that I could identify as One of the Greatest Songs Ever Recorded.
This will be fun, and hopefully you will join me on my journey…at least sometimes!
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
It’s been a year since I posted “Blessed Be the Nation” by Judy Banker.
When I posted the song, I was just getting organized with my new posts about music.
I would most certainly have posted “Blessed Be the Nation” as One of the Greatest Songs Ever Recorded except I didn’t have a graphic for it.
My earliest recollection of his music was a song called “Little Boxes.”
Back in the day, it was difficult to find any music of any kind on Sunday mornings because every radio station played religious shows or public service shows. It was like being in music prison!
One show that I did find, was an ecumenical show on an AM station that came on at 7:30 AM. It had nice generic segments about being kind to each other.
It also had music!
I remember three songs: “What the World Needs Now” by Burt Bacharach [Hall of Fame], “Variations on a Theme by Erik Satie” by Blood, Sweat, and Tears (1st Movement only and I knew that because I owned the album. That might have been the first hook that got me to tune in.), and “Little Boxes” by Pete Seeger.
Now, I didn’t know who the artists were on the other songs until years later, but that’s the first time I heard him. And it was that live track where everyone seemed to laugh hysterically.
My next memory was seeing Pete on the local news singing a song about “Garbage.” He was in Detroit holding a rally or something. It might have been for Earth Day.
I thought, what a strange song! The words were things my dad had talked about for as long as I could remember.
Things finally came full circle when I ordered “The World of Pete Seeger” from Columbia House as a cutout.
I would order anything if the price was right! I had my own chump change and I was willing to spend it! My own “little boxes” came in pretty often!
“The World of Pete Seeger” truly was a whole world!
There was an instrumental banjo tune and a song about a boxer being killed in the fighting ring for sport, next to songs about war criminals, a Civil Rights anthem, love songs, classic Folk gems, the most brutal version of “Masters of War” that you will ever hear, translated into Japanese as he sings it, songs of peace, and a beautiful version of Woody Guthrie‘s [Hall of Fame] “Hobo’s Lullaby,” as well as one of the greatest songs ever recorded, “My Rainbow Race!”
And those are just some of the songs! And in the middle of those songs was the aforementioned, “Little Boxes!”
I am saddened when I hear singer/songwriters of today act like Pete Seeger is some long forgotten useless elderly person in a nursing home that they don’t want to remember.
Pete would be the first one cheering their effort. He found good in almost everybody and their music.
He had major songs of his own, with big easy choruses for the audience to learn and sing along, like “If I Had a Hammer” and “Turn, Turn, Turn.”
But he also sang other songwriter’s songs as if they were his own.
He was a voice for the lowliest peoples on earth–the ones who didn’t have political power but should have because of their numbers.
Every type of music is pretty much represented in his catalog.
Judy Banker has been on my show more times than any other guest.
She has assisted me on pledge drives to keep my head attached–at least somewhat.
Judy took a poem that Pete Seeger had written with Jim Mussleman from 1964 and was allowed to add a melody.
A new Pete Seeger song!
And I know one of the people who wrote it and others that played on it!
To me, that’s the equivalent of the remaining Beatles joining together to create a new song from a John Lennon demo!
And the song is terrific! It sounds like something that Pete could have written, yet it still retains the Judy Banker sound! I think the phrasing even sounds like Pete!
And I was hooked right from the first time I heard it!
And even though the song is going on fifty years old, it’s, unfortunately, still relevant!
The repetition of “People not profits” for life and death work decisions is how things should be run and is a plea for universal health care–something that would make the coronavirus situation just a tiny bit easier to deal with.
I sure wish I was singing in that choir! They sound so great!
But at least I can sing along with the song.
This song is the only song I have ever played twice on a show because I wanted to hear it again and didn’t want to wait!
