Thursday, April 30, 2026

The 5.6.7.8's "Beat Girls" Featuring Miss Ludella Black


scum stats: limited to 1000 copies, which feels like some coded throwback respect to the olden days of how it "used to be" and I respect it

I talk a lot about dying. Folks here at Third Man are damn near sick of hearing me say the phrase "If I get hit by a bus tomorrow..." before rattling off what I think the next four Vault packages should be.

Quarterly subscription planning aside, were I to die tomorrow, one of bigger frustrations would be knowing that the 5.6.7.8's will probably have a new single out soon that I'll never get to hear. As reliable as the sunrise (and also coming from the East) the 5.6.7.8's are comfortingly consistent and enjoyable. This most recent single, with Ludella Black from the Headcoatees on vocals, is such a no-brainer I'm damn near shocked it hadn't already happened in the previous three decades. Covers of songs by the Pretty Things, Ray Charles, John Barry and Chrissie Hynde are quite a disparate a coupling...until you hear them tackled by this group...where it instantly makes complete sense. Such is the magic of these ladies...while I can't fully explain it, I will always revel in its magic. 

Any 5.6.7.8's record is an instant buy for me, it's been that way for as long as I can remember and will continue to remain that way until I get hit by that proverbial bus. But if there's a record shop in heaven...I know what section I'm checking out first.



Tuesday, March 31, 2026

I Am Getting

 to be the age

where unexpected

pain

is not met with

frustration

But a resigned

"of course"

and that's

why my arm

tingles

Saturday, February 28, 2026

while discussing plants with a nine-year-old

Me : do you know what perennial means?

9-year-old : no, but I know what piranha means

Saturday, January 31, 2026

I hate that you were ever born

But I’ll love you ‘til the day you die

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

All The LP’s I Listened To In 2025

 Big year for school band records  

  1. Gail Laughton - Harps Of The Ancient Temples
  2. Green Dragon - Dead Of The Night
  3. The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan XX anniversary companion
  4. The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
  5. Doug Hammond And Mo’ Folks - We People
  6. The Trusty Knife - self-titled
  7. Muneer A.F. and the Rhythm String Band Vol. III - For Them
  8. Whitey Theador - Jes’ Me
  9. The Brass Winds - Untouched
  10. The Gwinn School Choirs - Messages In Melody
  11. Trenton High School - Jazz Ensemble, Concert Band, Wind Ensemble…
  12. DAS - Hope
  13. Rev. Joseph Flush & Rev. James Pinder - Priest’s Chant of the Sacramentary
  14. The Gospel Messengers - Sing About Heaven
  15. Sonic Graffiti - Bad Twin
  16. The Reneaus - The Mother
  17. Various Artists - Detroit Theater Organ Club Command Performances Vol. 2
  18. The Slabtown Marching Society - self-titled
  19. Easy Pickins - In On The Edges
  20. Claire Cirocco - Drawing Circle Around The Center
  21. Fiddlin’ Steve Whalen - self-titled
  22. Alice Coltrane - Ptah The El Daoud
  23. Rev. TL Barrett - Like A Ship Without A Sail
  24. Rual Yarbrough & The Dixiemen - California Cotton Fields
  25. Various Artists - Friends of Brighton Vinyl Sampler
  26. Olive Brown And Her Blues Chasers - self-titled
  27. Patrick & Rose Marie - Born Movin’
  28. Dr. Igor Sonevytsky Sings Volodymyr Tysovsky
  29. Muriel Grossman - The Light Of The Mind
  30. Nico - The End
  31. Dar Stellabotta - Lo-fi Rejection
  32. Lamposts - 100% Tuff
  33. Terry Allen - Juarez
  34. Troy Gregory - Xaviera
  35. 1972 Youth For Understanding Chorale (Ann Arbor)
  36. Lance Luce - Pied Piper Pizza Peddler Presents…Lance Luce Live
  37. John M. Thompson And The Northsiders - Thanks For Loving Me
  38. Ragtime Charlie And Sister Katie - Messin’ Around
  39. Arnold Barker - Sings Sweet Holy Spirit
  40. Jim Ayars - Again
  41. Various Artists - My Greatest Revenge: Flamenco Recordings 1904-1938
  42. Tall Black Guy - EIght Miles To Detroit
  43. Various Artists - Belong To The Wind
  44. Chris Gatton - My Favorite Razor’s Edge
  45. Human Expression - Love At Psychedelic Velocity
  46. Warm Drag - self-titled
  47. Jack Johnson - Live At Third Man (new test pressing)
  48. Marcellus High School Music Department - Symphonic Band / Jazz Band
  49. Gasper Nali - Zoona Malawi
  50. Royal Oak Dondero High School - Highlights of 1969 Performances
  51. Hotline TNT - Raspberry Moon (test pressing)
  52. Animaleja - Nostalgia De Mar
  53. My Wall - Over
  54. Frank Bridge And His Orchestra - Music For The Carriage Trade
  55. Wiccans - Bad Habit
  56. Archie Shepp - The Magic Of Juju
  57. Various Artists - A Taste Of Iceland Airwaves 2024
  58. Tarah Who? - The Last Chase
  59. Thomas Kleinsmith - Distance Beyond The Point
  60. J Rowe / Jordan Schug - Missant
  61. Various Artists - Ghost Riders 
  62. Barbie - Just For You, Dear Lord
  63. Baby Boy Warren - Detroit Blues
  64. Bob Milne - Boogie Blues & Rags
  65. Garnet Rogers - self-titled
  66. Arlington County Music Festival 1966
  67. Annie Johnson - Little Organ Annie
  68. Dino Valle and the Venetians - An Evening With…
  69. Roy Cobb - Traditional Sounds Of Bluegrass
  70. Only A Mother - The Romantic Warped
  71. Roy Cobb & The Coachmen - Country Special
  72. Phil Marcus Esser Musical Theater of Detroit - Brel Lives!
  73. Various Artists - Subnormal Girls Vol. 3
  74. I Cospiratori - 2013-2023
  75. Rod Modell - Northern Michigan Snow Storms
  76. Diane Green - Ghosts
  77. I Cospiratori - Here Comes The Dark
  78. The Southern Show Boys - Hills of Caroline
  79. Muriel Grossmann - MGQ Live in King Georg, Koln
  80. The Narrative - The Narrative
  81. Various Artists - The Best Of Dope Folks Records
  82. Ghost Wolves - Consumer Waste
  83. Mike Good - The Establishment of Equality
  84. Matt Cox - Let The Pigs Fly
  85. Wayne State University Men’s Glee Club - Victory!
  86. Various Artists - This Is Fame: 1964-1968
  87. Intra-Faith Community Action Choir And Wind Ensemble - Christians United In Joyful Voice
  88. The Germs - Germicide
  89. Grosse Pointe South Girls Glee Club 1971-72
  90. Elvis Shelton and the Country Crew - self-titled (untitled?)
  91. Bleakness - Living Shadows
  92. Our Lady Of Sorrows Parish Choir - Songs Of The Liturgical Year
  93. Joey Van - self-titled
  94. Romeo Jr. High Presents the Cadet Band
  95. Jim, Nancy, Shawn, Nicol, Todd Smith - How Rich I Am
  96. Jere Hutcheson - Contemporary Ensemble Works
  97. Marion Brown - Vista
  98. Metalife - Hit Of The Week
  99. Mick Vranich - The Black Box
  100. Cindy Lee - Diamond Jubilee
  101. Scrapper Blackwell - Mr. Scrapper’s Blues
  102. Lonnie Johnson - Blues & Ballads
  103. Ralph M. Lewis - The Science of Mysticism (A Roiscrucian Recording)
  104. The Tony Williams Lifetime - Emergency!
  105. Buddy Guy - This Is Buddy Guy
  106. Inspector Cluzo - Less Is More
  107. Soft Location - Land Electric
  108. Jeremy Waun - City Vibes
  109. Jeff Wilkinson - Pitchin’ Pennies
  110. Heatmiser - Mic City Sons 2xLP expanded reissue
  111. Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Live 1960
  112. Mississippi John Hurt - Today!
  113. Jimmy Reed - I’m Jimmy Reed
  114. Rage Against the Machine - Live on Tour 1993
  115. Various Artists - Satan’s Party 16 Slices of European Early 70’s Proto Metal Madness
  116. Jesus And Mary Chain - Psychocandy 40th Anniversary 4xLP
  117. Soul Asylum - After The Flood
  118. Dangermouse and Daniel Luppi - Rome
  119. Jesus Moreno and His Barcelonians - s/t
  120. Babs Gonzalez - Ghetto Street Poetry & Funk
  121. Nomads - Unity
  122. Jimmy Williams - I Walk Alone
  123. Night Out - self-titled
  124. Jimmy Williams - Originals
  125. Maanta Raay - self-titled
  126. X-Cetera - Summer 2000
  127. ECK! - Behold…ECK!
  128. Windbreakers - Terminal
  129. ECK! - Flatland
  130. The Lost Record Original Motion Picture Sountrack
  131. Nirvana - Live at Hollywood Underground Club
  132. Mask Appeal - self-titled
  133. Bruce Bolen - Breaklight Symphony
  134. Ban-Joes of Michigan - self-titled
  135. John Humphries / Bruce Humphries etc - We Believe in Music (at Rips)
  136. Snooper - Worldwide
  137. Peter Stark - Mushroom Country
  138. Komitas Choir St. John Church - Divine Liturgy Of The Armenian Church
  139. Toad The Wet Sprocket - Welcome Home: Live 
  140. Private Function - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
  141. Ethan Daniel Davidson - Cordelia
  142. Battle Elf - 10
  143. Bogue - How’d You Feel About Talkin’ To Me
  144. Infinite River - Dark Ages Ago
  145. Doug Howell & Berti Hosford - Love’s Lights
  146. Bilal Abdurahman - Sound, Rhythm, Rhyme and Mime For Children
  147. Black Maracas - The Anecdote
  148. B. Lynch - Circle/Spiral
  149. Sole Waves - Remixes
  150. Redford High School - Annual Winter Concert 1974
  151. Stevenson High School - Jazz Ensemble
  152. Ida High School - Sounds of ‘67
  153. Mackenzie High School - Symphonic/Stage/Marching Band
  154. Northville High School Jazz Ensemble
  155. Mott High School Music Department - Bye, Bye Blues
  156. Bel Air Lip Bombs - Again
  157. Okemos High School Orchestra - Highlights from 1974-75
  158. Grosse Pointe South High School Stage Band - 1971
  159. Grosse Pointe South High School Jazz Band - 1981-82
  160. Wayne State University Choral Union - Concert of Sacred Music
  161. Grosse Pointe South High School Jazz Band - Straight Ahead
  162. Billy Strings - Me And Dad
  163. Andover High School Concert Band / Jazz Rock Ensemble 1970
  164. Northville High School Stage Band - Swings the Wonderful Big Band Sound
  165. Quintron And Miss Pussycat - Chrystal Crunchy
  166. Port Huron High School Honors Band - Spring Concert 1973
  167. CHILL - Take It From The Blind Side
  168. Wesley and the Boys - Rock & Roll Ruined My Life
  169. Scout Pare-Phillips - Lupine Daughter
  170. Jack Brokensha - Modern Sound of Three Faiths
  171. Redford Union High School - Chorale Sounds ‘72
  172. New Haven Chorale - Tours England
  173. Air Field - Vol. 2
  174. The Velvet Underground - Live At The Paramount Theater
  175. Lowrey Jr. High Jazz & Concert Bands - Best of 1979-1980
  176. Geese - Live at Third Man (test pressing)
  177. Fen Fen - In Your Sights
  178. Wet Leg - Moisturizer
  179. Cameron Winter - Heavy Metal
  180. Japanese Breakfast - For Melancholy Brunettes
  181. The Earwigs - Orange County 1981 The Lost Debut Album
  182. Hayden Pedigo & Chat Pile - In the Earth Again
  183. Billy Strings - Live in Rosemont
  184. Oswald Slain - Bucky
  185. West Virginia Snake Handler Revival - They Shall Take Up Serpents
  186. Muriel Grossmann - Breakthrough
  187. Esther Smith & Voices of Deliverance - Matite Moss Clark Presents…
  188. Radcliffe Jr. High Bands - Sounds of ‘73
  189. James Rodgers Jr. High Band - Spring Concert 1974
  190. Kevin Ray - Love And Other Myths
  191. Neil O’Neil - Memory Museum
  192. Ottawa Hills High School - Dimensions in Jazz 1971
  193. Hope Levy - Hope Levy Sings Connie Converse
  194. Various Artists - Hillbilly Wolf
  195. The Velvet Underground - The Other Side of The Mirror
  196. Vorhex Angel - Heavenly
  197. The Velvet Underground - Live at the 2nd Fret, January 1970
  198. Big Star - The Show Must Go On
  199. Connie Converse - How Sad, How Lonely
  200. All Seeing Eyes - Trone Des Fleur
  201. Billy Strings - Turmoil And Tinfoil
  202. The Velvet Underground - Boston Tea Party, July 11th, 1969
  203. Turnstile - Never Enough
  204. Father John Misty - Mahashmashana
  205. Parcels - Loved
  206. The Wailers - Out Of Our Tree
  207. King Tuff - Cozy & Twisted Vol. 1 Grandma’s Favorites
  208. Galaxis - Galaxis
  209. The Beaches - No Hard Feelings
  210. Black Country, New Road - Forever Howlong
  211. CMAT - Euro Country