The Return of My Chemical Romance; Curtis Harding Tops List; Terri Gore enters (SNS week of 5/24/2022)

 This one will be brief as I had been away for six days up in Roscoe, New York, in the western Catskill Mountains, as I do every year.    It's been a Memorial Day weekend tradition to head up there with friends and camp, although I did spend a couple of days in the town's motel, taking the mountains and greenery all in.    Although the weather forecast was very bleak, with rain predicted for Friday and Saturday, it turned out to be just a few spritzes of rain and that was it.   While Roscoe is known as the Trout Capital of the world and people go there to fish, I go just to get away from it all.    Naturally, music was involved, as myself and a few other friends took turns to provide music, with some of my 9500 songs on my iPod getting some play, although very little of my music got played.   Still, I listened to much of my playlist on the way up, thus, much of the chart was affected by this. 

We have a new number one song, that being Curtis Harding's "I Won't Let You Down", making a jump from the #4 spot last week.  The singer, whose music harkens back to the classic soul era of the 1960's, and who once backed up Cee Lo Green, has his first blog number one.   I've always loved this kind of music; another song, "Coming Home", a 2015 #1 blog song by Leon Bridges is in a similar vein.  Harding had two previous top five blog songs in 2018.  "I Won't Let You Down" is from Harding's third album If Words Were Flowers, released last November, but unfortunately didn't make any noise, and the song only had a brief run on the WEQX (Albany) playlist.    

It was a close race for the top spot as Harding just edges out Deb Browning & Six Piece Suits' "Take Me by the Hand", which nonetheless inches up a notch to #2.   It still has a chance to become the first beach music #1 since Mayer Hawthorne's "The Walk" in November 2011.   The Black Keys' "Wild Child", number one for the last three weeks, drops to #3, while Train's "AM Gold" drops to #4 after a three week run at #2.   "My Love" by Florence + The Machine inches up to #5, and regains Billboard's Triple-A top spot.   The Top Ten this week is very tight, as both Tim Izzard's "Glam Rock Star (Tribute)", and Ms. Browning's "3 More Minutes" can only move up one notch each, despite still being strong.  My Morning Jacket gets its fourth top ten blog with "In Color" breaking into the Top Ten at #9. Milky Chance (Impact award), Cat5, Harry Styles and beabadoobee enter the top 20.

My Chemical Romance return with the New Jersey band's first new song in twelve years, "The  Foundations of Decay", this week's Top Debut at #65

RENEWED ROMANCE: Turning to the new music, the Top Debut goes to the return of New Jersey rockers My Chemical Romance, as "The Foundations of Decay", the first new single by the band in twelve years.   The band had formed in 2001 in the wake of the events of 9/11 which affected them deeply.  Although their heyday was in the 2000's, and even getting some hit singles on the Hot 100, including 2006's "Welcome to the Black Parade", which reached #6 there, they were influential on alt-rock bands to come in the subsequent decade.    The band has transcended many styles and subgenres, including pop punk, glam, emo and goth rock.  They have an LGBTQ following and have embraced that community.  While they hadn't recorded during much of the 2010's, Vice magazine named them the artist of that decade. The band, formed in Newark, made my list of the "100 Jersey Artists that Affected Me" that I compiled last year in honor of the 11th anniversary of my blog, coming in at #18.   While much of their material was released before the blog era, their 2010 set Danger Days, yielded two blog top 20's, "Na Na Na" and "Sing" late that year.

The band reunited late in 2019 for a Los Angeles show and did a few more dates overseas shortly thereafter.   It was to carry over into 2020 with three dates in Milton Keynes in the U.K. (the home of Tinkers Lane's Ian Roberts, incidentally) and a North American tour to follow that year, but it was postponed due to COVID-19.  The Milton Keynes dates were scheduled to take place this month, while the other dates are scheduled for sometime later this year.   

As for "The Foundations of Decay", which is not yet available on an album, the song transcends their styles they've accomplished over the years---rock, metal, blues, post-grunge, Avant Garde, you name it.  Running about six minutes long, it's a bone-chilling epic, starting out haunting and slow then rocking with ambience shortly thereafter..  It's a comment on the times, including some 9/11 references thrown in.  The song grows on you as it goes along.  A bit of rage is thrown in as well.  The best thing to do is to just sit back, listen and take it all in.   The song is off to a great start on the Alternative chart, moving 31-16 in its second week.  It debuts here at #65.  

Terri Gore, the "Original Carolina Girl" leads the new Beach Music adds this week as "Summer's Gonna Last" enters at #71.

  

Meanwhile, Beach Music remains strong on the list, with four songs in the top 20, several approaching it, and two new debuts.    First there was Deb, then Lesa, and now Terri Gore, as Ms. Gore's "Summer's Gonna Last" is the second highest entry on the playlist this week.   The song is on most beach music charts, number one on some, and with summer unofficially starting, it seems like a perfect time for an add.    The song actually is about keeping the love alive well after the summer season, all year round, as much of the video footage takes place in winter and the song itself was released in February.    Dubbed "The Original Carolina Girl", her resume goes back to the late 1980's and has won numerous awards since then, including CAMMY awards for Female Vocalist of The Year five times (1996 to 2000).  She has recorded with many beach music greats, including General Johnson & the Chairmen of the Board, Russell Tompkins Jr.and The Stylistics, The Embers, Jay & the Techniques, and many others.  As for the song, it's classic beach, with a saxophone lead-in to Ms. Gore's refreshing voice to a bouncy beat.   Get your shagging shoes on for this one.   I like its prospects. 

The other beach music entry is by R. Mark Black, "Let Me Make Love To You".  Black, who played saxophone on Deb Browning's "3 More Minutes" had a mid charter last year with a cover of Jackie Wilson's "Whispers (Gettin' Louder)" which reached #36 here last time.   Like the Terri Gore song, this is in the classic beach mode.   I am not familiar with the song, thus its freshness takes charge.   Black's voice is very soulful and this should top the prior song.    There's a reason while I've been adding beach music lately, and in the future I will try to add at least one each week.

Turning away from the southeast coastline, there are other debuts, headed by the latest by pop singer Ava Max, best known here for her #12 song "Sweet But Psycho" from 2019.  Her new one is "Maybe You're the Problem".  It's standard pop fare,, but a notch above what is out there now.   It's an up-tempo rhythm romp with techno overtones with a little bit of soul to keep things going.

The Interrupters, a ska band from Los Angeles, had three mid-charting blog songs from 2017-2019 and return with "In the Mirror".   The band is fronted by Aimee Allen, whose stage name is "Aimee Interrupter".  The song harkens back to early No Doubt, which is always a good way to sound. Finally, the latest from Arcade Fire, "Unconditional I (Look Out Kid)", which is better than the previous "The Lightning".   

Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist

May 22, 2022  (week ending May 28)

This Week	Last Week	ARTIST-Title	Weeks on List
1	4	NUMBER ONE: CURTIS HARDING "I Won't Let You Down" Album: If Words Were Flowers	7
2	3	Deb Browning and  Six Piece Suits - Take Me By The Hand	10
3	1	The Black Keys - Wild Child	11
4	2	Train - AM Gold	10
5	6	Florence + The Machine- My Love	10
6	7	Tim Izzard - Glam Rock Star (Tribute)	7
7	5	David F. Porfirio - Dreamscape	12
8	9	Deb Browning - 3 More Minutes	3
9	13	My Morning Jacket - In Color	6
10	8	LP - Angels	17
11	12	Anna Lavigne -  Lavender Days	8
12	14	Hegazy - Do You Want Me Now	5
13	16	Lesa Hudson - Sunny Days	6
14	10	Parquet Courts - Watching Strangers Smile	11
15	11	Avi Wisnia - Catching Leaves	12
16	21	TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK: MILKY CHANCE "Synchronize" (Single Only)	8
17	22	Cat5 Band ft Tim Sidden -Ain't Nothing Better	13
18	29	Harry Styles - As It Was	7
19	24	beabadoobee - Talk	6
20	15	Heartless Bastards - You Never Know	10
21	25	Deb Browning - Dancin'	11
22	17	Hegazy - Maybe If We Try	10
23	19	Einstein's Dad - Here to Home	17
24	30	The Palms - Fire	6
25	20	Joy Again - Looking Out for You	12
26	28	Donna Missal - (To Me) Your Face Is Love	23
27	18	Band of Horses - Lights	12
28	26	Cannons - Hurricane	7
29	31	Bakar - Free	6
30	36	Don Dixon  ft Dip Ferrell and the True Tones - Young Love	9
31	34	Christina Taylor- Somebody Will	9
32	44	War On Drugs - Change	3
33	23	Mitski - The Only Heartbreaker	12
34	37	Deb Browning - In My Dreams	20
35	38	Adele - Cry Your Heart Out	8
36	48	Rick Strickland - Dream Come True	3
37	27	Portugal. The Man - What, Me Worry	13
38	43	Zac Brown Band - Old Love Song	14
39	42	Einstein's Dad - Back To You (Tribute to George Harrison)	6
40	32	Red Hot Chili Peppers - Black Summer	14
41	46	The Offspring - Behind Your Walls	4
42	45	Kacey Musgraves - Camera Roll	9
43	52	Lesa Hudson - Breathless	3
44	47	Vance Joy - Clarity	5
45	35	Sadgirl - Little Queenie	17
46	33	Sharon Van Etten - Porta	9
47	40	Anna Lavigne - Mindblown	16
48	49	Ed Sheeran ft. Taylor Swift - The Joker and the Queen	11
49	50	Eliza and the Delusionals- Bed Song	5
50	39	Tim Izzard - Empty My Head	16
51	51	Joy Again - What Lovers Do	7
52	67	Jack White - What's the Trick?	3
53	74	MOVER OF THE WEEK: JERRY POWELL and THE CARNIVAL BAND featuring DAVE SANDY "Merry-Go-Round" (Single Only)	2
54	41	Papercuts - A Dull Boy	14
55	53	Brandi Carlile - Broken Horses	5
56	68	Sia - Unstoppable	3
57	59	Interpol - Toni	4
58	54	Nick Waterhouse - Place Names	6
59	60	Eavesdrop - Now You Know	5
60	63	Arlo Parks - Softly	3
61	56	Babeheaven ft. Navy Blue- Make Me Wanna	11
62	58	Deb Browning - Stop Messin' With My Man●	37
63	64	Meg Myers - HTIS	4
64	66	Caamp - Believe	8
65	---	TOP DEBUT: MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE "The Foundations of Decay" (Single Only)	1
66	72	The Regrettes - Anxieties (Out of Time)	4
67	73	Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats- I'm On Your Side	4
68	78	Wilco - Falling Apart (Right Now)	2
69	69	Bishop Briggs- High Water	6
70	71	SadGirl - Goodbye Queenie	5
71	---	Terri Gore - Summer's Gonna Last	1
72	80	Cat5 Band -  Drive	2
73	57	Cuffed Up - Bonnie	19
74	84	Lady Gaga - Hold My Hand	2
75	87	Sam Hunt - 23	2
76	62	Babeheaven - Don't Wake Me	16
77	55	The Lumineers - Where We Are	9
78	90	Teddy Swims - Blowin' Smoke	2
79	61	Hegazy - Oil and Water	15
80	65	Anna Lavigne - This Time	24
81	79	Maggie Rogers - That's Where I Am	5
82	82	Wetleg - Ur Mum	3
83	83	Culture Wars - Faith	8
84	70	Babeheaven - Heartbeat	8
85	77	Mt. Joy - Lemon Tree	5
86	88	Bob Moses - Love Brand New	15
87	91	Debbie Gibson - Me Not Loving You	2
88	---	Ava Max - Maybe You're the Problem	1
89	92	Mark Stein - We Are One	2
90	---	R. Mark Black- Let Me Make Love To You	1
91	---	The Interrupters - In the Mirror	1
92	75	The Band CAMINO - I Think I Like You	7
93	---	Arcade Fire -  Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)	1
94	76	The Head and the Heart - Virginia	8
95	89	Phoebe Bridgers - Sidelines	3
96	93	Anna Lavigne - Dance the Last Goodbye●	27
97	81	Rex Orange County - Keep It Up	11
98	86	Pete Yorn - Elizabeth Taylor	12
99	85	Avril Lavigne ft. Blackbear - Love It When You Hate Me	11
100	94	Weezer - A Little Bit of Love	9

 

Songs with the greatest increase in favorite points over the prior week.   ● Songs with 25 or more plays on iTunes/iPods ▲   Songs with 50 or more plays.