Return of the "Jersey Lauriate"; Week 17 for "Choosin' Texas"; Deb & Townshend Hold Off Womacks for 5th Week at #1 (SNS week of 8/9/2026)

 HE HAS SUNG WITH and met up with legends.  Ive met up with him and seen him play a few times.  He sings about the beach, but that beach is the Jersey Shore, not the Grand Strand.   

His name is Paul Czekaj, and he has released his first album in six years, Thunder in the Distance.    I'm not going to rehash his notable career, since I have already done that back in 2019.    You can read about it right here:  Scenes 'n' Soundwaves: Paul Czekaj: Painter of New Jersey (SNS week of 10/27/2019)

New Jersey's Paul Czekaj, who just released his first album in six years, Thunder in the Distance.

I was fortunate enough to be sent a CD of the new album, which is also available on the streaming outlets as well.   As I mentioned above it's been well over six years since his last album, 2020's The Painter of the Sky.   He also sent me a note along with the CD, admitting that it's taken a long time to put this album together, trying to work around other people's schedules, along with mixing, mastering the songs, along with more personal issues.    

Paul mentioned that many of the songs sound like they're from the 1950's and 60's.    He mentions some influences like Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly, but upon listening to the title track (which debuts this week), there's definitely a Bob Dylan influence as well, as many of his songs have been introspective and the texture of Dylan's recordings are often echoed here.   

Unlike much of his previous efforts, the songs here aren't necessarily about New Jersey, but some could be interpreted that way.   In fact, the first track, "As That Waves Keep Crashing In" alludes to the beach that has to be his favorite spot in the state (and many others).  He's spent much of his life down the Shore, and brushed heads with the likes Bruce Springsteen (Paul bought The Boss a beer at Asbury Park's Stone Pony once), and Bobby Bandiera (who was a frequent collaborator),  and when he sings "a place where I belong", you better believe it.  

There's some great variety on the album.  "Falling in Love with You" is a rocking tour de force, that would fit in perfect on many a Jersey-centric playlist.   Many of the songs have that retro vibe to them. "You Said You Loved Me" might have been a song The Beatles could have done early in their career.  "I'll Be There", an original harkens back to the late 1950's, and yes, something Buddy Holly would have done.  As you're noticing, many of these songs are about love, and the ballad "The Moment Your Lips Touched Mine" exemplifies that perfectly, complete with strings.    "Thunder in the Distance" is the landmark track here, running over six minutes, although a short version of the song "Thunder" is the final track on the set, which debuts this week on the SNS 100.    This is the track that reminds me of something that Dylan would have written.   It has sort of a "Subterranean Homesick Blues" vibe to it. 

 

The emotions are stirred on the next track, "These Empty Arms".  Paul has reminisced before, but this one seems more personal; a loss of a loved one who has graced his life but now has gone for good.   Yes, it is a tear-jerker.   Thankfully, things pick right up with "I Saw Sparks", which has that 60's up-tempo pop sound.    This would be a good single and probably will spotlight it once "Thunder" runs it course (or maybe earlier, since artists release tracks just a few weeks apart these days).   "Dusty Dreams" is another Dylanesque introspective jaunt, with some 60's garage rock overtones.   "We're Together"  is another in the Buddy Holly vein, "Slip Away" touches Paul's folk side.  "Tell Me What I Have to Do" is another one that combines a few 60's styles meshed together.    A plea to get a relationship back together has some garage-rock elements to it.   Another one worth being a single.  "The Thrill of Seeing You" is another winner, especially with that organ solo (courtesy of Jake Thomas) in the middle of the song.  

Paul slows it down again with "My Faith's Been Shakin'".   Maybe a sequel of sorts to "These Empty Arms", it's Paul's prayer to up above for strength, which he questions.   Another Dylan-type song punctuated by a harmonica solo.  Finally, the last new track, "My Imagination" has sort of that Jersey Shore sound, and it's one on a positive note (even though it might be all in his head), the tempo is up-tempo.   It might be running away with him, but Paul comes on as confident as he hopes it will work out. 

Czekaj wrote all the songs on the album and is assisted on various tracks by Michael F. Decker, Bob Boyle, Jake Thomas, Bobby (Tugboat Castell), Al Mansueto, and Joe Biglin.   Definitely a cohesive effort, and worth the wait.

Again, many thanks to Paul Czekaj for providing me with a copy of the CD.

HOT 100:   Getting back to the national scene, Ella Langley holds off another charge, this one from Ariana Grande's new album, to score a 17th week at #1 with "Choosin' Texas".   That puts it all alone in 4th place for songs with the longest run at the top of the Billboard chart.   It is now just two behind a two-way tie for 2nd where "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" and "Old Town Road" logged 19 weeks.   Of course, Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas is You" at 22 is the leader, which undoubtedly will add to that total this coming holiday season.

"Choosin' Texas", "A Bar Song", and "Old Town Road", have all done well on my SNS 100, although not nearly as long as it has on the Hot 100, lasting for 4, 4, and 3 weeks, respectfully, on the top spot on the blog chart.    "Choosin' Texas" remains at #6, in its 29th week on the chart.  I'm going to have to look up to see if any songs have logged 30 weeks and still in my top ten.  

"Choosin' Texas" has had six separate runs at #1 on the Hot 100, but this current run has been the longest, seven consecutive weeks now.    And, like it did last week when it dodged a bullet with Morgan Wallen's "Been By Now", it survives an album bomb by Ariana Grande, whose Petal dropped last week.  The previously released track, "Hate That I Made You Love Me", which entered the top spot on June 13, moves back up from 8 to 2, and the new, title track, debuts at #4.   The rest of the songs debut in the 20's and 30's on the chart.    

Wallen's "Been By Now" drops to #3, and Taylor Swift's "I Knew It, I Knew You" is at #5.   And as it's customary, the debut of "Petal" is the only new entry among the top 17 positions, and most of the songs in that region of the chart, only drop one position. 

SNS 100: My chart this week looks a lot like Billboard's as the top six songs all hold steady, and the only new entry is Caroline Rose's "Yip Yip Yow" which moves 11-9, her third top ten here.   Deb Browning and Townsend Link's "The Sea, Sand and You" holds onto the #1 spot for a fifth week.  That is the second longest run for Deb of her nine SNS #1's, her 2024 duet with Marlisa Kay Small, "Sunshine and Summertime" had a six-week, nonconsecutive run through that year's summer season.   

"The Sea Sand and You" just barely holds off The Womack Sisters' "If I Let You", which holds at #2 with a bullet for a third week.   The sisters have just released their debut, self-titled album, and have two other songs moving up the chart:  "You Went Away Too Long" at #17, and "Chauffeur" at #46.   They also just released another single, "Monster", which will be added here soon.

Barry Walsh's "Star Ride", Marsha Morgan's "Whenever There's Summer", and Ella Langley's "Be Her" and "Choosin' Texas" all hold steady in positions 3 to 6.   In the second ten, two new entries:  Orbis Max's "Falling Through the Cracks" grabs the Impact award (22-19), and Ruth Morayniss' "You Don't Know" (23-20).   Knocking on the door to the top 20, however is Sienna Spiro's "Material Lover" going from 43 to 21, one of the prime movers this week.

We have two Movers of the Week this time around.  Vaughan Penn, who moves back up to #7 with "Bands on the Beach", grabs one of the awards with her latest, "Sandbar Shuffle" (66-35).  The other is Michelle Branch's duet with New Radicals, remaking "The Game of Love" (71-47).  Another big mover is Brooke Combe's "Love Was Made of Stone" (67-38).  

WE HAVE DEBUTS:  As Starbuck advances in the top 10 ("Sleeping in the Rain and Thunder" #8, "Do Wop Bop" #13), Bruce Blackman debuts "Bongo Bay", the Top Debut at #76.  As he does many times before, the song evokes the good life somewhere in the Tropics.  It's all about the good life, which is how one should feel when listening to the song.    Then again, Bruce has always done this going back to "Moonlight Feels Right", which peaked 50 years ago last week.   Should rack up another hit in Starbuck's ongoing renaissance.  And while I'm here, I'd like to wish Bruce, who turned 80 last week and is still going strong, a Happy Birthday!

Right behind is Paul Czekaj's "Thunder in the Distance", which I reviewed above, coming in at #79.   You have to go back to 2020 for his previous song, "Painter of the Sky" which peaked at #2 that pandemic spring.    

An unexpected pleasure is next, "Rein Me In" by Sam Fender and Olivia Dean.   While I do like Ms. Dean, she is firmly in the pop field, which is why I was pleasantly surprised by this one.   Of course, Sam is an accomplished singer-songwriter in the Heartland rock area, and the song, a bouncy, feel-good, emotional mid-tempo thing, brings chills to the spine.   Fender sings the first verse, but then comes Olivia, who continues that exuberance.  She still has two songs in the current Billboard top 11, and this is a pleasant change for her.   Hoping her presence helps this song do well nationally.   It's #70 on the current Hot 100 having peaked at #64.  But at 20 weeks on the chart, it's in danger of being dropped.   But it should be a bona fide hit here, and male-female duets are doing very well on the blog chart.   It enters the SNS 100 at #86.

Pepper Creek had a great 2025, putting three songs in the top 10, all in the beach music wheelhouse.  They come back with "Turning 17" which is a change in direction of sorts for the band, which is more country-southern blues, more in the vein of bands like Whiskey-Chitto Ramblers than, say, Rivermist or The Mac Daddy's Band.    Lead singer Terry Powers does sound a bit like the Ramblers' Seth Storer. Actually, if you have seen them play (which I had caught a couple of songs of them at the Dirty Armadillo late last year in Little River, SC), you'll know that this song is more in line with their repertoire.  The song is a look back at their youth and coming of age.  I'm not sure if beach music stations will jump on this, but it should score elsewhere for sure.    "Turning 17" enters at #89.   

Irish alt-rock band Charcoal Greys debut on the SNS 100 with "Blisters"

Irish acts are doing well here lately with the likes of Barry Walsh, and of course U2, but here comes another from the Emerald Isle, Charcoal Greys, making their SNS debut with "Blisters" at #94.  This is a family band of sorts, with all four members first cousins of each other.   It's led by the lead vocals of Emily O'Keeffe.    It has a classic alternative sound but yet sounds fresh.  I've always likes this kind of music.    This is a band to keep an eye on.  The song sounds a bit like The Cure's "Just Like Heaven", but it goes beyond that.  

BUBBLING UNDER:  A few debuts on the Tremors listing.   I mentioned Whiskey-Chitto Ramblers above, but they have a new one, "Drivin'".    Another in the southern blues realm, it's what the band does best.   Seth Storer---whose solo "Anchor in the Fire", which incidentally features "drummer to the world" Daniele Silvestri, enters the SNS 100 at #90---delivers another expressive vocal.... beebadoobee mid-charted with "All I Do Is Dream" earlier this year but comes back with "Sun Has Set".   This is definitely in the rock realm, and no holds barred.     Always an appealing vocalist, this shows her in a slightly harder light, but that's a good thing....Aspiring Canadian rocker Harley Olivia returns with "Try Me on for Size".  She is fully a rocker and in rare form on this one, it's no holds barred....Finally Cage the Elephant returns after an absence with "Beaches in Tennessee". A little different from past releases, but they still have a rock sensibility.  Not their best on first listens but still should make a dent, especially in alternative circles. 

  

Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist

August 9, 2026

This Week	Last Week	ARTIST-Title	Weeks on List
1	1	NUMBER ONE: DEB BROWNING and TOWNSEND LINK "The Sea, Sand and You" (Single Release) (5 Weeks at #1)	14
2	2	The Womack Sisters - If I Let You	5
3	3	Barry Walsh - Star Ride	11
4	4	Marsha Morgan - Whenever There's Summer	6
5	5	Ella Langley - Be Her●	23
6	6	Ella Langley - Choosin' Texas▲	29
7	9	Vaughan Penn - Bands on the Beach●	18
8	10	Starbuck ft Elsie B - Sleeping in the Rain and Thunder	12
9	11	Caroline Rose - Yip Yip Yow	11
10	7	The Black Keys - Where There's Smoke There's Fire	11
11	13	Megan Moroney - Wish I Didn't	10
12	12	The Six Piece Suits - High Tide, High Life	10
13	15	Starbuck - Doo Wop Bop	11
14	16	Christina Cooper Black - A New Lease on Love	15
15	8	The Tams - I Tried●	17
16	17	Ella Langley and Morgan Wallen - I Can't Love You Anymore	11
17	19	The Womack Sisters - You Went Away Too Long	9
18	14	Devon Gillfillian - Hold On (Hourglass)	14
19	22	TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK: ORBIS MAX "Falling Through the Cracks" (Single Release)	8
20	23	Ruth Morayniss - You Don't Know	11
21	43	Sienna Spiro - Material Lover	3
22	25	Interpol - See Out Loud	7
23	26	Ashen Ringlets - Waltzing Days in Maidenhead	5
24	24	Bradley Denniston - No Saving You	8
25	36	Thee Sacred Souls - Any Old Fool	4
26	32	Wendy Lucas - Down For the Drive	6
27	31	Jalen Ngonda - Burning Temptation	7
28	28	R. Mark Black - Just Love	13
29	21	Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr - Home To Us	9
30	33	Rivermist - Heaven's Not That Far Away	7
31	45	Stella Lefty - Boston	8
32	18	Alexia Jayy - Rent Free	14
33	39	Iration - Roots	5
34	35	Trails and Ways - Next of Kin	8
35	66	CO-MOVER OF THE WEEK: VAUGHAN PENN "Sandbar Shuffle" (Single Release)	2
36	41	Karen Wallo - Plum Loco Blues	5
37	42	Weezer ft. Best Coast - Go Away	7
38	67	Brooke Combe - Love Was Made of Stone	2
39	20	Jennifer James and Brad Cox - Suspicious Minds	12
40	40	Blair Sparrow - I Gave You Everything	10
41	38	Feature Attraction Band - Call Me	9
42	58	Andy and Oneida - Young Again	4
43	29	Brooke Combe - Tears Won't Lie●	18
44	27	The Rolling Stones - In the Stars	12
45	48	Taylor Swift - I Knew It, I Knew You	8
46	57	The Womack Sisters - Chauffeur	4
47	71	CO-MOVER OF THE WEEK: MICHELLE BRANCH and NEW RADICALS "The Game of Love" Album: Everywhere and Back Again	2
48	47	Teddy Swims - Mr. Know It Alll	12
49	30	The Chelsea Curve - Ride	13
50	53	Jerry Powell - Nights on Ocean Drive	4
51	56	Jennifer Licko - Danny Boy	3
52	63	The Amplifier Heads - A Song Called Sha La La	5
53	50	Kurt Vile - Chance to Bleed	10
54	52	David F. Porfirio - The Drifter	6
55	62	Micky Dolenz - Terri	6
56	34	Ruth Morayniss - Another Tragic Love Story	12
57	60	Sombr - My Body Isn't Ready	5
58	61	The Beaches - Should've Known Better	14
59	37	James Hunter Six - Believe It When I See It	13
60	68	Sir Prize and the Twomorrow Knightz - Hilltop High	4
61	55	Sombr - Potential	6
62	64	Ariana Grande - Hate That I Made You Love Me	7
63	81	Loaded Honey - Tokyo Rain	2
64	73	The Pink Slips Band - Windows Rolled Down	3
65	44	Clarion -- Hello Juliet	12
66	51	Kasey Musgraves - Dry Spell	14
67	70	Kathleen Turner Overdrive - I Want to Believe	5
68	46	Sarah Teti - Borrowed Time	19
69	76	Brad Cox - Girl Like You	4
70	49	Sombr - Homewrecker●	25
71	59	Courtney Barnett - Lotta Love	16
72	79	pMad - NineFortyFive	5
73	77	The Holiday Band - Music Makes the World Go Round	7
74	85	Gary Alexander - Soul Full of Sunshine	3
75	54	Rick Strickland and Lesa Hudson - Too Late	16
76	---	TOP DEBUT: STARBUCK "Bongo Bay" (Single Release)	1
77	87	Lemonhead - Red Flags	3
78	90	Party Pupils ft. Mayer Hawthorne - Baby Come Back	3
79	---	Paul Czekaj - Thunder in the Distance	1
80	86	Brandi Carlile - Life on the Run	4
81	92	Violet Grohl - Bug in the Cake	2
82	82	Role Model - High Hopes 3000	6
83	65	Juliet Callahan - XOXO	7
84	93	Young the Giant - Evergreen	2
85	96	The Half-Cubes - The Ghost at Number One	2
86	---	Sam Fender and Olivia Dean - Rein Me In	1
87	69	Don Toliver - E85	15
88	99	U2 - Street of Dreams	2
89	---	Pepper Creek - Turning 17	1
90	102	Seth Storer - Anchor in the Fire	1
91	95	In Color - Headlights	2
92	75	Beck - Ride Lonesome	10
93	74	Kelli Bruno - Love and Games	15
94	---	Charcoal Greys - Blisters	1
95	78	Paul Carrack - Sleep on It	14
96	104	Morgan Wallen - Been By Now	1
97	72	Bleachers - The Van	7
98	89	Sylvia Johns Ritchie and Doyle Wood - Just Can't Help Its	15
99	80	The Half-Cubes ft. Glen Burtnik - Bend Me, Shape Me	13
100	83	Tim Sidden - Don't Let Us Fade Away●	18

Tremors:

101. Kelly Clarkson - I'd Be Lyin'

102. Barry Duke - Written in the Key of You

103. Phoebe Bridgers - Lost Boys

104. Whiskey-Chitto Ramblers - Drivin'

105. Beabadoobee - Sun Has Set

106. Harley Olivia - Try Me On For Size

107. Cage the Elephant - Beaches in Tennessee

Tremors: Songs which have steady or increasing points but not enough to chart on the SNS 100.

Murmurs:

The Revivalists - Heart Stop

Thee Sacred Souls - Waiting for the Right Time/One and the Same

Classic Soul ft. Terri Gore - Where Did You Go

Paul Czekaj - I Saw Sparks/Tell Me What I Have To Do

The Jayhawks - Keeping Our Heads Above Water

Maren Morris - Hard Liquor and Soft Water

Samzidat - Broken Illusion (EP)

Mayer Hawthorne - Ice Water

Alabama Shakes - I Feel Hope Coming

Ruth Morayniss - Waiting on You

Steve Lacy - oh yeah?

Tame Impala - Loser

Olivia Rodrigo - Stupid Song

Ariana Grande - Petal

The Womack Sisters - Monster

The Half-Cubes - The Mighty Quinn

Orbis Max - Cure For Hope

The Pozers - Somewhere in My 21

The Mac Daddy's Band - Shirley, You're Kidding

Leon Bridges - Light the Way

The Linda Lindas - Burning Out

Murmurs: Songs which are in the queue for future adds onto the Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist.

Songs with the greatest increase in favorite points over the prior week

 

●Songs garnering 25 plays on Spotify (“Scrobbles”) according to Last.Fm (effective October 2024)  ▲ Songs garnering 50 plays.

 

 

Songs on the SNS 100 are included on the following public Spotify playlists

 

Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves Top 40:  Contains songs in positions 1-40 on the SNS 100

Scenes 41-100 and Newbies  Songs in Positions 41-100 on the SNS 100 plus new additions

Scenes Recurrents: Songs which had been in the top 20 and/or songs on the chart 25 weeks or more, that have dropped off the SNS 100.

 

(Rob Sheldon is a music fan who has followed music trends the past 60 years, and covers new and classic music, specializing in pop, rock, alternative, beach, soul and country genres).    He can be contacted at  rsheldonx4804@gmail.com