In a dense forest, shaded by all the leaves of summer, we are standing, you and I, in a shallow creek. Flowing cold over our feet and ankles — all other online content. We have this moment; I open my mouth to sing to you
and what you get is this thing
I made while I was in Florida. My brother, Brady — of Nervous Monks, whose record release I was in attendance for, happily — set me up one day with his four track tape recorder and pedal board while he went down to Miami. I made this, thirteen minutes long; his twelve string guitar became an eleven string guitar in the process. (This is the initial rough thing — we did more with it later, which I still need to sort through; endless delays and reverses and unspooling realities)
It is called Ocean Rocks Ocean.
The new Nervous Monks record is called As You Like It.
I wrote this blurb for the album (as if still writing for the weekly rag New Times), a couple months ago when Brady first gave me the files to listen to via Google Drive:
The Nervous Monks take on Florida — and there’s nobody more capable & equipped. With garage spirit, masterful craft, tenderness, and wit, the locals erode a century of cheap construction to re-empower the birds, kids, and fishes.
I've included a couple of my favorite songs in the most recent playlists on this blog — the combo of songs which close Side A so wonderfully — the title track, "As You Like It," and "(Theme From) Cuckoo Bananas". You'll find the latter below, amongst ample Brian Wilson, some Sly, and other things I've been listening to lately. The Weavers doing “Michael Row the Boat Ashore” is better listened to on vinyl at Brady’s over breakfast, but if it’s 1’s and 0’s we’ve got, that’s what we’ll use — we’re sailing!
Tea Newbs Whatever Hour Vol. 6
Listen on Spotify, and if you know how I can share a link for other platforms, please let me know!
God Only Knows - Instrumental Stereo Mix - The Beach Boys \ Just Like a Baby - Sly & The Family Stone \ (Theme From) Cuckoo Bananas - Nervous Monks \ Berkeley DX7 Etude #1 - Sun Ra \ Hiding Your Present From You - Arthur Russell \ The Elements: Fire (Mrs. O'Leary's Cow) - The Beach Boys \ Vega-Tables - The Beach Boys \ Surf's Up 1967 - Solo Version/The Smile Sessions Version - The Beach Boys \ L'éléphant - Henri Texier \ Loose Booty - Sly & The Family Stone \ Stray Voltage #411 - The Unknown - Sun Ra \ Love On the Big Screen - Animal Collective \ Do You Like Worms (Roll Plymouth Rock) - The Beach Boys \ Michael Row the Boat Ashore - The Weavers \ Life - Sly & The Family Stone