The Human Recommendation

Subscribe
Archives
May 28, 2025

"Sixteen Blue", on reaching Radio Show #16

Your age is the hardest age
Everything drags and drags
You’re looking funny
You ain’t laughing, are you?
Sixteen blue
Sixteen blue
Sixteen blue
Sixteen blue
Sixteen blue
Sixteen blue

Lyrics from “Sixteen blue” from The Replacements.

Let it Be - The Replacements

Apparently the milestone of a 16th birthday marks the end of childhood and celebrates adulthood. Maybe the same goes for a 16th radio show? My training wheels are starting to come off, but there is still lots to learn.

But time is what I have at the moment and I have been listening to more music in the past few months than ever. I have found myself exploring more genres and revisiting some others.

For example, if you get the chance to listen back to that 16th show of The Human Recommendation from Monday’s Flirt FM 101.3 schedule over on Mixcloud , do check out the attached playlist which featured 14 awesome tracks from acts from Dublin, Cologne, Vancouver, Ontario, Quebec, Baltimore and L. A.!

Playlist from Mondays show

Go listen to more great music from bands like hardcore act Turnstile who put on a free show in their home city of Baltimore recently. No security or fences, and they debuted a bunch of new tracks all which helped raise $35,000 for a non profit organization that provides medical aid to the homeless. We need more good news stories from the music world like this.

Cologne based shoegazers Scott Evil also featured with their song “Pizzazz”. I wrote about their upcoming debut album ‘Big Dipper’ which drops June 5th via Spinda Records and Backpack Records

“Big Dipper” shines bright. A fun filled debut album from Cologne… | by Damien Joyce | May, 2025 | Medium

A fun filled debut album from Cologne shoegazers

Irish tracks on there included an oldie from 2006 called “Out on a wire” from Humanzi, who were such a good band. “After this” from newcomers Dose, “This is how I sleep at night” from Blowtorch Records act Blue Slate and “Pick a Cheek” by Big Sleep. I have played tracks from Big Sleep on the show previously but last weekend was my first time seeing them playing live and I thought they were great! Go catch them live if you get a chance.

Big Sleep playing live

The Human Recommendation radio show airs every second Monday on Flirt FM at 8pm(IST)on 101.3 on FM in Galway city and streams on the web at flirtfm.ie
Reject lazy algorithmic curation of streaming platforms and help celebrate independent music through radio! 📻

The Interview Podcast

In his book ‘World within a song’, Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy shares a passage:

“my obsession with music from an early age had the potential to isolate and alienate me from the world at large. But I believe that by indulging that passion and focus I found the only way into knowing what people live for”

I can relate to that sentiment and I am still optimistic about the amount of great music being produced from all pockets of the globe. Also, the passion that drives these creators kind of fascinates me.

I got the opportunity to interview some of these different and interesting creators/indie artists, from various countries and genres from around the globe.

But there is something I find very appealing about all the Canadian indie music from all the different genres. I've been meaning to put this together for a while now but after talking with some of these passionate folks, here is a fab four of bands based in Vancouver with E.P.s for your listening consideration. I have visited the “Vancity” a couple of times and have a soft spot for it, probably on account of meeting some of my wife’s family over there and enjoying their company. (A shout out to all the awesome Kinna family and their most recent addition Miles!)

WILES

The Hausplants
Bloom Effect

If you want to find out more about each of these bands listen to the conversations on The Human Recommendation podcast over on Mixcloud or read about more on my Medium music blog.

The law is coming for you. An arresting E.P. from Vancouver’s PC… | by Damien Joyce | May, 2025 | Medium

An arresting E.P. from Vancouver’s PC Dagg

More recommendations to come in the next newsletter!

Subscribe now









Don't miss what's next. Subscribe to The Human Recommendation:
Powered by Buttondown, the easiest way to start and grow your newsletter.