By Karen Glauber

Oh my g-d, I fucking hate this summer, almost as much as I adore the new Glass Animals album I Love You So F**ing Much. Apart from welcome musical events like Guster with the L.A. Phil; or Guster’s evening of music and comedy featuring my most favorite Alex Edelman, plus Sir Patrick Stewart; or Guster at a music-sync brunch at Steve Nice’s house, my idea of a “Brat summer” has been deeply unrealized. At least I kept my kid spared from COVID, even as it made its way through his father’s household.

I’m grateful to have tickets to see Spoon in Solana Beach on 8/4 with my plus-one, Garett Michaels. My birthday is the next day, which also marks 40+ years since Mark Williams hired me at A&M. Maybe I picked the wrong career, but loyalty is everything to me. Relationships with bands and peers can last decades, going back to meeting Simple Minds when I was 20, or meeting Jacqueline Saturn when she worked at Savage Records, or Robbie Lloyd when he worked at Cargo, then Alias, then Epitaph.

This weekend, Merge Records is celebrating its 35th anniversary. Many congrats to Mac and Laura and staff members—like Christina—who have been devoted to them for years. Twelve years ago on this day (7/26), The Lumineers played a Sound Space for KROQ, hosted by Nicole Alvarez, with zero audience members. Every employee and every band has to start somewhere. The joy comes from playing a role in their ascendance. Jeff Regan, Miles Anzaldo and Brad Steiner should be watching what is happening with Royel Otis with deep pride—they believed in this band from the start and have done everything within their power to make sure others followed suit. Lead cheerleader Dave Lombardi has done a masterful job shepherding this band through multiple hits, as he did previously with Lovejoy.

I was able to get friends of mine the VIP tour at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame today, and they sent a photo with Jon Wuster, another VIP attendee, who is now playing in The Mountain Goats, although we met when he played in Superchunk. It really is a small world, and even though I feel tethered to my house watching @trackstarshow on Instagram, I’m happy to see friends meet other friends meet other friends, etc., etc.

On 8/9, beabadoobee will be releasing her third album, This Is How Tomorrow Moves, along with our single for Alternative, “Beaches.” I’m so excited for this record!... I expect her album debut to be as impressive as those for Clairo’s Charm and Cigarettes After Sex’s X’s, two of the biggest indie alt debuts of the year.

Michael Starr is impacting bby’s “Kinky”—which the format agrees is a banger—this week. How fun to have truly alternative bands at the format! Another favorite, Fontaines D.C., is on fire with “Starburster”; Risa Matsuki at Beggars has made it her mission to break this song. I love this band and always have.

Sometimes a one-listen smash seemingly comes out of nowhere, like Honestav’s “I’d Rather Overdose,” which is being quarterbacked by Bill Burrs and has amassed 38 MILLION streams on Spotify before radio. Our pal Mod Sun added a verse, which makes it abundantly clear that the song is about sobriety and not about glorifying abuse. Jeez… Bleachers just released “Margaret,” recorded with Jeff Tweedy at Chicago’s Salt Shed in back in May. That was an exceptional show, which I attended with Michelle Rukowski from WLUM, Jeannine Moose from WKQX, Amy Kaplan, Scott Burton, Allison Smith and my kid.

Gary Gorman has earned his vacation, with Myles Smith’s genius “Stargazing” now added to Custom at iHeart and Cage the Elephant nearing Top 10. He’ll be back in time for the Foo Fighters shows at BMO in L.A. Enjoy your time off, Gary.

The song of the summer is Hozier’s “Too Sweet,” which will be perched at #1 for the foreseeable future. Perfect song.

I hope you’re all committed to supporting Kamala Harris’ campaign for President. Joe Biden, like Gary Gorman, has earned the right to a vacation. He has served us well.

SONGS TO HEAR: Anything on Spotify’s Lorem playlist—one of my favorite ways to hear new music.