18 September 2026 - Duncan Sheik - Barely Breathing

You know, I was taking a break, and so I didn't post this week. 

But noooooooo, I have to come back and do a Special Edition, because a one-hit wonder has passed away. 

I joke about him being a one hit wonder, but he did find significant success on Broadway after his pop stardom.  

Duncan Sheik passed away from cardiac arrest after entering multiple organ failure.  He was 56. He will be missed. 

It's not like he was done performing.  Here he is performing his huge hit with Lisa Loeb.

He wasn't even done tweeting, with his last confirmed post to Instagram by him coming just a few days ago.

 

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It is especially hard when the artist who passed, no matter who it is, is close to my age.  

11 September 2026 - Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence

This song was written in 1989 by Martin L. Gore and released in 1990, the second single from their album Violator, which was something of a commercial breakthrough for the band.

This would be the band's best selling single, and their highest charting in the United States, peaking at #8. 

But it started off life being sung by Martin L. Gore as a simple ballad - on the band's request.  They wanted simple arrangements to be able to play with the sound.  Clearly, Dave Gahan ended up singing in the final released version - over a disco beat.

The song would be reinterpreted in 2004, in a remix by Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park.  It gives it a slightly harder edged chorus - adding distorted guitars. 

So you're wondering why we chose today to post this song?

This live performance for French television was recorded in 1990 at a live venue that no longer exists - the roof of the South tower of the World Trade Center. 

The views are spectacular, and they're performing one of the most influential songs of the 1990s. 

10 September 2026 - Andy Prieboy - Tomorrow Wendy

I rarely post songs I hate.  

I hate this song.  

But today, I'm posting it.  Today is World Suicide Prevention Day.  

Wendy was a real person - a friend of Andy Prieboy, who sang and wrote this song about his childhood friend.  She grew up, lived fast and kept herself alive as a prostitute.  Well, because of that, she contracted HIV, in a time when that was a death sentence.  Rather than let AIDS take her life, she took her own with a heroin overdose. 

The song is written from Wendy's perspective - she's singing to herself in a mirror and, in a life where she had very little control, her suicide was the one time she took charge.  

Prieboy was hit hard and wrote a 27-verse song about his friend, which turned into three. Background vocals and alternate female vocals were provided by Concrete Blonde vocalist Johnette Napolitano. 

I hate the song because it's sad and heartbreaking, but in a world where AIDS is no longer an automatic death sentence, it also gives me hope that the Wendys of today have more choices. 

And, if you are in a situation where you want to hurt yourself or end it all, please, seek help.  You can also go to https://www.iasp.info/suicidalthoughts/ for resources, or someone to talk to.  We're glad you're here, and we want to keep it that way.

9 September 2026 - Wednesday - Townies

When I built my list of albums that were the best of 2025, for some reason, Bleeds by Wednesday did not make the list. 

It didn't even make the honorable mention list. 

I listened to the album for the first time last November.  It was clearly critically acclaimed.  And I really liked it.

And, every time I've come back to it, I've loved the album.

I felt like Getting Killed by Geese and Lux by Rosalia were critically adored albums that I liked but didn't quite feel were worth the hype.  Bleeds, on the other hand, I think I just kept forgetting. 

Well, today, I fix that, because Bleeds was a great album. You'll now find it listed in the Honorable Mentions paragraph.  

This was the last single and the second song off the album, and it is a 90s alternative throwback like no other. 

Of course they play the song live - and this is a slightly different version as MJ Lenderman no longer tours with the band. However, I'd argue this is a better version because you can see just how much Karly Hartzman sings the HELL out of the song. 

8 September 2026 - ADÉLA - Ain't In LA

I'm just going to say it.

ADÉLA was way too good for Katseye.

And now, she's having a real moment.    

Her new album, Prima, came out on Friday and this was the first single. As of this writing (and publication), the song sits at #68 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart - and has peaked at #61 with no signs of actually slowing down.   

By the way, this is the list of all Slovak artists who have had hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in history.

1. ADÉLA 

That's it.  That's the list. 

The song has drawn comparisons to Miley Cyrus's "We Can't Stop" and, since Theron Thomas was a co-writer on both, it stands to reason.  

The artist has performed the song live a few times.  Sometimes, she lipsyncs it, but in the case of the Reading Festival, she sang at least part of it live. 

31 August 2026 - Angèle - Une seule vie

Well, Belgian singer Angèle has a new album coming in October.

Instinct.

It's about time.

Way overdue.

She also released the album cover for her third album....

If you look closely you can see the covers of Brol and Nonante-Cinq in there

This single was released last week in conjunction with the official album announcement.  A very large rolling gazing ball much like the one she is holding on the album cover makes a prominent appearance. 

It's a really upbeat dance-pop song.  I like where this album is going. 

27 August 2026 - Énola Bédard - Hit & Run

Énola Bédard is, first and foremost, a dancer.  She went viral on TikTok in 2020 because of her dancing prowess.  She performed alongside Shakira as a dancer at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final halftime show. 

But she's also a singer, and this, her latest single, was co-written by her, Taet Chesterton and producer Tannergard,  

But let's face it.  The song is dance-forward. 

Also, she's from Quebec.  She may be going by Enola Bedard on her web page and on Spotify. Sher name is Énola Bédard.  Big difference. 

The song is fluff but it's fun.  Enjoy the ride.