A Taste Of Philadelphia

After yesterday's Philadelphia-based post, Pennsylvania’s largest city cropped up three more times in my playlist.

Too much of a coincidence to ignore and the inspiration for today's trio of songs.

First up, although second in the order that I experienced it, is the snappily titled The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die. Bandcamp lists the band as being currenlty based in Philadelphia, although according to Discogs they originally formed in Willimantic, Connecticut in 2009.

2015 album Harmlessness was one of the #last4albums picks by j-e-l on BlueSky and a quick listen to a couple of songs is enough for me to set aside the album for a proper listen this weekend. Here's track 10 (of 13), Haircuts For Everyone:

Second (but third, if you get my meaning) is Victoryland aka Julian McCammon. 

"Aha!" I hear you cry. 

"Victoryland is based in Brooklyn, New York! 

Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!"

"Aha!" I counter, confidently. 

"Julian may be based in Brooklyn, New York now, 

but Victoryland started in Philly in 2023!"

(but those "Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!"s still burn in my gut...)

Victoryland was another #last4albums pick on BlueSky, this time courtesy of Mykhailo, whose choices have introduced me to a lot of new music, for which I'm grateful. My bank manager less so.

My Heart Is A Room With No Cameras In It is Victoryland's debut album, released in January this year. Again, based on a couple of song samples, I'll be going back to investigate further. Here's track 8 (of 10), Beach Death: 

And this song that started this off?

Of all the Magazine albums, I just happened to have The Correct Use Of Soap on my current playlist and the closing song of Side 1 is of course this absolute beauty:

A classic among classics, although the recurring line, "Maybe it's right to be nervous now" resonates even more strongly in 2026...

(Note: personally, I'm not a huge fan of the "fresh and creamy taste" of Philadelphia)

Your clean-living, clear-eyed

Clever, level-headed brother says

He'll put all the screws

Upon your newest lover

Buddha's in the fireplace

The truth's in drugs from outer space

Maybe it's right to be nervous now

Who are these madmen?

What do they want from me?

With all of their straight-talk from their misery

Everything'd be just fine

If I had the right pastime

I'd've been Raskolnikov

But Mother Nature ripped me off

In Philadelphia

I'm sure that I felt healthier

Maybe it's right to be nervous now

I had liberty of movement

But I'm so lazy

I'm so lazy

I'm just so lazy

You're just a big kid

You're not so big at that

You never got the hang of it

Now you're being looked at

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Where have I seen you before?

'Same place you saw me, I expect

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In Philadelphia

I'm sure that I felt healthier

Maybe it's right to be nervous now