What You Readin’ For?: Geeking Out Over James Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’ With Lo-Fi Musician/Brainiac Tommy Oeffling

Posted in Exclusives, Features, Interviews, Videos, What You Readin' For? with tags , , on 11/15/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

“I can’t call myself a musician yet.”

So says lo-fi rock musician Tom Oeffling, who just put out his eighth album – Neighbors (22TWENTY) – roughly two weeks ago and stands as one of the most humble and smartest musicians with whom The Bad Penny has had the good fortune of connecting.

The Chicago artist’s new album is based on the indisputably greatest book ever to come out of Ireland – and, in the opinion of yours truly, contemporary times – James Joyce’s Ulysses. In this interview, we probe Oeffling’s brilliant mind about the impact the tome had on him, how he structured his new album around it – and the friggin’ challenge of getting through the most difficult book ever written.

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‘Psych-Folktronica’ Artist Matt of Matts Names His Top 10 Favorite Matts as ‘Strange Hymns’ Debut Release Nears

Posted in Comedy, Esoterica, Exclusives, Interviews with tags , , , , , , , , , on 11/15/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

“The haughtiest Matt is still more humble than, say, the average Kyle.”

-Matt of Matts

—

Matt of Matts is, despite the plural syntax of its name, a solo project by a brilliantly self-described “psych-folktronica” artist from Dallas who chooses not to use his surname, at least not in the context of his art. Adding to the musician’s fascinating background, his father was an evangelical exorcist – so it’s no wonder that his first full-length, Strange Hymns, is an exercise of sorts in processing an upbringing soaked in apocalyptic doom. The record drops Friday.

Somber, moody and downbeat – but reflective, most of all – the synth-heavy record frames the musician’s vocals in a hauntingly beautiful manner from which he cannot escape baring his soul at every moment. Take a listen for yourself:

As a way to reflect Matt of Matts’ outsider approach to making art, we forwent a traditional interview and instead sought a more diagonal approach to learning more about the artist: by asking him to list his top 10 favorite Matts. If this take on discussing art floats your boat, you’re on the right website; if not, you probably aren’t.

Below is how Matt of Matts responded to our request for the list.

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Nadja Lines Up Tour Dates for New LP; Band Member Aidan Baker Reveals His Key to Prolificity in Rare Video Interview

Posted in Features, Interviews, The Visionaries, Videos with tags , , on 11/15/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

One of the most prolific, talented and kind artists with whom The Bad Penny has had the pleasure of getting to know, renaissance man/multi-instrumentalist/Canada-to-Germany transplant Aidan Baker talks about how he keeps many plates spinning with his multitude of projects, his relationships with his collaborators and “the preset spectrogram of the waveform.” Don’t know what that means? You’ll have to watch this interview, which was long overdue to be published, to find out.

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Pet Sounds #97: Freddy Trujillo Exclusively Details His Love of Birds with a Track-by-Track Breakdown of ‘Ave Trujillo,’ His New Solo LP

Posted in Exclusives, Features, Interviews, Pet Sounds with tags on 11/15/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

One of the lovier, naturalistic and harmonious albums to come out this fall season – and to be released by reputed indie label In Music We Trust’s formidable, 40-record catalog – is Ave Trujillo, the new solo record by singer/songwriter Freddy Trujillo. (“Ave” translates to “Hail” in Latin but “bird” in Spanish.) The bolero-style roots record also finds the former bassist for Richmond Fontaine and The Delines exploring Mexican musical traditions. Born in Simi Valley, California, Trujillo is now based in Portland, Oregon.

In this installment of Pet Sounds that lives up to the name of the series more than another, the solo musician with two decades of experience generously details his affection for birds and the close attention he pays to them – instead of, say, his cell phone – via a song-by-song reflection of Ave Trujillo. One is reminded not only of other spirit-filled roots music but also of classic transcendentalist American writers/philosophers Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson, whose work emphasized communing with nature.

We cannot thank Trujillo, In Music We Trust and founder Alex Steininger enough for what is the most delightful and thorough track-by-track feature The Bad Penny has ever published.

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On Tyranny Exclusive: Carriers Celebrate Ohio Gov.-Elect Dr. Amy Acton’s Win Over Vivek Ramaswamy by Covering ‘Look at Miss Ohio’

Posted in Exclusives, Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, Videos with tags , , , , , , , on 11/14/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

As we continue to process the relieving results of Tuesday’s midterm elections, we’re also trying to count the number of truly historic outcomes that the high-turnout races produced: Scott Colom about to take office as the first Black Senator from Mississippi in almost 150 years; Methodist Minister Adam Hamilton becoming the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Kansas in 94 years; Maine Senator Susan Collins finally losing her seat to underdog and former logger Troy Jackson after holding her seat for 30 years; and beyond.

Two of the most important takeaways of this year’s midterms, however, aren’t just that a president’s egregious abuses of power lead to a voter revolt; it’s that money, at least in some instances, can only get a candidate so far in U.S. politics. Case in point: Democrat and Presbyterian seminarian James Talarico beating Ken Paxton in Texas despite Elon Musk dumping nearly half a billion dollars backing the latter candidate; and that playing dirty with political advertising doesn’t always pay off.

Both instances proved to be true in the race for Ohio governor, where Dr. Amy Acton defeated billionaire MAGA candidate Vivek Ramaswamy after his Hail Mary attempt to damage her support with the most vile political ad in recent memory in American politics.

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Exclusive: Frontman of Power Pop Band Plasticsoul’s First Published Interview About Band’s First Album in Nine Years

Posted in Exclusives, Interviews, Videos with tags , , , on 11/14/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Burbank, California-based Big Stir Records is enjoying a banner year – and The Bad Penny has been here for most of it (see below for links to our coverage of their bands). The label, which primarily puts out records by pop-rock artists in L.A., was founded by Christina Bulbenko and Rex Broome of The Armoires in 2017.

Big Stir’s first release was Plasticsoul’s Therapy, released in May of that year, and the label is now closing out 2026 by issuing the power-pop band’s long-awaited follow-up, We Can Hear You, Clem Fandango, on Friday. The Bad Penny has the good fortune of bringing you Plasticsoul frontman Steven Wilson’s first published interview about the release, which features first single “J’adore” along with “Little Jewel,” “Dream Filter” and “Radio Spaceship.”

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Pet Sounds #96: Attack Dog Have Two Dogs and a Cat – but, Sadly, They’re Not Planning to Form a Cover Band

Posted in Features, Interviews, Pet Sounds with tags , on 11/14/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Attack Dog, a punk-prone indie-rock band that hails from Philadelphia, recently swung through Boise in support of their recently released album, Can I Be Your Attack Dog? (If that title calls to mind the Stooges’ “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” you’re not alone.) Recorded over the course of two years, the LP nonetheless boasts an immediacy that makes it extremely challenging to press pause once you’ve hit the play button.

Attack Dog features guitarist John Duesler, bassist/vocalist Paul Mangan, guitarist/vocalist/keyboarist/percussionist Dylan Michael and drummer Brandon Washburn. When the band swung through Boise, yours truly had the good fortune to hang with them for a while and can therefore attest that they are four stand-up gentlemen despite their band name.

As evidence of that claim, the band generously participated in our ongoing Pet Sounds series, which is nearing its 100th installment. (If you’re a great band and love to talk about your pet(s), don’t hesitate to reach out.) Surprise, surprise, Attack Dog have two dogs – and a cat to boot. Before we get started with our conversation with the band about their pets, let’s meet Attack Dog’s pets first:

Snoop
Breed: Corgi/Dachshund mix (yap dog)
Age: 9
Owner: Paul

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Favorite Films: FLOOD Managing Editor and Film Buff Mike LeSeur Shares His Favorite ‘Most Metal’ Movies Ever

Posted in Favorite Films, Features, Interviews with tags , , on 11/14/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
Raiders of the Lost Ark - Face Melting Scene on Make a GIF

Mike LeSeur, the managing editor of FLOOD website/magazine and one of the best editor for whom this editor has ever contributed, obviously knows his shit when it comes to music. Turns out he’s also a brainiac when it comes to movies. (He turned yours truly on to Coherence, if memory serves.)

This writer has had the good fortune of working for Mike since he took on his role at FLOOD some years ago, after more than a decade of contributing for two decades for FLOOD and its predecessor, FILTER. In short, the Bad Penny archives would be weaker than the knee-trembling members of the Trump cabinet were it not for those publications, Mike and chief Randy Bookasta.

When approached to contribute to The Bad Penny‘s self-evidently titled Favorite Films, he perhaps rather cheekily replied with “the 11 most metal movies I’ve ever seen (well, the good ones, anyway).” (Mike knows very well that I’m as much into indie-rock as metal, but that doesn’t diminish my appreciation of his stellar contribution.)

Without further do, here are Mike’s picks. To his credit, yours truly has only seen five of these … let’s make a pact to check them all, shall we?

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Vansire Say They’re Ready to Deliver a Searing Performance in Boise Tonight, Toss Back Cocktails Afterward

Posted in Concert Previews, Interviews with tags , on 11/14/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Minnesota duo Vansire are taking their latest release, Taking Solace, on the road – and tonight, Boise will get treated to their dream-pop deliciousness. Josh Augustin and Samuel Winemiller started playing together in high school and can now outdo all their fellow alumni at reunions thanks to their impressive decade-plus career of making soothing music to slowly dance, drift into daydreams and make love to.

Fortunate for you and The Bad Penny, the guys graciously checked in with us yesterday in anticipation of their show this evening at The Shrine. They talked about the last time they played in the City of Trees, what they have in store for their set tonight, what they have planned for afterward and more.

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On Tyranny: Sam Burton Says He Won’t Be ‘Bullied’ Into Not Speaking Publicly About the Palestinian Genocide

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny with tags , , , , , , , on 11/13/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Yesterday, we brought you the first part of our conversation with Sam Burton, a member of the cherished Captured Tracks family who released his third solo effort, Fairweather Friend, on October 30. That portion of the interview mostly revolved around the record and his development as an artist when he moved from Ogden, Utah, to Los Angeles.

We also promised you that today we would roll out the second part of the interview, in which Burton – whose father is Palestinian – bravely addressed the genocide that continues to occur under the direction of the Israeli government. Without further ado, here is the exchange we had about that subject as part of The Bad Penny‘s ongoing On Tyranny series.

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