The Alternative Polka archives

[StevieFan13]

Heyo! Being a college-aged music nerd, I have a radio show. It's called The Alternative Polka, and on it I just feature anything I'd loosely call "alternative" music, which can meaning anything from grunge to Northern soul. I'll always take recommendations from you fine folks (I'm planning on dipping into the alternative songs list you guys helped me compile a few weeks ago), and I'll add Spotify playlists from all of the shows here. I'll also list the featured songs in case they don't show up in your local Spotify.


- Gorillaz feat. Jehnny Beth - We Got the Power
- Cowboy Mouth - Jenny Says (the version from Are You with Me? - the Word of Mouth version is also fine, but I prefer this one)
- Metric - Gold Guns Girls
- Los Fabulosos Cadillacs - Surfer Calavera
- Samia - The Night Josh Tillman Listened to My Song
- Sky Ferreira - Lost in My Bedroom
- Cayetana - Scott Get the Van, I'm Moving
- McAlmont & Butler - Yes
- Linda Jones - I Just Can't Live My Life (Without You Babe)
- Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen in Love (with Someone You Shouldn't've)?
- Blondie - Fun
- Boney M. - Rasputin (7" version - if it doesn't say 4:43, you're not getting the full version)
- The Cure - Just Like Heaven
- The Revivalists - Navigate Below


- Kevin Morby - 1234
- Ex Hex - Waterfall
- Radiohead - Let Down
- Kate Bush - Hounds of Love
- LunchMoney Lewis - Bills
- Weddings Parties Anything - In My Lifetime
- Diet Cig - Maid of the Mist
- Gobbo - A Disco Joint.
- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Mary Jane's Last Dance (OK, yeah, not THAT alternative, but c'mon, you know why)
- The Interrupters - She Got Arrested
- Paloma Faith - Can't Rely on You
- Calva Louise - I'm Gonna Do Well
- Soda Stereo - De Música Ligera
- Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats - S.O.B.


- Liam Gallagher - Wall of Glass
- Betty Who - Mama Say
- The Cog is Dead - Danger on the Dance Floor
- Ben Folds - In Between Days
- The Fauves - Dogs Are the Best People
- Unknown Mortal Orchestra - So Good at Being in Trouble
- Emma Larson - Whoever You May Be
- Thigh Master - Company
- Kate Nash - Call Me
- Blur - For Tomorrow
- Kacey Musgraves - Biscuits (I just put it because I like it)
- Maestro Fresh Wes - Let Your Backbone Slide
- Tune-Yards - Gangsta

[Pierre]

Hey, neat stuff, there's a lot of acts that I don't actually know. I'm listening to the first playlist for a start (although the Cowboy Mouth and Sky Ferreira songs are not available on my end), but are you OK with your real identity being on display? The playlist features the name of its author...

[StevieFan13]

Hey, neat stuff, there's a lot of acts that I don't actually know. I'm listening to the first playlist for a start (although the Cowboy Mouth and Sky Ferreira songs are not available on my end), but are you OK with your real identity being on display? The playlist features the name of its author...

I'm alright with it, I guess. I'm not sharing the radio station, since that'd show what college I go to, but people's real names show up on their Spotify playlists here all the time.

[Pierre]

Hey, neat stuff, there's a lot of acts that I don't actually know. I'm listening to the first playlist for a start (although the Cowboy Mouth and Sky Ferreira songs are not available on my end), but are you OK with your real identity being on display? The playlist features the name of its author...

I'm alright with it, I guess. I'm not sharing the radio station, since that'd show what college I go to, but people's real names show up on their Spotify playlists here all the time.

Oh, OK. If it's fine by you, it's fine by me too Just finished the first playlist, it's pretty good. I was surprised by the inclusion of Boney M, but the only song that really did nothing for me was Samia's. Also, listening to the recent output of Blondie, I'm always unsettled a tad by how Debbie Harry's voice has changed. Last time I heard her was on Étienne Daho's "L'Étrangère" off his 2013 album, Les Chansons de l'innocence retrouvée (recommended, by the way) and it already struck me back then.

[StevieFan13]

Hey, neat stuff, there's a lot of acts that I don't actually know. I'm listening to the first playlist for a start (although the Cowboy Mouth and Sky Ferreira songs are not available on my end), but are you OK with your real identity being on display? The playlist features the name of its author...

I'm alright with it, I guess. I'm not sharing the radio station, since that'd show what college I go to, but people's real names show up on their Spotify playlists here all the time.

Oh, OK. If it's fine by you, it's fine by me too Just finished the first playlist, it's pretty good. I was surprised by the inclusion of Boney M, but the only song that really did nothing for me was Samia's. Also, listening to the recent output of Blondie, I'm always unsettled a tad by how Debbie Harry's voice has changed. Last time I heard her was on Étienne Daho's "L'Étrangère" off his 2013 album, Les Chansons de l'innocence retrouvée (recommended, by the way) and it already struck me back then.

Oh good. "Rasputin" can at least be considered an obscurity over here in the States, as Boney M were never nearly as popular here as they were in Europe (although the song has become a bit of a meme here, and I love it). To each their own with regards to Samia. And yeah, we have to play two tracks from the "hot box" (recent releases, even though that album came out around March or so), so Gorillaz and Blondie sorta took care of that. I vastly prefer their classic work, for the exact reason you said, but this was also a solid track.