Summer 2020 New Music Playlist

Listen on Spotify, enjoy!

1. "Crush" – Day Wave

2. "The World" – Pete Yorn

3. "Dear Stranger" – STRFKR

4. "Disco Kitchen" – Gardens & Villa

5. "Forced Convalescence" – Bright Eyes

6. "A Ghost" – Travis

7. "Motion Pictures (for Carrie)" – Steve Gunn

8. "The Wall & I" – Nation of Language

9. "Serpentine Prison" – Matt Berninger

10. "She's Stronger" – Nana Adjoa

11. "Knuckleduster" – Muzz

12. "Never Come Down" – The Neverly Boys

13. "Kyoto" – Phoebe Bridgers

14. "Running Red Lights" – Avalanches featuring Rivers Cuomo and Pink Siifu

15. "Reality Refresh" – Teen Daze

16. "Wandering" – The Album Leaf
17. "Exhale" – Jónsi
18. "Pattern 17" – Jamison Isaak

A Jingle Jangle Holiday Playlist for Coolest

Last month I revisited some fave holiday tunes when I was asked to create a playlist for Coolest, that Kickstarter-funded dream cooler with a bluetooth speaker and mixer built right in for an instant party vibe on the go (order one on Amazon here or be extremely nice and ask Santa!)  So I dug into my past holiday playlists from 2011 and 2013, before checking out anything new that might befit this hip brand out of Portland, Oregon.

Last summer I had a blast curating eight themed playlists for the Coolest cocktail guide -- a grand total of 15+ hours of music with 192 bands. I didn't even repeat a group once, except the time "China Cat Sunflower" bleeds into "I Know You Rider" from Europe '72 after my Deadhead husband insisted for the jam band playlist CrispyCrunchy. Other themes revolve around travel (Marixo), beachy types (Waverave), driving tunes (Whitelines), Caribbean sounds (HavanaHeaven), sexy songs (SexlessontheBeach), plus easy summer days (Easybreezy), and awesome kick ass tunes (KGBeast). Sign up with your email on Coolest.com to receive a copy of the drink recipe booklet and head on over to the Coolest Mixmaster account on Spotify to check out the playlists. For now it's time to get in the holiday spirit so listen up!

New Song by Conor Oberst "You Are Your Mother's Child" (New Album & NYC Tour Date July 29)

Conor Oberst (Photo via Nonesuch Records)

Conor Oberst is back with a new solo album, Upside Down Mountain, which finds the prolific songwriter delving into adult responsibilities as found in the new song, "You Are Your Mother's Child."  It's a sentimental slideshow of a boy's life as told in lyrical milestones by the father, intimately pared down to acoustic guitar and Oberst's signature sincere voice, at once world-weary and yet still youthful.  Preview the song in the video below, along with a live performance of "A Hundred Ways," which has already been picked for my next new music playlist.

The collection is the first since 2011's The People's Key, an album with his band Bright Eyes. (The closing song from that album, "One for You, One for Me," was chosen for my 2012 Romantic Songs Playlist in honor of Valentine's Day that year and is definitely one of the most heartfelt songs ever.) This time around Oberst worked with Swedish folk-rock vocal duo First Aid Kit, along with multi-instrumentalist Blake Mills and bassist Macey Taylor.  For touring, the band Dawes has been enlisted as a suitable back up, and in some cases serving as opener as well.  They will be appearing in NYC at the Central Park SummerStage on July 29.

Upcoming Releases - Listen To Polock New Album Preview & Single "Everlasting"

I was thrilled to hear a new song by the band Polock on WFUV's The Alternate Side the other day. After going to see this band three years ago, I was impressed enough to think there'd make it into the indie mainstream.  The WFUV D.J. even introduced them as "the Spanish Phoenix," a comparison that I had in mind too. Instead, I heard nothing until last week, but a new album called Rising Up is due April 8, with a teaser video available on Youtube or below.

Another album I'm looking forward to is the one from Damon Albarn out April 29, as previewed in earlier posts: the single "Lonely Press Play" here, along with a recent appearance at the SXSW here. Plus the always interesting prolific musician Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes is also getting ready to release a new album, Upside Down Mountain, on May 20.  And with Record Store Day coming up on April 19, there's lots of special releases to entice music lovers into their favorite indie shop (if they're lucky enough to still have one!) LCD Soundsystem is offering up a 5-LP vinyl box set of its final concert at Madison Square Garden in 2011, with a digital/vinyl wide release May 20.  To use the words of LCD frontman James Murphy, "I was there" at Terminal 5 to start off the final week of the band, but could only listen online and view this final concert as part of the film Shut Up And Play The Hits. This new compilation is still quite a temptation for any diehard fan.

UPDATE 4/3: Polock has just released another video for the single "Everlasting"

Romantic Songs Playlist for Valentine's Day 2012

I decided to make good on my promise to create a Romantic Tunes Playlist in honor of Valentine’s Day this year.  Since I began an iTunes account, I’ve had a playlist called “Romantic Songssss,” which has grown to over sixty songs and four plus hours.  Reviewing the lengthy list, the following tunes were chosen without digging too deep into the archives, for example to include George Harrison's "I'd Have You Anytime," John Lennon’s “Jealous Guy” or David Bowie’s “Heroes.”  There’s a certain element in the music – a soaring melody, heartfelt lyrics or even an instrumental break that makes me daydream.  Of course, some picks take me back to a certain time and place with a particular person, but others just bring the warm glow of a sunny day or pull at the heartstrings. Music has taught me about many things, but perhaps the most important lesson is how heartache remains a universal experience, along with that emotional overhaul of love which implies anything is possible.  Link to listen here, enjoy!

1. Sterophonics, "Have a Nice Day"
2. AM, "Playing the Game"
3. The Dears, "Lost In the Plot"
4. LCD Soundsystem, "All I Want"
5. Iggy Pop, "Shades"
6. The B-52's, "Follow Your Bliss"
7. Art Brut, "Emily Kane"
8. Phantom Planet, "Anthem"
9. The Magic Numbers, "Love's a Game"
10. Guillemots, "Made-Up Lovesong #43"
11. Paul Westerberg, "First Glimmer"
12. Portugal. The Man., "Sleep Forever"
13. Weezer, "Hold Me"
14. Roxy Music, "More Than This"
15. Moby, "Slipping Away"
16. Talking Heads, "This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)
17. Am Radio, "I Just Wanna Be Loved"
18. Bright Eyes, "One for You, One for Me"
19. Manic Street Preachers, "You Stole the Sun From My Heart"
20. The Flaming Lips, Do You Realize??
21. Mew, "Comforting Sounds"

Late Spring 2011 New Music Playlist

Here’s a playlist of tunes to keep the idea that hope springs eternal into the transition of summer. Every week in May seemed to bring another solid release into the music stream and new tunes were ripe for the picking. Link here, enjoy!

1. Toro y Moi -- Still Sound
Chazwick Bundick is the mastermind of Toro y Moi (which loosely translates to “Bull and Me”), creating electronic pop that became an integral part of the chillwave movement. (He is a good buddy of like-minded artist Ernest Greene of Washed Out from days at The University of South Carolina). This bouncy tune “Still Sound,” is off his second release, Underneath the Pine.

2. Bibio -- Anything New
Bibio is a.k.a. Stephen Wilkinson, a British music producer who studied 'sonic arts' in London. “Anything New” is off his sixth release, Mind Bokeh, as this prolific composer delves into electronic pop and beyond.

3. Telekinesis -- Gotta Get It Right Now
Michael Benjamin Lerner’s band Telekinesis plays indie rock with a classic pop song structure, catchy hooks and all. This song is off of the Seattle native’s second full release, 12 Desperate Straight Lines.

4. The Boxer Rebellion -- Step Out of the Car
The Boxer Rebellion is an international indie band with American/Tennessee native Nathan Nicolson handling vocals (as well as guitar and keyboards) along with an Australian and two Englishmen in the band. This romp of a song, “Step Out of the Car,” is off their third release The Cold Still.

5. The Submarines -- The Sun Shines at Night
6. The Submarines -- Tigers
Married couple John Dragonetti and Blake Hazard’s band The Submarines has chronicled their relationship through three releases – these carefully crafted compositions are off of the latest, Love Notes/Letter Bombs.

7. Peter Bjorn & John -- May Seem Macabre
8. Peter Bjorn & John -- Second Chance
9. Peter Bjorn & John -- I Know You Don’t Love Me
Peter, Bjorn & John are a Swedish indie rock trio which formed in Stockholm in 1999 using their first names for the band name (affectionately abbreviated as PB&J). These three songs show the strength of the latest release, Gimme Some. They wanted to take the high energy of their live shows into the studio and it shows!

10. Bright Eyes -- Shell Games
Bright Eyes is just one of Conor Oberst’s outlet for his busy career (“Shell Games” is off release number ten, The People’s Key). He has said that these new songs move away from folk into a more rock-oriented update, but his signature voice still delivers the same sincerity of performance.

11.Sharon Van Etten -- Peace Signs
Sharon Van Etten is an indie rock folk singer raised in New Jersey who is now based in Brooklyn. “Peace Signs” is off her second release, Epic. She writes deeply personal songs that shine through the strength of her warm, lovely vocals.

12. The Airborne Toxic Event -- Changing
This L.A. band hit it big with “Sometime Around Midnight” off their first release in 2008. The follow-up, All at Once, displays the same mix of orchestral rock with plenty of attitude.

13. Voxhaul Broadcast -- Leaving on the 5^th
14. Voxhaul Broadcast -- Blackout
15. Voxhaul Broadcast -- Drysand
Voxhaul Broadcast is another band from L.A. but they’re just having their break through moment with the release of their long awaited first full release, (appropriately titled) Timing Is Everything. This veteran touring band brings a live sound to their recordings, which are all tightly wound with energy.

16. Vetiver -- Can’t You Tell
Named for a fragrant grass from India, this American folk band was founded by Andy Cabic after moving to San Francisco from the East Coast. This sunny tune is a single off the upcoming release, The Errant Charm.

17. Death Cab for Cutie -- You Are a Tourist
Death Cab for Cutie seems to be the personification of the Northwest sound, still on scene since forming in 1997. “You Are a Tourist” is the single off the seventh release, Codes and Keys.

18. Memphis -- Five Loops
Long-time friends Torquil Campbell and Chris Dumont are the duo behind this lush soundscape in “Five Loops.” The song is part of the band’s third full-length release, Here Comes a City.

19. Agnes Obel -- Close Watch
This Danish singer/songwriter just getting noticed in the U.S. comes from a musical family, where she mastered piano at a very young age. Her haunting song “Close Watch” is from her first release from last year, Philharmonics.