Spring 2024 New Music Playlist

  Listen on Spotify, enjoy!

1. "It's Over, If We Run Out of Love" – David Holmes, Raven Violet

2. "Bubblegum Dog" – MGMT

3. "Coming of Age" – Van Houten

4. "Water Underground" – Real Estate

5. "Burial Ground" – The Decemberists

6. "Together Forever" – STRFKR

7. "Loved" – Four Tet

8. "Is This Love" – James

9. "Alone" – Maps

10. "Neon Pill" – Cage the Elephant

11. "Willow" – Cowboy Sadness, Bing & Ruth, The Antlers, Port St. Willow

12. "Lines" – Maxband

13. "Long as I'm Not the One" – Grandaddy

14. "Spare Me the Decision" – Nation of Language

15. "Capricorn" – Vampire Weekend

16. "Dramamine" – Middle Kids

17. "RIP Dunes" – Backwards

18. "Wall of Eyes" – The Smile

Top 20+ Songs of 2016 With Spotify and YouTube Playlist

It's always a nice exercise to review all the gifts of music encountered over the course of twelve months. This year was especially easy to go over the twenty song allotment for this end of year recap of top tunes. It's such a diverse group of artists but the list contains some of my very favorite voices on the music scene: Thom Yorke of Radiohead, Beck, Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses, Hamilton Leithauser, Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips, Fran Healy of Travis, Will Sheff of Okkervil River, Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, The Avett Brothers and Santigold. Plus I was so thankful for plenty of soaring melodies to carry me away from the neverending stress of daily news during this election year, for example The Boxer Rebellion, Wye Oak and Ra Ra Riot + Rostam.

Listen on Spotify or as a YouTube Playlist below.

1. "Can't Get Enough of Myself" – Santigold
2. "Burn the Witch" – Radiohead
3. "The Industry" – Okkervil River
4. "If You Should See" – Wye Oak
5. "Wow" – Beck
6. "2AM" – Bear Hands
7. "They Want More" – Ages and Ages
8. "Casual Party" – Band of Horses 
9. "Selectallcopy" – Autolux
10. "Magnificent Time" – Travis
11. "In These Fine Times" (featuring De Lux) – Classixx
12. "Hey Lion" – Sofi Tukker
13. "Trouble" – Cage the Elephant
14. "Never Ever" – STRFKR
15. "Summer Was a Day"  – Pete Yorn
16. "Water" – Ra Ra Riot & Rostam
17. "Beneath the Black Sea" – LNZNDRF
18. "Big Ideas" – The Boxer Rebellion
19. "If I Ever Was a Child" – Wilco
20. "The Castle" – The Flaming Lips
21. "No Hard Feelings" – The Avett Brothers
22. "In a Black Out" – Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam
23. "In My Car" – Gold Panda

Winter 2016 New Music Playlist

With the East Coast bracing for a major snowstorm, it’s handy to have my next playlist ready for consumption. New releases by Cage the Elephant, GIVERS, and The Decemberists are ready to heat things up while a stand-alone single by The Dandy Warhols, “You Are Killing Me,” fits the mood as things grind to a halt. There are also teaser songs from albums dropping soon: Chairlift, School of Seven Bells, Ra Ra Riot, Animal Collective, Pete Yorn and more. Plus check out new bands Knox Hamilton and Sheer along with a pick off the official debut from Car Seat Headrest. Listen via Spotify at this link or as a YouTube playlist. 

**ANOTHER CHANCE FOR EXTRA CREDIT IF YOU CAN NAME EVERY BAND WITH FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE LINEUP (ANSWER AT THE END OF THIS POST!) 

1. “Badvertise” – Dr. Dog

Philly area band Dr. Dog recently collaborated with Pig Iron Theatre for a performance, Swamp Is On, which included this energetic frenzy of a song. The band is also revisiting songs from their debut back in 2001, a cassette release known as Psychedelic Swamp transformed into an official studio album.

2. “Heart Is Full” – Miike Snow

Swedish/American indie synthpop band Miike Snow dropped this single from an upcoming third album, III. The group was formed in 2009 by producing team Bloodshy & Avant with singer Andrew Wyatt, carving out pop hooks and expertly crafted tunes.

3. “Bent (Roi’s Song)” – DIIV

Zachary Cole Smith’s band is ready with a sophomore album, Is the Is Are, since 2012’s debut, Oshlin. The Brooklyn shoegazers released the single “Bent (Roi’s Song)” in a hazy dreamscape that is their signature sound.

4. “Water” – Ra Ra Riot & Rostam

Ra Ra Riot is an indie rock band formed in 2006 at Syracuse University, now based in Brooklyn. The group collaborated with Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij for the songwriting and production of this single from the upcoming fourth album, Need Your Light.

5. “Romeo” – Chairlift

Synthpop duo Chairlift is releasing a third album since 2005, entitled Moth. With a pulsing beat, “Romeo” is off to the races with layers of Caroline Polachek’s enchanting vocals.

6. “Hightimes” – The Big Pink

The Big Pink is an electronic rock band from London, a quartet of multi-instrumentalists that has been creating music since 2009. “Hightimes” is the anthemic opening track from the upcoming EP Empire Underground.

7. “You Are Killing Me” – The Dandy Warhols

Portland rockers The Dandy Warhols released this single featuring the band’s signature chug of electric guitar.  With singer Courtney Taylor-Taylor’s deadpan delivery, irony ensues once again.

8. “Record High, Record Low” – GIVERS

Tiffany Lamson’s golden vocals return for this swinging tune off GIVERS’ sophomore album, New Kingdom. The band was formed in Lafayette, Louisiana, after Hurricane Katrina displaced Lamson and guitarist Taylor Guarisco from their apartment in New Orleans; they continue their musical path together.

9. “Why Would I Now?” – The Decemberists

This fall The Decemberists released an EP Florasongs, after seven albums since 2000. The earnest vocal stylings of Colin Meloy convey the obvious retorts in answer to the question, “Why Would I Now?”

10. “Summer Was a Day” – Pete Yorn

Singer-songwriter, guitarist and drummer Pete Yorn will release his seventh studio album since 2000 in March, entitled Arranging Time. He is returning to solo work after performing as The Olms with J.D. King, and this single finds his artistic introspection intact as the poetic visions pour forth.

11. “Confusion” – School of Seven Bells

NYC’s synthpop band School of Seven Bells was creating music during a dark time—founding member Benjamin Curtis was being treating for lymphoma; he died in 2013 despite a positive prognosis. The resulting material is part of a fourth and final album, SVIIB (as the name of the band is often abbreviated). The heartbreakingly sweet single “Confusion” is a tribute to the strength of all involved.

12. “Work It Out” – Knox Hamilton

Knox Hamilton is a quintet from Little Rock, Arkansas, influenced by 70s rock as evident in the debut EP How’s Your Mind. The melodic vocals carry the listener along for a fun ride throughout this optimistic tune of reconciliation.

13. “Trouble” – Cage the Elephant

Cage the Elephant recently relocated from Kentucky to Nashville where its fourth album, Tell Me I’m Pretty, was produced by Dan Auerbach (Black Keys, The Arcs). Matt Schultz’s gritty vocals provide the perfect conduit for their blend of pop and punk rock.

14. “FloriDada” – Animal Collective

Animal Collective is an experimental pop quartet originally formed in Baltimore in 1999. This wacky opening track for its tenth album, Painting With, is actually inspired by the detractors of state of Florida, which the band says gives the area a certain charm.

15. “Something Soon” – Car Seat Headrest

Car Seat Headrest is an indie rock quartet based in Seattle, an outgrowth of Will Toledo’s musical project in his native state of Virginia. He has produced fourteen albums since 2010, but debut album Teens of Style contains older songs like “Something Soon” reworked by a full band as well as new material.

16. “Girl from Conejo Valley” – M. Ward

Portland’s singer-songwriter and guitarist M. Ward is also a member of She & Him plus Monsters of Folk. His ninth solo album since 1999, More Rain, finds tuneful ballads such as the single “Girl from Conejo Valley.”

17. “Believe Your Mine” – Nada Surf

NYC alt quartet Nada Surf also has a ninth album coming out soon, titled You Know Who You Are.  The warm vocals of Matthew Caws have carried this band along into a blissfully mellow territory since 1992.

18. “Monochrome” – Sheer
Sheer is a L.A. four-piece with a fondness for 90s buzzy production since forming in 2010. “Monochrome” is the opening track for the band’s debut album, Uneasy, and as the first song the band ever wrote together, it immediately finds the sweet spot of collaboration.

DID YOU GUESS THREE BANDS?

1. CAGE THE ELEPHANT – BROTHERS Matt & Brad Schultz

2. KNOX HAMILTON – BROTHERS Boots & Cobo Copeland

3. SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS – TWIN SISTERS Alejandra & Claudia Deheza

Top 20+ Songs of 2014 With YouTube Playlist

I put together this Top 20 plus songs of 2014 list while putting up holiday decorations -- thinking over the year and culling the songs that meant so much to me (while finding the best order of presentation of course!) If I had to pick a Song of the Year, I'd add my vote to others that chose Future Islands' "Seasons Waiting on You." Along with the breakout performance by frontman Samuel Herring on David Letterman that was so crazy passionate and borderline creepy, the tune encapsulated all three genres listed on their Wikipedia page with gusto:  synthpop, alternative rock and indie pop.  It's simply a great song that doesn't get old with repeated listens.

Yet the song that yielded the most meaning for me this year would have to be Field Report's "Home (Leave the Lights On)."  As I wrote about in a post back in October, hearing this song in a different context gave this sublime tune a personal resonance that cut to my core. It's going to be one of those many songs that will take me back to that time and place in the fall of 2014.

Listen via the YouTube playlist below or on Spotify at the link here. Here's to another fine year of new music!

1. "Inspector Norse" − Todd Terje 
2. "Can't Do With Without You" − Caribou 
3. "Dangerous" − Big Data 
4. "Red Eyes" − The War On Drugs 
5. "Seasons Waiting On You" − Future Islands 
6. "Come a Little Closer" − Cage the Elephant 
7. "Digital Witness" − St. Vincent 
8. "Fall In Love" − Phantogram 
9. "Do You" − Spoon 
10. "Home (Leave the Lights On)" − Field Report 
11. "Step Out" − José  González 
12. "Past Life" − Lost In the Trees 
13. "The Tower" − Wye Oak 
14. "Alexandra"  − Hamilton Leithauser 
15. "Handreds of Ways" − Conor Oberst 
16.  "Blue Moon" − Beck 
17.  "Summer Noon" − Tweedy 
18. "Woke Up To the Light" − Strand of Oaks 
19. "Lonely Press Play" − Damon Albarn 
20. "New York Morning" − Elbow 
21. "Moving To the Left" − Woods 
22. "Divisionary (Do the Right Thing)" − Ages And Ages

YouTube Playlist of Spring 2014 Playlist Songs

The Spring 2014 New Music Playlist solicited mostly official videos from YouTube, from the psychedelic swirls of Thumpers, Cage the Elephant and Phantogram to the travelogue pastiche of Kelis and a dystopian future courtesy of St. Vincent. There's a collage of club life for Polock's song "Everlasting," kids making bad decisions for Ages and Ages' "Divisionary (Do the Right Thing)" and a tongue in cheek dance off via Wye Oak's "The Tower." Mr. Little Jeans brings a grim tale of a trucker for "Bad Mistake" and Courtney Barnett's malaise is made manifest on a clay tennis court. And check out Lost In the Trees' glowing eyes and headlights for "Past Life," along with Sharon Van Etten's enigmatic tarot card reading.

Included here is the much discussed performance of Future Islands on David Letterman with the host gushing afterwards (and rightly so), declaring "That was wonderful!" Samuel T. Herrig's groovy moves and impassioned performance underscores yet again the importance of eye contact when selling a song. There's also the confident SNL appearance by Beck, singing one of his new songs that gave rise to my husband/music biz veteran Paul to exclaim at first listen, "Who broke Beck's heart?" Other live versions provided are a low tech WFUV studio gig by Real Estate and a fan video from a record release party for Maxïmo Park, emblematic of the various conditions faced by musicians.

Link to listen and watch here or click video below.

Spring 2014 New Music Playlist

With spring finally making an appearance, there’s plenty of news songs for another playlist thanks to the constant renewal of the music scene. Bands such as Cage the Elephant, Wye Oak and Real Estate are back with album releases along with Future Islands and Lost in the Trees. Female voices abound on this playlist, from Annie Clark of St. Vincent and Kelis, to Courtney Barnett, Sharon Van Etten and Monica Birkenes of Mr. Little Jeans.  Also check out new music from veteran bands Elbow and Maxïmo Park, along with indie heavyweight Beck. Link to listen here, enjoy!

1. “Unkinder (A Tougher Love)” – Thumpers

This boisterous tune makes a great introduction to this new duo from England, recently formed by childhood friends Marcus Pepperell and John Hamson Jr. “Unkinder (A Tougher Love)” is the standout track of the band’s debut album, Galore.

2. “Come a Little Closer” – Cage the Elephant

Kentucky alt rock band Cage the Elephant is back with its third album, Melophobia.  Matt Shultz's singing bring an appealing boy next door approach to rocking out, sounding familiar without ever boring fans in this single, “Come a Little Closer.”

3. “Seasons Waiting On You” – Future Islands

This synth pop band from Baltimore met while studying art in college and just released a fourth studio album, Singles.  This single, “Seasons Waiting On You,” highlights the unhinged vocals of Samuel T. Herrig to bring emotional weight to the song.

4. “Avant Gardener” – Courtney Barnett

Australian Courtney Barnett is a songwriter and guitarist, using a wry delivery in her stream of conscious lyrics for “Avant Gardener.” This young musician combined two past EPs to create A Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas, where “Avant Gardner” is found.

5. “Digital Witness” – St. Vincent

Annie Clark is the mastermind behind St. Vincent, creating songs with a dense musicality, complex instrumentation and multiple meanings.  Hailing from Oklahoma and Texas before touring with The Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens, Clark has just released a self-titled fourth album with this searing tune about the internet age.

6. “Divisionary (Do the Right Thing)” – Ages and Ages

Ages and Ages is an eight-member group of multi-instrumentalists from Portland, offering up sing along songs such as “Divisionary (Do the Right Thing).”  This heartfelt composition that builds with every chorus is off of the band’s second album, also titled Divisionary.

7. “The Tower” – Wye Oak

Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack formed Wye Oak in Baltimore but composed this song for their fourth studio album, Shriek, across the country from each other. “The Tower” brings an expanded music palette to the group’s indie folk sound, as Wasner admits to being newly inspired by learning bass.

8. “Everlasting” – Polock

The quintet Polock returns with a sophomore album, Rising Up, with an indie pop sound that conjures up comparisons as a Spanish Phoenix. The song “Everlasting” sets a festive mood with dance beats galore and crooning vocals by Papu Sebastián.

9. “Drinking Martinis” – Maxïmo Park

This British alt rock quintet was formed in 2000 with a pop sensibility for songwriting as transmitted by singer Paul Smith. “Drinking Martinis” is a wistful rock song about parties of the past from the band’s fifth album, Too Much Information.

10. “Jerk Ribs” – Kelis

“Jerk Ribs is a single from Food, the sixth album from Kelis since 1999.  Raised in Harlem, this singer-songwriter weaves together a 1990s vibe of electro dance, soul, and Afrobeat for a contemporary mix as produced by Dave Sitek of TV On The Radio.

11. “Fall In Love” – Phantogram

This synth pop duo, Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel, write and record in a remote barn in upstate New York. “Fall In Love” is a confident new song with psychedelic musical swirls from the group’s second album, Voices.

12. “Had To Hear” – Real Estate

Brooklyn via New Jersey indie band Real Estate recently released its third album since 2009, Atlas.  As the lead track, “Had To Hear” ushers in the signature laid back, low fi sound awash in hazy vocals and guitar lines.

13. “Past Life” – Lost in the Trees

Lost in the Trees (from Chapel Hill, North Carolina) went from being a sextet to a quartet and discovered a leaner sound for its fourth album, Past Life.  This title track combines a soaring melody over a pulsing percussive foundation that develops with each chorus, until a guitar solo bursts things wide open.

14.  “Taking Chances” – Sharon Van Etten

Sharon Van Etten is another Brooklyn artist by way of suburban New Jersey, crafting songs to allow her earthy voice to soar. She just released her fourth album since 2009, Are We There, with this scorcher of a slow-sizzle single, “Taking Chances.”

15. “Good Mistake” – Mr. Little Jeans

Norwegian dance-pop singer/songwriter Monica Birkenes has released a debut full-length album as Mr. Little Jeans called Pocketknife. “Good Mistake” kicks things off with fun synth beats and squiggles, before her cooing vocals take command of the song.

16. “Blue Moon” – Beck

L.A. native Beck returned to the band aesthetic for his twelfth studio album since 1993, Morning Phase, which serves as a sonic bookend to Sea Change (2002).  “Blue Moon” is just one of the lush, contemplative tunes found on this new compilation.

17. “New York Morning” – Elbow

The U.K. band Elbow is back with its sixth studio album since 1997, The Take Off and Landing of Everything. “New York Morning” uses lyrics from a diary written by singer Guy Garvey during a trip to New York City, with his passionate voice expressing the singular view of a wide-eyed visitor.