Summer 2025 New Music Playlist

 Listen on Spotify, enjoy!

1. "End of Summer" – Tame Impala
2. "Jewels" – Gardens & Villa, Jahsh Banks

3. "God Gets You Back" – Mogwai

4. "Okay" – Girl and Girl

5. "Time Crisis Too" – Holy Wave

6. "A Decoration" – TORRES, Fruit Bats

7. "Drop" – Tunde Adebimpe

8. "Blackoak" – Maribou State

9. "Catch Me" – Flying Mojito Bros

10. "Star String Radio" – Suzzallo

11. "Everybody Laughs" – David Byrne, Ghost Train Orchestra

12. "Mystic" – Other Lives

13. "Into Dust (Still Falling)" – Four Tet cover Mazzy Star

14. "Love on the Big Screen – Animal Collective

15. "Kimpton" – Barry Can't Swim, O'Flynn

16. "Chapter One" – Maps

17. "You Get So Far Away" – RAC

Romantic Songs Playlist for Valentine's Day 2024

So this year, I was able to create the entire Romantic Songs Playlist 2024 from heartfelt tunes released in the past year and a half (still not bad?) Give a listen on Spotify here.  

As always, you can visit my posts from the past for more inspiration: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017,2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012. And check out everything listed together here!

1. "Sole Obsession" – Nation of Language
2. "Slugs of Love" – Little Dragon

3. "No More Lies" – Thundercat, Tame Impala

4. "Ordinary Love" – Roosevelt

5. "Three Drums" – Four Tet

6. "Each Night" – Poolside, Mazy

7. "Potion" – A Beacon School

8. "Always/Never" – STRFKR

9. "kisses" – Slowdive

10. "Days Go By" – SBTRKT, Toro y Moi

11. "Coming of Age" – Van Houten

12. "Is This Love" – James

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

14. "I Would if I Could" – Daniel Avery

15. "Future Falling" – The Album Leaf

Fall 2023 New Music Playlist

 Listen on Spotify, enjoy!

1. "Journey to the Real World" – Tame Impala

2. "Soul Capturer" – Animal Collective

3. "My Big Day" – Bombay Bicycle Club

4. "NYC" – Local Natives

5. "Space Invader" – The National

6. "KITM" – A Beacon School

7. "Palms"– Teen Daze

8. "Build a Bridge" – Deeper

9. "Always/Never" – STRFKR

10. "Each Night" – Poolside, Mazy

11. "The World's Biggest Paving Slab" – English Teacher

12. "The Tower" – Future Islands

13. "Headlights On" – Wild Nothing, Hatchie

14. "Another Side" – Woods

15. "Cousin" – Wilco

16. "prayer remembered" – Slowdive

Summer 2023 New Music Playlist

Listen on Spotify, enjoy!

1. "Three Drums" – Four Tet

2. "Odyssey" – Beck, Phoenix

3. "The Narcissist" – Blur

4. "Doomscrollers" – Quasi

5. "No More Lies" – Thundercat, Tame Impala

6.  "DAYS GO BY" – SBTRKT, Toro y Moi

7. "Slugs of Love" – Little Dragon

8. "Little Bit Of Sun" – Semisonic

9. "Potion' – A Beacon School

10. "Ordinary Love" – Roosevelt

11. "Repeat (If You Remind Me)" – Wye Oak

12. "Psychos" – Jenny Lewis

13. "Live Again (featuring Halo Maud)" – The Chemical Brothers

14. "Rainy Summer" – Teen Dave

15. "Become" – Beach House

16. "Blóoberg" – Sigur Rós

Spring 2023 New Music Playlist

 Listen on Spotify, enjoy!

1. "The Fringe" – Cheekface

2. "Back 2 It" – Teen Daze
3. "Weightless" – Arlo Parks
4. "Zephyr" – TOBACCO

5. "Wrong Side" – Tourist Activities
6. "Unholy Appetite" – Barrie
7. "Wings of Time" – Tame Impala
8. "Gold" – Ivan & Alyosha
9. "Thinking About You" – Beck
10. "Goodbye to Music" – Flyying Colours
11. "My Love is Like" – Maps
12. "Night Fell" – Hibou
13. "Echolalia" – Yves Tumor

14. "That Life" – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
15. "Love in the Void" – Hammock
16. "amb23 -3" – Moby

Late Fall 2021 New Music Playlist

 Listen on Spotify, enjoy!

1. "Wake Me Up"  –  Foals
2. "No Choice"  –  Tame Impala

3. "Moment to Change" – Mano Le Tough

4. "Dreaming of U" – Oberhofer

5. "Where Do You Go" – Day Wave

6. "Sunrise/Sunset" – The Dodos

7. "Dream Never Dies" – Lo Moon

8. "Otomo" – Bonobo, O'Glynn

9. "White Fence Round House" – Vetiver

10. "Fisher Island Sound" – Beirut

11. "Goodbye Vista" – Deserta

12. "G2G" – The Antlers

13. "Somethin' More Than This" – Wajatta

14. "Welcome" – Jon Hopkins, 7RAYS

15. "Superstar" – Beach House

16. "Six AM" – The Album Leaf

Top 20+ Songs of 2020

Another round up with my fave songs of the year – the music that kept me somewhat sane during a very trying year – listed not by preference but how best to order them.  Listen as a Spotify playlist here. 

1. "Friday" – Real Estate

2. "You're Not Alone" – Semisonic

3. "Through the Trees" – Phantom Planet

4. "Become a Mountain" – Dan Deacon

5. "Is it True" – Tame Impala

6. "Cut it Loose" – Maxband

7. "Olympik" – EOB

8. "Love Is the King" – Jeff Tweedy

9. "The Great Divide" – The Shins

10. "Fear of Heights" – Wye Oak

11. "For Sure" – Future Islands

12. "Too Late" – Washed Out

13. "One More Second" – Matt Berninger

14. "You and I" – Caribou

15. "Videostores" – Quivers

16. "Wildfires" – SAULT

17. "Prisoners" – Doves

18. "Dear Stranger" – STRFKR

19. "Feel You" – My Morning Jacket

20. "Will You Return/When You Come Down" – The Flaming Lips

21. "All Visible Objects" – Moby

Top Ten Releases of 2020 – Plus Others Worthy of a Listen

Here's my list of the Top 10 Albums of 2020 – check them out on Spotify 

at the link here.

And this year my Fave Albums of 2020 playlist is almost 40 hours long, as I added new music worth a listen before choosing just ten. So in no particular order, here you go!

1. Tame Impala, The Slow Rush
2. Dan Deacon, Mystic Familiar
3. Caribou, Suddenly
4. Real Estate, The Main Thing
5. EOB, Earth
6. Doves, The Universal Want
7. Future Islands, As Long As You Are
8. Matt Berninger, Serpentine Prison
9. Jeff Tweedy, Love is the King
10. Moby, All Visible Objects

Winter 2020 New Music Playlist

Listen on Spotify, enjoy!

1. "Come Get Me" – Nada Surf

2. "Against the Day" – Wolf Parade

3. "Don't Waste My Time" – SAULT

4. "You and I" – Caribou

5. "Lost Day" – Other Lives

6. "In the Afternoon" – MGMT

7. "Ice Cream Party" – Modest Mouse

8. "The Main Thing" – Real Estate

9. "Posthumous Forgiveness" – Tame Impala

10. "Stress" – Tycho

11. "Non-Linear Time vs. Misshapen Space" – Say Hi

12. "Deleters" – Holy Fuck, Angus Andrew

13. "Losing Control" – Poolside

14. "Be So Blue" – Deserta

15. "Baby" – Four Tet

16. "Scene Suspended" – Jon Hopkins

Top 20+ Songs of 2019 with Spotify Playlist

Another round up with my fave songs of the year, listed not by preference but how best to order them.  Listen as a Spotify playlist here.

1. "All I Want" – Broken Social Scene
2. "Greenpoint Gothic" – Deerhunter
3. "Patience" – Tame Impala
4. "Real Tight" – Methyl Ethel
5. "Just Reflecting" – Maps
6. "Summer of '42" – Kishi Bashi
7. " Café Amarillo" – Local Natives
8. "Rylan" – The National
9. "No Bullets Spent" – Spoon
10. "Fade In Nylon" – A Beacon School
11. "New Familiar" – Steve Gunn
12. "Lava" – Still Woozy
13. "Calm Down" – Pete Yorn
14. "Treat" – Vacationer
15. "Sat by a Tree" – Dan Deacon
16. "Pool Party" – Rudy Willingham
17. "Good Luck" – Broken Bells
18. "Love is Everywhere (Beware)" – WIlco
19. "Lost Heads" – Moon Duo
20. "Running" – Teen Daze
21. "Take Care" – SASAMI
22. "Sleeper" – Trentemoller
23. "Entendre" – Eluvium

Late Fall 2019 New Music Playlist

Listen on Spotify, enjoy!

1. "Good Luck" – Broken Bells

2. "Running" – Teen Daze

3. "Sat by a Tree" – Dan Deacon

4. "When it Breaks" – Quivers

5. "lucy" – Soccer Mommy

6. "Destroyer" – TR/ST

7. "playing the long game" – Panda Bear

8. "Take Care" – SASAMI

9. "Peach Fuzz" – Caamp

10. "Tongue Kissing" – Little Dragon

11. "Come On" – Mondo Cozmo

12. "Hyperlife" – Beck

13. "Uneventful Days" – Beck

14. "Home" – Caribou

15. "It Might Be Time" – Tame Impala

16. "Temple of Sorrow" – M83

17. "Summer Rain – Instrumental" – Kinobe

18. "In the Shattering of Things" – Hammock

Spring 2019 New Music Playlist

Listen on Spotify, enjoy!

1. "Patience" – Tame Impala
2. "You Had Your Soul with You" – The National
3. "Real Tight" – Methyl Ethel
4. "Evergreen" – Wye Oak
5. "Just Reflecting" – Maps
6. "Suburban Streetlight Drunk" – Telekinesis
7. "Outside Sublime" – Westerman
8. "Sunday" – Foals
9. "Can't Catch Me" – Dr. Dog
10. "New Familiar" – Steve Gun
11. "Cafe Amarillo" – Local Natives
12. "Weird Ways" – Strand of Oaks
12. "Awake" – Tourist
13. "Without a Blush" – Hatchie
14. "Summer of '42" – Kishi Bashi
15. "Katherine" – RAC
16. "Endless Light" – Teen Daze

Romantic Songs Playlist for Valentine's Day 2017

Time to indulge in some romantic songs to provide a soundtrack for a sweet Valentine's Day. Here are some perfect tunes from the past year on my latest playlist, along with others that recently appeared on my radar or in my memory as worthy of revisiting. The playlist begins with the seductive vocals of Earth, Wind & Fire honoring the death of founder Maurice White – which made 2016 a heavy year of losses along with David Bowie, Prince and George Michael. This band was the thankful antithesis of teenage angst for me and my classmates in high school, and their music has certainly stood the test of passing decades. From there, other favorite singers are represented in song; like the sound of a loved one's voice, they are intimately connected in my musical life forever.

Listen to my Romantic Songs Playlist for Valentine's Day 2017 on Spotify here.  For further inspiration, visit my posts from past years: 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012.

1. "That's the Way of the World" – Earth Wind & Fire
2. "'Cause I'm a Man" – Tame Impala
3. "Whatever, Wherever" – Band of Horses
4. "No Surprises" – Radiohead
5. "The Soul Serene" – Villagers
6. "True Affection"  – Father John Misty
7. "Bring My Baby Back" – Dr. Dog
8. "1959"– Hamilton & Rostam (featuring Angel Deradoorian)
9. "Just Say Goodbye" – Wilco
10. "One Thing" – Beach House
11. "Hold On To Me" – Mondo Cozmo
12. "No Time to Crank the Sun" – EL VY
13. "What Part of Me" – Low
14. "Should Have Known Better" – Sufjan Stevens
15. "I Don't Want to Let You Down" – Sharon Van Etten
16. "My Sad Captains" – Elbow
17. "No Hard Feelings" – The Avett Brothers

Top Ten Releases of 2015 With Video Highlights

2015 was a great year for music, but I always seem to say that. Philly's NPR music station WXPN had a contest for The Greatest Year in Music recently with winners way back in the sixties but I couldn't even adhere to the idea... every year is worthy of the title if you open up to the idea!  That being said, 2015 started off with a blast of Kevin Parker of Tame Impala singing Mark Ronson's "Daffodils" which was only a warm up for his band's release Currents, probably my favorite of the year. Other more-than-just-pleasant surprises appeared on the scene from Blur, Mew and Deerhunter plus follow ups from Father John Misty and De Lux. Plus Jamie xx of the xx struck out on his own into the dance party fantastic as Dan Deacon continued to light up the neon covered sweat, and Matt Berninger of the National finally got to that long-discussed collabo with Brent Knopf of Ramona Falls and Menomena for a melodic free form groove. And I'm always a softie for some acoustic songs straight from the heart -- this year Ivan & Alyosha easily filled that need.

Dig into all my Top Ten Albums of 2015 as a Spotify playlist along with Other Fave Albums of 2015, and read up on my Top Ten below. Many of the video highlights are from my go-to online radio stations KEXP and KCRW, both of which are moving into larger spaces to accompany more of an audience for live sessions. But there's something about being right in the band's faces (KCRW uses a classroom at Santa Monica College while KEXP looks like large closet) without a crowd's applause, only the sweet silence of awe on my part. Thinking I'm actually going to miss this "fly on the wall" view, especially when I can catch things as they happen live. Oh well, there's still WFUV with similar constraints on space, although videos are posted weeks later.

1. EL VY, Return to the Moon 
EL VY appeared as a new band with a strange and confusing to pronounce name, as familiar band greats Matt Berninger and Brent Knopf took their friendship to another level. The sound turned into a fun ride into more stream of consciousness lyrics wryly conveyed via Berninger's mellow baritone. The pair appeared on KEXP with touring musicians in customized outfits to match the polka dots in the background. During the interview Knopf jokes about The National's "depressing music" and the reaction is just priceless, check it out  at 12:58 in the video for the entire session. Here's the melancholy song "Need A Friend" which brought a poignant end to the set.

2. Blur, Magic Whip
Blur fans couldn't believe their lucky ears when Blur released its first album since 2003. (Thanks to a cancelled festival in Tokyo, the guys were stuck with days worth of time on their hands so naturally started jamming!) With the return of the full lineup Blur was back in fine form, especially with Graham Coxon's stellar guitar riffs. Here's the video for the rockin' "I Broadcast" created with fan footage. 

3. Dan Deacon, Glass Riffer

Baltimore electronic musician Dan Deacon might sound like he's just flipping synth switches but he actually uses vocal manipulation to add a live human aspect to production and performance. Glass Riffer is Deacon's eighth album since 2000 as the dance party continues thanks to his busy touring schedule, including a stop at KCRW last spring. Listen and watch the complicated dedication behind "When I Was Done Dying" or indulge in the entire session archived online. 

4. De Lux, Generation

L.A. band De Lux provided my song of the summer with "Oh Man The Future," first featured as the Song of the Day on KCRW. The band's singer Sean Guerin brings fond memories of a lanky David Byrne, both in delivery and random references. De Lux also stopped by the KCRW studios and you can also listen to the full session from this synthpop youth sensation.

5. Deerhunter, Fading Frontier
This fall brought a seventh album from fave band Deerhunter, a collection of songs full of hopeful promise and gleaned over pop thanks to frontman Brandon Cox's being hit by a car of all things. Instead going into the dark depths of life that has also included being born with the genetic disorder Marfam syndrome, Cox has embraced life within a band and we are all the recipients of his gifts. This sweetly sung single "Breaker" has Cox sharing the lead vocals with high school pal Lockett Pundt who has long been in the band. The full live session with Deerhunter is in the KCRW archives, along with a lengthy interview with Cox.

6. Father John Misty, I Love You Honeybear

It's hard to believe Josh Tillman a.k.a. Father John Misty, was once a backup musician for Fleet Foxes. As his own frontman he commands the sound and the stage with his wacky worldview, glorious vocals and glistening guitar (listen for the first chord that provides the intro for "Chateau Lobby #4 (in C for Two Virgins" during this recorded session at the WFUV studios). 

7. Jamie xx, In Colour

Jamie Smith, member of the U.K. band xx, released an album of his side interest in dance music to much acclaim this year as Jamie xx. In this video for "I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)," there are glimpses of this dj working the controls along with the adoring crowds with his magic. 

8. Tame Impala, Currents
Tame Impala's single (if you can even call this epic 8 minute song that) "Let It Happen" lifted off into airplay last spring with its extended musical carpet ride ready for all to hop aboard. The album was released months later, full of R&B influences and synth swagger, and is now a Grammy contender for Best Alternative Music Album. 

9. Mew, +-

Danish band Mew also returned to a former lineup with success this year.  The band released its sixth album called +-, the first since 2009. While the group describes itself as "indie stadium," they squeezed into KCRW's studio for a live session this fall. I just swoon over Jonas Bjerre's angelic vocals that cut straight to the core. Listen to "Sometimes Life Isn't Easy" or the entire session and prepare to be musically moved.

10. Ivan & Alyosha, It's All Just Pretend

Seattle's five piece folk pop band Ivan & Alyosha released a sophomore album this year, with savory melodic tunes sung with hearts on those flannel sleeves. Check out this song "It's All Just Pretend" during a live session at their local station KEXP, or settle in for the entire performance to see exactly what I mean -- it's well worth a listen.

Late Spring 2015 New Music Playlist

It hardly seems right to call this Late Spring 2015 New Music Playlist when here in the Northeast, we're still waking up from the crazy, record-breaking winter. Thankfully there are just piles of new

music to be discovered, from SXSW buzz bands BORNS, COIN and Cheerleader, to prolific artists Sufjan Stevens, Zero 7, My Morning Jacket and The Helio Sequence. Australia represents with plenty of songs from down under: Tame Impala, Courtney Barnett, Au.Ra and Twerps. Enjoy new tunes by Passion Pit, ON AN ON, Purity Ring and more in this latest listening session. Listen on Spotify or as a YouTube Playlist.

1. “Run” – COIN

“Run” is the first single off the self-titled debut album from the Nashville quartet COIN. The song is full of indie pop swagger, with a sing-along intro and smooth vocals that build to a catchy chorus.

2. “Lifted Up (1985)” – Passion Pit

Michael Angelakos has another collection of synth pop anthems for his band’s third album since 2007, Kindred. “Lifted Up” is the lead single – all polished indietronica to complement his falsetto delivery.

3. “The Sunshine of Your Youth” – Cheerleader

Cheerleader is a five piece from Philly that uses lyrics to delve beneath the optimistically named songs and moniker. This is the title track to its debut album, with a power pop wall of sound that complements the low-fi vocals.

4. “10,000 Emerald Pools” – BØRNS

Singer/songwriter Garrett Borns has glam-rock looks ready made for the move from his Michigan hometown to L.A. to front a band.  The quintet just released a debut EP, Candy, full of electro rock influences and solid pop hooks.

5. “Stoic Resemblance” – The Helio Sequence

The Helio Sequence is an alt rock duo from Beaverton, Oregon formed in 1999 by Brandon Summers (vocals, guitars) and Benjamin Weikel (drums, keyboards). “Stoic Resemblance” is the lead-off track from the self-titled sixth album, with a fuzzy psychedelic laid-back vibe over a kicky beat.

6. “To Die in L.A.” – Lower Dens

Baltimore indie rock band Lower Dens has just released its third album since 2010, produced by lead singer Jana Hunter and Chris Coady (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Grizzly Bear, Beach House and TV on the Radio).  “To Die in L.A.” is the first single from the album, showcasing the quartet’s taut musical structure around Hunter’s evocative voice.

7. “Big Decisions” – My Morning Jacket

“Big Decisions” is a soaring anthem from the upcoming seventh release from My Morning Jacket, the rock band from Louisville, Kentucky formed in 1998 by singer/songwriter and guitarist Jim James. The quintet recently created enough songs to fill two future releases; the first (due in May) is titled The Waterfall.

8. “Let It Happen” – Tame Impala

This eight-minute single by Australian band Tame Impala features the indulgences of mastermind Kevin Parker, all psych rock and hip indie cool as the musical thread drops out and builds back up. “Let It Happen” was released as a free download and may also appear on an upcoming third album, Currents.

9. “Pedestrian at Best” – Courtney Barnett

Australian Courtney Barnett has just released her debut album, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, after garnering attention with a few EPs. “Pedestrian at Best” is the single from the record, featuring her stream of consciousness style of deadpan delivery over the band, a bare bones quartet. 

10. “All This Wandering Around” – Ivan & Alyosha

Ivan & Alyosha (known as I & A) is a five-piece folk pop band from Seattle, formed in 2007 by Tim Wilson and Ryan Carbary. “All This Wandering Around” is a wildly infectious song off the sophomore album, It’s All Just Pretend.

11. “Sparks” – The Dø

French/Finnish indie pop band The Dø was founded in Paris in 2005 by Olivia Merilahti (singer and musician) and Dan Levy (multi-instrumentalist).  “Sparks” – a pop-laden tune getting plenty of airplay in the U.S. –is on its third album, Shake Shook Shaken.

12. “Push Pull” – Purity Ring

Canadian electronic duo Purity Ring is back with its sophomore album, Another Eternity, embracing a dream pop credo since 2010. “Push Pull” highlights the sweet singing of Megan James amid the swaying synths curated by Corin Roddick.

13. “Rock & Roll Is Cold” – Matthew E. White

Mathew E. White is a songwriter, producer/arranger and founder of Spacebomb Records based in Richmond, Virginia. This song is off his second solo album, Fresh Blood, featuring White’s wry singing and low-key guitar work.

14. “Morning” – Au.Ra

Sydney’s new duo Au.Ra (Tim Jenkins and Tom Crandle) composes hazy soundscapes from improvised jams, as witnessed in “Morning” from the debut album, Jane’s Lament.

15. “I Don’t Mind” – Twerps

Twerps is a psych-pop quartet from Melbourne formed in 2008.  This easy-going tune, “I Don’t Mind,” hails from the group’s second album, Range Anxiety.

16. “Should Have Known Better” – Sufjan Stevens

Brooklyn-based musician Sufjan Stevens returns to his indie folk roots for Carrie & Lowell, his seventh studio album. “Should Have Known Better” is a plaintive exploration into past memories with a sparse arrangement highlighting Stevens’ wistful tenor.

17. “Last Light” (featuring José González) – Zero 7

British producers Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker formed the duo Zero 7 in 1997. They enlist the moody vocals of Swedish singer José González for “Last Light,” a melancholy song off the latest release, EP 3.

18. “Drifting” – ON AN ON

Midwestern indie rock trio ON AN ON returns with a second album, And the Wave Has Two Sides. The heartfelt single “Drifting” tackles relationship woes with a restraint that becomes unraveled in song.

ACL Music Festival 2013 Day Three Highlights - October 6

Bikes Galore Across From the Entrance

We arrived for Day Three of ACL, I could hear the powerhouse vocals of Lizzy Plapinger of New York band MS MR. Heading towards that stage, the group began the teasing percussive intro of LCD Soundsystem's "Dance Yrself Clean"  (major bonus points in my book!) They made the song their own by adding pauses and backing off the chorus -- it was a thrill to hear this fave song covered in the wide open space of Zilker Park.  With the heat already baking the field, Plapinger told the crowd to have a "face melting good time" for the rest of the day before ending the set with their first single, "Hurricane."

Grabbing some Stubbs BBQ, we sat under a tent across from Twin Forks doing a cover of "There She Was," by another fave band the Talking Heads.  (Maybe it was covers day - more bonus points!)  This alt/folk outfit has a similar sound to The Lumineers, as led by Dashboard Confessional vocalist Chris Carrabba.  We did two flybys by just walking place to place -- the country rock of Nashville based Wild Feathers and then Paper Diamond, an electronic music producer from Colorado known as Alex B.  

Getting to the Franz Ferdinand stage early for a decent spot, it felt so good to be a devoted fan again.  There's just something about seeing a band for the beginning, middle and end of their performance.  I found that the festival mantra of catching bits and pieces of a set adds up to a very difference experience musically.  Since I've loved this Scottish indie rock quartet through all four albums, I didn't want to miss a thing.

Singer Alex Kapronos sauntered on stage to huge cheers in a bright red shirt and black jeans. He picked up the mike and said merrily, "Hullo Austin!"  They launched into "No You Girls,"a the tale of romance from a male's point of view, which created instant audience participation especially with the guys in the audience.  Next up was the single, "Right Thoughts," off the new album Right Thoughts Right Words Right Action. It showed the band back in their finest form, with an infectious mix of blistering fast guitars over a dance beat with lyrics that have repeated lines or simply vowels for singing along to Kapronos' commanding vocals.  New songs such as "Evil Eye" and "Bullet" fit right into older song "Do You Want To," "This Fire," and their breakout hit, "Take Me Out."

Franz Fans

Kapranos was quite the showman, with his Bowie-esque lunges, kicking and gesturing to the audience.  When he put down the guitar, he caressed the mike and allowed himself to be quite the crooner.  But this is a band, as guitarist/background vocalist Nick McCarthy and bass player Robert Hardy joined him at the edge of the stage and everyone took turns visiting with Paul Thomson at the drum riser. To illustrate the connection to dance music, the group broke into a cover of Donna Summer's "I Feel Love" (another cover!)  The set ended with a blazing version of "Let's Get High."

Alex Kapranos

It took a while for the large crowd to disperse as we kept will the flow like cattle.  It took us past another large gathering in front of the stage with a fave chillwave musician Toro Y Moi.  I would have loved to linger but wanted to catch some of the Divine Fits way across the venue.  The band was on their last song, the smoldering "Shivers," but it was still worth it to bask a bit in local guy and Spoon frontman Britt Daniels' rock aura.

Britt Daniels

Within a minute Brooklyn based band The National took to the stage next door.  These indie road warriors seem to be everywhere lately, rolling out new songs from their album Trouble Will Find Me.  They began with the opening track, the plaintive "I Should Live In Salt" before the more moderate tempo of "Don't Swallow the Cap." Many in the crowd knew the words already and were even happier to add audience participation when their hit "Bloodbuzz Ohio" was rolled out.  Older songs "Alligator" and "England" were added in the set, which continued in the  backgound I went to check out a few songs by Phosphorescent.  Although I saw this band back in April, Alabama native Matthew Houck was under the weather so I thought take another listen.  His voice is raw and emotional anyway, finding a way under my skin whether in studio produced song or any concert performance.

Aaron Dessner & Matt Berninger 

The National

Phosphorescent

Singer Matthew Houck

Afterwards it was a quick run over to Australian psych rockers Tame Impala in time to hear my favorite songs back to back, "Elephant," and "Apocalypse Dreams." When not busy with his guitar, singer/songwriter Kevin Parker took to holding a stuffed tiger aloft to the delight of the rabid fans up front. Then I took another dash to the Phoenix stage to see the French band enter the stage to begin "Entertainment," their single off their latest album, Bankrupt! Even far from the stage, I could hear singer Thomas Mar count off their hit "Lisztomania" in French, "Un, deux, un deux trois!"

Grouplove

Tame Impala

A few songs later it was time to grab a good spot for the Atoms for Peace show.  Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke did not disappoint, rolling out the multi-layered compositions with collaborators bassist Flea from the Red Hot Chillipeppers and Nigel Godrich, long time producer for Radiohead. Yorke came to the mike center stage to begin the show with a greeting, "Hey, we're called Atoms for Peace. Pleased to make you acquaintance." With his ethereal voice, facial whiskers and stubby pony tail, he really appeared to be of another world. Plus, he really does dance like the videos!  For the encore, Yorke asked the tremendous crowd in the dark, "Guess what?" "What?" Everyone replied in unison. He said how they had two more songs, "If you want them." Yorke said with an impish smile. The audience roared with conviction as the set continued into the night, well worth it to the very end. Enjoy video highlights of the day at the end of this post.

Atoms for Peace

Atoms for Peace