Late Summer 2016 New Music Playlist

I certainly did not think I’d be posting another playlist so soon. But the surprise album by new band Nice as Fuck and a new collaboration between Hamilton Leithauser and Rostam Batmanglij plus singles galore (Woods, Wilco, Jagwar Ma, Allah-las, The Head and the Heart, Father John Misty, and more) filled my inbox and online radio listening sources, so here we go again!  There are also releases from veterans The Avett Brothers and Fruit Bats to keep the summer soundtrack chill, along with some solid electronica from Mark Pritchard to zone out on a hot day. Listen on Spotify or as a YouTube playlist.

1. “In These Fine Times” – Classixx (featuring De Lux)

Production and DJ duo Michael David and Tyler Blake enlisted fellow L.A. musician Sean Guerin of De Lux to double the vocals for this breezy tune. It is off the band’s second album of electronica since 2008, Faraway Reach.

2. “O B 1” – Jagwar Ma

Australian trio Jagwar Ma are getting ready to release a follow up album since its debut in 2013, Every Now & Then. This stellar psychedelic dance rock single includes drums by Warpaint’s Stella Mozgawa.

3. “Could Be You” – Allah-Las

L.A. based surf rock revivalists Allah-Las are back with “Could Be You,” a teaser single for its third album, Calico Review.  The tune is full of signature harmonies and fuzzed out guitar, along with new additional instruments to expand the sound: viola, harpsichord and theremin.

4. “Door” – Nice as Fuck

Jenny Lewis’s latest band with Erika Forster (Savoir Adore) and Tennessee Thomas (The Like) dropped a surprise album of smirk-inducing catchy tunes such as “door.” The self-titled LP comes complete with a theme song for the new group.

5. “All We Ever Knew” – The Head and the Heart

Seattle’s indie folk band The Head and the Heart will soon release its third album since 2009, Signs of Light. “All We Ever Knew” is brimming with the optimistic attitude this six-piece is known for.

6. “They Want More” – Ages and Ages

Portland based sextet Ages and Ages just recorded a third album since 2009 at Ice Cream Party Studio, owned by Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock (he also wielded a guitar on another track). The single “They Want More” confronts commercialism with a infectious melody and trademark sing along chorus.

7. “Know Your Minute” – Woods

“Know Your Minute” is a limited edition, tour-only 7” and digital download single by this Brooklyn folk rock band formed in 2005. Led by laid-back vocals of guitarist Jeremy Earl, Woods continues on its own path of quirky Americana.

8. “If I Ever Was a Child” – Wilco

Chicago’s resident indie juggernaut Wilco has another album ready less than a year since Star Wars. The tenth LP since 1994 is called Schmilco (with a nod to Harry Nilsson’s Nilsson Schmilsson) and this single shows the softer side of the band, led by Jeff Tweedy’s melancholy vocals.

9. “Ain’t No Man” – The Avett Brothers

The Avett Brothers reunited with mega producer Rick Rubin for the North Carolina band’s ninth album since 2000, True Sadness.  This foot stomping song finds brothers Scott and Seth energetically attacking the music with an infectious beat.

10. “Throw Down Your Guns” ­– Wild Belle

Natalie Bergman’s commanding vocals on “Throw Down Your Guns” leads the charge with her bandmate/brother Elliot for this song off the band’s second full album since 2011, Dreamland.

11. “Real Love Baby” – Father John Misty

L.A.-based singer/songwriter, guitarist and drummer Joshua Michael Tillman released this lush stand alone single after two albums as Father John Misty since 2012. This melodic ode to married life is in a irresistible classic pop tune style.

12. “A 1000 Times” – Hamilton Leithauser and Rostam

“A 1000 Times” is a single by the new collaborative project between Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij and The Walkmen’s Hamilton Leithauser, highlighted by Leithauser’s earthy vocals. Batmanglij provided an assist to Leithauser’s debut solo album and the pair clearly took to the collaborative writing process well.

13. “The Industry” – Okkervil River

Brooklyn-based Will Sheff of Okkervil River has been working on another album with a different band configuration with songs about moving on and finding new beginnings. “The Industry” is the single for the eighth collection since 1998, Away, conveyed by Sheff’s original yearning vocals.

14. “Run Run Blood” – Phantogram

“Run Run Blood” is the single for the synthpop duo Phantogram’s third album since 2007, simply called Three. Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel of Saratoga Springs find a confident vibe for this epic dance tune.

15. “Birthday Drunk”­ – Fruit Bats

Chicago’s folk rock band Fruit Bats released its sixth album since 1997, Absolute Loser.  The sweet acoustic tune “Birthday Drunk” showcases the wry vocals of singer/songwriter Eric D. Johnson.

16. “Division” – Tycho

San Francisco-based ambient musician Scott Hanson, performing under the stage name Tycho, released this fluid single with the intention of another full album in the future, the fifth since 2002.  His music encompasses both lo-fi analog equipment and a futuristic electronica style, completely mesmerizing at the same time.

17. “Khufu”  – Mark Prichard

English electronic musician Mark Prichard is now working out of Australia, testing the musical boundaries with new collaborations and various genres. “Khnufu” is from his fourteenth album since 1992, Under the Sun.

A New Music Playlist with a Bit of Country Twang to Honor My Father

A recent favorite photo with my dad, Wallace B. Jansen

I've taken a month-long publishing break as my father's health declined and his final days were spent in a hospice facility, after being under the organization's care since his hospitalization last fall right after my mother died. (At the time, I put together my own funeral songs playlist as I loaded my laptop with her favorite Broadway shows and classical masterpieces.)  I brought a few of his CDs along with me, listening to the country music he loved so much as I sat by his bedside. My dad discovered this genre during his time in the U.S. Army at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, quite a culture shock for the private school boy from suburban Connecticut. How strange it was to listen to George Jones, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard without him chiming in at full volume, emphasizing the twang in the vocals.

There's a joke that if you play a country record backwards you get your wife back, your job back, your truck etc. Of course the fact that we can all relate to loss and heartbreak is part of the appeal. As I returned home with files of paperwork and boxes from my parents' house, I thought about creating a new music playlist with a big of country twang in his honor. Digging in my own archives since 2009, I pulled seventeen songs that had some down home flavor, or at least attitude. Here's the result at the link here or listen below, proving that everybody is just a little bit country when you look hard enough.

YouTube Playlist of Winter 2014 New Music Playlist Songs

In this YouTube playlist of my latest collection, there were few actual videos produced by the artists.  New music is now just being slapped up on the site as simple promotional previews, but I wish we'd be able to glimpse the band in action instead (whether hanging out or performing?)  In a basic fan to band marketing tool, it'd allow another connection to the people checking out the new tune and wouldn't even cost much by using found footage spliced together.  Ah well.

Link to listen and watch the montage here or click video below.

Winter 2014 New Music Playlist

The ground hog seems to have definitely gotten things right – winter continues with a vengeance for those who are accustomed to such weather or not (looking at you Southeast!)  Why not use the time indoors to check out new bands like Temples, Big Data and Jamestown Revival, along with new releases from Fanfarlo, Cut Copy, Gardens & Villa, Bombay Bicycle Club and more.  As always, the playlist ends in a chill out mode thanks to tracks from Caspian and Hammock.  

Link to listen here, enjoy!

1. "Free Your Mind" – Cut Copy

Australian synth pop quartet Cut Copy has released its fourth album since 2001, with songs promoting the concept of individual freedom. “Free Your Mind” is the title track and single for the collection, using swirling layers to connect the power of positivity embedded in this dance tune.

2. "Colony Glen" – Gardens & Villa

Santa Barbara indie rock quintet Gardens & Villa is back with a sophomore album, Dunes.  Working with DFA producer, Tim Goldsworthy, the song “Colony Glen” relies on a solid synth backbone for a more extroverted sound.

3. “Shelter Song” – Temples
English pysch rock band Temples was formed in 2012 by singer-guitarist James Edward Bagshaw and bassist Thomas Edison Warmsley.  The “Shelter Song” shows this new group’s taste for heavy reverb with a tuneful take on songwriting.

4. "Dangerous"  – Big Data
Big Data is an electronic pop duo (Daniel Armbruster and Alan Wilkis) that uses music as a message to rail against user privacy and other perils of the internet age.  “Dangerous” is a solid pop single from the debut EP, I.O. – EP.

5. “Landlocked” – Fanfarlo
London based indie pop quintet Fanfarlo released its third album since 2006, Let’s Go Extinct. With influences of folk, indie rock and post-punk, the song “Landlocked” highlights Swedish musician Simon Balthazar’s warm baritone over a busy mix of electronic and acoustic instruments.

6. "Tourniquet" – Jeremy Messersmith
Messersmith is a prolific singer/songwriter based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. With an unusual analogy for a love song, “Tourniquet” is a quirky but catchy tune off Murmurs, his fifth album since 
2006.

7. "Shake" – The Head and the Heart
Seattle indie folk rock band The Head and the Heart recently released its second album, Let’s Be Still. The single “Shake” is emblematic of the group’s aesthetic of sunny male/female harmonies over acoustic guitars.

8. "Red Eyes"  – The War On Drugs 
“Red Eyes” is the single off the third album since 2005, Lost In the Dream, by Philly indie rock quintet The War On Drugs. The band’s signature wall of sound via guitars brings an epic jam, for almost five minutes of group swagger.

9. "Forever" – Painted Palms

San Francisco based cousins Reese Donohue and Christopher Prudhomme recently released their debut full album as Painted Palms.  “Forever” is the title track, a multi-sectioned paean to 60s psych pop utilizing the tools of modern electronic production.

10. "Giants"  – Bear Hands

This Brooklyn indie electro quartet released “Giants” as a stand alone single. With the wavering synths, melodic guitar lines and punchy vocal delivery, the song is instantly memorable yet ready for many a replay.

11. "The Letterbomb"  – Milagres

Brooklyn’s indie rock band Milagres relies on the sweeping, artistic vision of singer and songwriter Kyle Wilson.  “The Letterbomb” combines explosive percussion and Wilson’s storytelling vocals as a teaser single for the upcoming sophomore album, Violent Light.

12. "Step Out" – José González

José González of the Swedish band Junip contributed three songs to the soundtrack of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.  For “Step Out” he embraces a cinematic approach to his indie folk songwriting, expanding the music palette with orchestral instrumentation and multi-generational vocals.

13. "Luna" – Bombay Bicycle Club

“Luna” is the single from So Long, See You Tomorrow, the fourth album by England’s indie rock band Bombay Bicycle Club since 2005.  The song features singer Rae Morris as a female counterpoint to Jack Steadman’s vocals, amid a swirling soundscape over tabla and mallets in a worldview of percussion.

14. "California (Cast Iron Soul)" – Jamestown Revival

New band Jamestown Revival joins childhood friends Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance flaunting their Texan roots in this song about moving to L.A. Their harmonies and acoustic instruments blend in an easy jam, clearly demonstrating that all ties to home clearly remain intact.

15. "Pulaski at Night" – Andrew Bird

Singer and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird recently released a seven song EP, I Want To See, based on this wistful tune referencing his home base of Chicago.  His distinctive, laid back vocals float easily over the eclectic musical arrangement.

16. "Hymn for the Greatest Generation" – Caspian

Caspian, an instrumental post-rock band since 2004 from Beverly, Massachusetts, had to regroup after the sudden, unexpected death of bass player Chris Friedrich last summer. The group went on with the tour in supporting a new EP, Hymn for the Greatest Generation. This title track opens the collection that now has even more depths of emotion.

17. "Then the Quiet Explosion" – Hammock

Hammock is an ambient post-rock band from Nashville, Tennessee, formed by two guitarists in 2005, Marc Byrd and Andrew Thompson.  They craft larger-than-life songs with live instruments, electronic beats and haunting electric guitar lines, such in “Then the Quiet Explosion” from a sixth album, Oblivion Hymns.

Starbuck's Sweetheart Compilation for Valentine's Day -- Listen via KCRW's "Album Preview "

The new collection of curated songs from Starbuck's called "Sweetheart" is now available for a listen on KCRW's Album Preview, before the release date of February 4. Beck's haunting rendition of John Lennon's "Love" is here (as featured in an earlier post), along with twelve other tracks of romantically inspired covers.

Jim James starts things off with a soulful take on Bob Marley's "Turn Your Lights Down Low" before Vampire Weekend enters in with a surprising choice of "Con Te Partiró" over a glitchy groove. Phosphorescent's familiar voice of heartbreak channel's Bob Dylan's "Tomorrow Is a Long Time" while The Head and the Heart delivers the plaintive message of Harry Nillson's song "Don't Forget Me." I'm not a fan of Valerie June's overly stylized vocals for "Happy or Lonesome," nor Fiona Apple's tortured soprano in "I'm in the Middle of a Riddle," but Brandi Carlile brings a refreshing country twang to Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain," banjo and all. Bahamas, Ben Harper and Blake Mills bring a welcome stripped-down approach to their offerings, as Thao (of Thao and the Get Down Stay Down) provides a plucky female spin for Ray Charles' "If You Were Mine."  And without a doubt, Sharon Jones closes out the proceedings with a solid take on Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" -- respect!

Link to listen here.

1. "Turn Your Lights Down Low" by Jim James (Bob Marley cover)
2. "Time To Say Goodbye (Con Te Partiró)" by Vampire Weekend (inspired by the Andrea Bocelli recording)
3. "Love" by Beck (John Lennon cover)
4. "Tomorrow Is A Long Time" by Phosphorescent (Bob Dylan cover)
5. "Don't Forget Me" by The Head and the Heart (Harry Nilsson cover)
6. "Happy or Lonesome" by Valerie June (The Carter Family cover)
7. "Always on My Mind" by Bahamas (Willie Nelson cover)
8. "If You Were Mine" by Thao (Ray Charles cover)
9. "Fade Into You" by Ben Harper (Mazzy Star cover)
10. "I'm in the Middle of a Riddle" by Fiona Apple feat. Maude Maggart (Anton Karas cover)
11. "The Chain" by Brandi Carlile (Fleetwood Mac cover)
12. "I Hope" by Blake Mills (Bobby Charles cover)
13. "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" by Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings (Stevie Wonder cover)