All the Playlists

Le 4 Novembre – Brique a Braq

28 November 2017

Author says about this track: “This was a day in which I discovered some earth-shattering, horrible news, but I was comforted by my wife and some very close friends…perspective and balance became important, and I tried to capture that idea in the piece.”

Mercury – Sufjan Stevens, Bryce Dessner, Nico Muhly & James McAlister

28 November 2017

I knew I had to pick something from Sufjan for this playlist so I figured what better than this track from Planetarium, his collaborative effort with The National’s Bryce Dessner and James McAlister as well as contemporary/classical composer Nico Muhly.

Justice – Dumpstaphunk

28 November 2017

Self-proclaimed New Orleans “soldiers of funk” Dumpstaphunk broke the hiatus in their recording career last year to release this “hopeful, yet cautious” track, featuring guest star Trombone Shorty, with the lofty ambition that we might change society and “see the end of all that is wrong”.

Hey Deanie – Shaun Cassidy

28 November 2017

While there was plenty of soft rock, country rock and hard rock in the 70s, there was also a plethora of bubblegum rock. The Bay City Rollers, Leif Garrett, Donny Osmond and David Cassidy were some of the performers who belted out teen-dream lyrics. David’s image blew up when he was a member of the fictional television family band The Partridge Family…

Underwaterfall – Bearcubs

28 November 2017

For a while Bearcubs was primary known as an electronic music producer before surprising us with his first EP Underwaterfall as a vocalist. The production is dark and minimalistic. The lyrics hint at anxiety and depression issues. As the track picks up steam you realize how deep this track hits. With swirling vocals and heavy synths Bearcubs takes you under into the abyss.

Rest In Peace – Aron Wright

28 November 2017

Society does a poor job of dealing with grief, particularly in western European culture – it seems as if we’re happier to just tuck it away, not deal with it – to keep it hidden and put on the brave face.  But we all know that’s a  shitty way to cope with it, why wouldn’t we want help? 

Celebrate – Tony Allen

28 November 2017

This track is pure happiness and celebration of life. Legendary Afro-Beat drummer Tony Allen was Fela Kuti’s drummer for many years, and eventually put out several albums under his own name. Allen’s love of jazz and upbringing in Nigeria led him to fuse jazz and Yoruban rhythms to build the foundation of Afro-Beat. Returning to his early influences, he released a jazz album in tribute to the late, great Art Blakey in September of this year.

Lágrimas do Palhaço – Kamau feat. Tulipa Ruiz

28 November 2017

What do you do with the sadness when you’re in a position to make others feel good? Where do you put it when you need to hide it?

Music and any other form of art might be a great escape, but that’s the tricky point: art usually demands you to be true to yourself and get in touch with your feelings. So how are you supposed to show up a smile when you’re doing exactly the one thing who forces you to remember how much you’re feeling down?

Heavenward – Wolf Alice

28 November 2017

In recent years Wolf Alice has occasionally popped up on my radar. I thoroughly enjoyed them in 2014, when I discovered their song “She” off of their EP Blush. I bopped my head to “Fluffy,” one of the lead singles off their debut Your Love is Cool. But I didn’t really love them until Visions of a Life, their sophomore record. 

Rockabilly Funeral – Bill Kirchen

28 November 2017

Here we have it folks…. The undisputed King of Diesel-Billy or as he was known in the 70’s as “The Titan of The Telecaster”.

I have no doubt, that all of you car lovers out there know why Bill’s “Rockabilly Funeral” has made an appearance….

Dark Child – Marlon Williams

28 November 2017

Marlon Williams uses a very unique narrative type when writing lyrics for his songs. Sometimes he sings from the perspective of made up characters, but in Dark Child, he sings as himself as he ponders what it might be like to have a child. He looks at himself and how his child will grow up to have the same doubts and slightly depressing outlook on life he does. The song takes an interesting shift when he says, “Looking in from the outside.” Take a listen for yourself.

Close To Me – The Cure

28 November 2017

She can hear the tiny voice now, it has always been there talking, telling her.  Stirring until awake, the eyes of the tiny voice are open, she is ready to roar. Her time spent with a candle in the dark to find that voice in the distance has paid off, she can hear her, she is her. I have waited hours for this, I’ve made myself so sick….. It is ironic that we surely know ourselves the most, but when feeling fragmented, I know I don’t always feel….Close to me.