Friday Playlist
It’s the last weekend of the summer of 2021. My new music folder seems a bit light at the moment, so we’re going to get a little nutty this week. I hope you find the nuttiness pleasing to your ears. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2LMxMwJjAazetSKaJ4GakS?si=bb12595a2fb14cb0 “Red Hill Mining Town” – U2 Through hands of steel And heart of stone Our labor day Has come…
Thoughts on “The Number Ones” of the ’80s
Tom Breihan passed a notable milestone this week in his The Number Ones series: he finished the 1980s. Most days I just glance at the comments. But Monday, as Phil Collins’ “Another Day in Paradise” closed out the decade, I read deep into them, enjoying commenters’ various picks of favorites, most hated, most overlooked, etc tracks. I don’t participate in…
Friday Playlist
We’ve reached the point in the year when it starts to hit you how deep into the calendar we are. I’m only 4-5 weeks away from starting to give early attention to my favorite songs of the year list. Yeesh. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0zvkECw31R2wGdj2iy0LuZ?si=8419b47f03ab4604 “Undone” – The Shivas I know I had heard of this Portland band in the past, but can’t say…
Friday Playlist
By the time you read this post and begin listening to this week’s tracks, S and I will be on the road, headed west towards Kansas City and a weekend wedding. To honor that occasion, these songs are inspired by the collection of music the bride-to-be gave her DJ. Plus one song required any time I go to KC. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3iRzQbi6alNQgPWjqVV3L8?si=c547663919dc4c64
Reaching for the Stars, Vol. 61
Chart Week: August 1, 1981 Song: “Don’t Want to Wait Anymore” – The Tubes Chart Position: #37, 7th week on the chart. Peaked at #35 for two weeks. The Tubes will collect residual checks until they die for one song: “She’s a Beauty,” their #10 smash from the summer of 1983. It is an absolute classic of its era; any…
Friday Playlist
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3XDii8Z8hNhmozxJ8AbntW?si=27c7fddf96e547e7 “Surrender” – Gold Star A lot of influences bubbling up in this track. I hear some Springsteen, but as if filtered through others who have used The Boss’ music as a guide over the years. There’s also a stark, story-telling feel that reminds me of some early The War on Drugs stuff. I most definitely dig. “Day I Did…
Reaching for the Stars, Vol. 60
Chart Week: August 8, 1987 Song: “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” – Whitney Houston Chart Position: #17, 13th week on the chart. Peaked at #1 for two weeks in June and July. I tend to shy away from songs that hit number one since they will get the Tom Breihan treatment over at Stereogum. I squeezed in…
Friday Playlist
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6my5Sd2DSHCoSABikBitNa?si=6141a83e266647b8 “Hard On Everyone” – Kathleen Edwards I hadn’t heard anything from Edwards in several years. Turns out she chucked her music career in 2014 to open a coffee shop in suburban Ottawa, Canada. Maren Morris asked her to cowrite some music two years ago and that recharged Edwards. Somehow I didn’t hear this track until a few weeks ago,…
Friday Playlist
A little different format this week. You will learn why below. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1wuBbYVmLRYsgjy1i9rB0F?si=056352a4429b4260 “Natural Light” – Flowertown This band went so hard for the retro sound that they put fake crackles and pops, as if you were listening to vinyl, onto it. In fact, they put those “artifacts” on every song on their new album. Which, to be honest, gets a…
Friday Playlist
Another jam-packed playlist to please your ears and your hearts this week. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0mi0T5AIfQqXbbk1awmXJE?si=071b64a23e984236 “Living Proof” – The War on Drugs Here it is, the first new TWOD song in four years! It does not hit with the same impact that the early songs from A Deeper Understanding hit with in the spring/summer of 2017. But as a side one, track…