Hi there :)
To say I’m humbled would be an extraordinary understatement. I just returned from beers with men whom I consider to be geniuses, and had no idea they paid any attention to this blog. Turns out they do, and so do you, and that that means the world to me. That sentiment fits wonderfully with this week’s theme, which is hope and love. Sure, there’s a bit of timidness involved, but on a whole the tunes are optimistic and full of love. This past week has been full of excitement and anticipation for me, and I think this mix is reflective of that. Hopefully it greets you with the same optimism!
<3 / ∑>
1. Jónsi - “Boy Lilikoi”
I was lucky enough to see Jónsi last Friday and was blown away. It was an incredible piece of genre-bending art that words can only struggle to describe. Be sure to check the conceptual pieces here, and see the show when it comes to your town. Please.
2. Annuals - “Loxtep”
I had no idea Annuals were putting out new tunes til i found this track online. I’m excited about their growth in terms of song structure and depth of melodies, and I think this track is a prime example — a simple melody turned into a glorious track.
3. James Yuill - “No Surprise”
Ok, I’ll admit to sleeping on this one. I’ve been fed this track for an entire year before catching on. Only in the last week did I receive the full album from a friend, and within a minute of beginning to listen, another friend from Germany noticed my status message and felt the need to call out just how awesome the record was. Yes, it’s more than a little great, and this track is just the tip of the iceberg.
4. Hey Champ - “Neverest”
Chicago’s Hey Champ reengineered their two leading tracks, “Cold Dust Girl” and “Neverest,” but there’s a reason these tracks have been out over a year and continue to gain momentum. They freaking rule. Can’t wait to hear a full record from these dudes.
5. Steel Train - “Turnpike Ghost”
I’ll admit I hadn’t kept up with guys after absolutely adoring their previous album, Trampoline. Turns out they’ve continued to write infectious tracks that undoubtedly translate magically live. They’re playing a number of festivals this spring, so don’t miss them!
6. The National - “Bloodbuzz Ohio”
A friend recently said that The National sets the standard for indie rock, and I tend to agree. There’s little I can say about this song except that it’s their next release in a longstanding stream of deep yet catchy tracks that nearly everyone should be able to relate to.
7. Stornoway - “You Don’t Know Anything”
Stornoway, like Annuals earlier on this mix, are borderline guilty pleasure — their songs are not necessarily anything new or innovative, but they’re so infectiously beautiful that they’re impossible to ignore.
8. Dr. Dog - “Jackie Wants A Black Eye”
I’m still confused as to how this is such an incredible song, but I think it has to do with the melding of the infectious melody with the catchy lyrics. The fact that everyone can sing the ”you can say that we’re alone, but we’re lonely together” and ”we’re all in this together now as we all fall apart” bits without straining any sort of vocal chords, but truly mean it, is amazing to me.
9. A B & The Sea - “Down and Around”
I am unabashedly a fan of these dudes and their simple yet beautiful pop songs, and the latest song they’ve unlocked is no exception.
10. The Wailing Wall - “Dandelion”
“You sing to me like a nightingale, and I sing to you like a humpback whale.”
Nuff said, methinks :)
11. Freelance Whales - “Generator ^ 2nd Floor”
This is one of those bands that keeps coming into my life in the most random of situations, the most recent of which being this song being given away for free via Topspin (the drummer also used to live with one of my friends, among other connections). One way or another, you need this album.
12. Lissie + George Stanford - “Don’t Be The One”
Chalk this up as the best track I’ve downloaded directly from Twitter in a long time. Tis beautiful. Thanks Lissie :)
13. Blitzen Trapper - “Heaven and Earth”
This is the first single off Blitzen Trapper’s new album, and it certainly lives up to the last, if not lyrically then at least musically. More please :)
14. Generationals - “When They Fight, They Fight”
Every song on this record is a 7-9 on a scale of 10, but each are infectious enough to fool you into loving them completely and dearly. This is one of those tracks that is particularly infectious. I ignored it until I started humming it to myself walking down the street. Touche, Generationals.
15. Foxy Shazam - “Oh Lord”
It’s been a while since a rock band has broken out based on their ability to simply project the “over the top” sensation that rock n roll has traditionally embodied — I would stake The Darkness to be the most recent example — but Foxy Shazam does a helluva job to re-plant that stake and hold onto it for dear life.
yay! happy! woooooooo!
