My Five Song Playlist

1.

“Quo Vadis” - Lower Dens (Escape From Evil)

 I love Jana Hunter's voice and her lyrical melodies. There's a visceral quality to Lower Dens that sends you to another time. 'Quo Vadis' translates as 'where are you going?' and you can hear that sentiment in the lyrics and the yearning of the song. 'Escape From Evil' as a whole is a great album and totally worth a listen.

2.

“Off You” - The Breeders (Title TK)

 Released in 2002, 'Title Tk' is The Breeders third studio album. 'Off You' encapsulates the intimate and somber feel that is portrayed in much of 'Title Tk'. All you get is Deal's voice, guitars and bass. It's this rawness that showcases the minimal beauty of The Breeders and it's definitely may favorite off the album.

3.

“The Manx” - The Donkeys (Ride The Black Wave)

 Sounding like a lost track from "Endless Summer', 'The Manx' is lush surfy, guitar goodness. The Donkeys are a great kickback band and I love playing them when I'm sketching or writing. Their sound hearkens back to The Ventures-era surf rock and reminiscent of the cool breeze off the Pacific Ocean.

4.

“I Wish For You” - LAKE (The World Is Real)

I'm for sure a sucker for sweet songs and they don't get much sweeter than 'I Wish For You' by LAKE. At this point in my life, LAKE is an indelible musical aspect of my daily routine. So much so that I'm pretty sure my ears are full of cavities and they'll soon be coming to take a foot from diabetes. If you're ever feeling a'funk, play this song and it'll either get you to the root of the issue to take you away to sunnier pastures.

5.

“Meridian” - Bye Bye Bicycle (Compass)

Bye Bye Bicycle is one of the bands I discovered thanks to Pandora. They're a Swedish band who have a great ensemble sound that ranges from a slight disco feel to a more traditional indie sound. 'Meridian' is superb instrument and a great way to end the playlist. The guitars are perfect, the percussion on point and the saxophone is not overbearing. The band is awesome and their music is very eclectic. You can check out the bands website here for more.

My Five Song Playlist

(Songs randomly assembled by Spotify or iTunes.)

1.

"Ode to Viceroy" - Mac Demarco (2)

 With strung out guitars and lazy-eyed vocals, 'Ode To Viceroy' is Mac Demarco's love proclamation to Viceroy brand cigarettes. The guitars are what I like the most about this track. They're in an off-kilter Indie Pop style that Demarco has deemed "Jizz Jazz", which is altogether fitting with its grungy yet melodic sound. Demarco is like that greasy guy who you discredit as just being another hipster junky until he picks up a guitar and starts singing. There's a nonchalance about him that betrays the thoughtfulness and sensitivity of his music.

 2.

"Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow" - Strawberry Alarm Clock (Incense & Peppermints)

This track definitely hails from my hardcore stoner days(daze). Every Strawberry Alarm Clock song is like a drug trip that skips the scary shit and cuts to the mellow, cool experiences. With lyrics featuring lines about "mushroom dreams" and "distorted dreams", It's pretty obvious what this song is about. I don't really have to say much about 'Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow', it pretty much speaks for itself. 

Smoke 'em, if you got 'em.

3.

"Sneakin' Out the Hospital" - Beastie Boys (Hello Nasty)

Hello Nasty always reminds me of cruising with my older brother in his Mitsubishi Gallant looking for trouble. Three years separated my twin brother and I from my older brother, so in a lot of ways we looked to him for "guidance", and above all, music. The dark, mellow and trippy feel of this song did well to punctuate nights aimlessly driving around looking for a new skate spot. Mix Master Mike definitely knew how to assemble a mighty beat that could easily stand on its own.

4.

"Saturnine" - Polaris (Music from the Adventure of Pete & Pete)

The Adventures of Pete & Pete is easily my favorite Nickelodeon program. Everything about the show was quirky and very much of the 90's era. Aside from the bizarre storylines and strange characters, I always remember the music. The creators of the show had a way of imbuing each episode with an odd sense of nostalgia and the sound of the "fake band" Polaris was a perfect match. The nuances of each song are impeccable and the lyrics were far more mature than you'd expect from a kids show. I love that this song opens with the line, "There's only roses in here" and then goes on to talk about being a relationship with someone who just isn't on the same level as you emotionally. I was happy when this album was released back in 1999 and it's been on every playlist I've created since.

5.

"Madagascar" - LAKE (Let's Build A Roof)

I honestly have no idea what this song is about, but it's hella mellow and I'm pretty much sold on that all by itself. I think it's about making music or getting fucked up or both, but it's a groovy track with a great melody and laidback vocals. Everything about this song is in the right place and that's pretty much true about all of LAKE's music. If you're looking for kick-back music, this is your band.