My 5 Song Playlist (and we're back!)

My 5 Song Playlist

Well it's been quite awhile since I last posted. I have many excuses, but honestly I kind of lost interest. I'm not even sure if anyone really reads this thing. Regardless, here's my 5 Song Playlist. These are tracks that I feel lend well to the passing of Winter into Spring. Although, here in Arizona it's already starting to feel like Summer. These tracks can be found on the Spotify playlist at the bottom of the post & each song title is also a link to a corresponding YouTube video.

Without further ado...

I.

"The Not Real Lake"

Loving, Loving (2016)

Hailing from British Colombia, Loving is the collaboration of Jesse Henderson, David Parry and Lucas Henderson. One can't help but think of greats like The Velvet Underground when listening to this track. With it's awkward ennui and existential lyrics, 'The Not Real Lake' leaves you uncertain of which emotions are conjured by its lo-fi sounds. Definitely a perfect song for musing about the passing of time or enjoying a spring afternoon with friends.

II.

"Bones"

Crumb, Crumb (2016)

Sweet and lackadaisical, 'Bones' by Crumb is simply put a really cute song that manages to amalgamate jazz, psych and indie rock perfectly. Off their self-titled album, the cadre known as Crumb weave together dreamy keys, jazzy guitar riffs and smooth bass lines that almost seems to melt like caramel in the summer sun. Shifting through time measures in a freeform manner that mirrors the daydream spoken about in the lyrics, this song encapsulates feelings of a love written on the back of an old Polaroid. It's basically your typical amorous pining done in an atypical way.

III.

"We Had to End It"

Cuco, Songs4U (2017)

With its blending of Hip-Hop and 50's Pop-rock, 'We Had To End It' drifts off into the metaphorical sunset of life like so many lost loves and broken hearts. Hawthorn, California's Cuco styles himself as a mixture of 70's & 80's Psychedelic music, which I'd say isn't too far off the mark. I can easily imagine someone driving through the streets of LA after a break-up playing this jam and trying to move on. It's as if the pleasantry of the song itself is a sort of consolation for something that can never truly be replaced.

IV.

"Star Fruits Surf Rider"

Cornelius, Fantasma (1997)

After it's 1997 release, Fantasma has gained a massive cult following worldwide. So much so, that it garnered a world tour preceding a twenty year rerelease. A show I was privileged enough to see here in Tucson, AZ. 'Star Fruit Surf Rider' is easily one of my favorite tracks off the album and the accompanying projection show during the live performance was equally amazing. The song's structure alternates between a mellow organ driven melody with soft lyrics to a faster Indie Pop chorus, embodying the fast-slow styling popular at the time in 90's music. Keigo Oyamada's use of genre mixing definitely shows through in this remarkable song.

V.

"Peace of Mind"

Shakti with John McLaughlin, Natural Elements (1977)

World Fusion Music often has a tendency of verging on the cheesy or encumbered. This is not the case of the band Shakti. Fusing John McLaughlin's guitars with L. Shankar's sorrowful violin, 'Peace of Mind' is a subtle yet moving instrumental and a perfect way to end this playlist of mixed genre and deep emotions. This track without words is something that should be felt with the heart and the soul. With that, I leave you to enjoy....

Music Video Monday

Iron & Wine - "Everyone's Summer of '95"

Passenger - “David”

Caribou – Can't Do Without”

Owen Pallett - “The Sky Behind The Flag”

Brittany Campbell - “Heroes”

RATATAT - “Cream on Chrome”

My Five Song Playlist: Hip-hop Edition

1.

"Juicy" - Notorious BIG (Ready To Die)

 

You can't have a Hip hop playlist without Biggie. With an amazing flow and beats produced by Sean "Puffy" Combs, BIG was the epitome of East Coast Rap. He was larger than life. The thing I love about 'Juicy' is it plays like an origin story. It opens with a dedication to his doubters and then goes into the the beginnings of his dreams reading magazines. 'Juicy' then goes onto his life of drugs and crime. "The Hustle" was definitely real for this young black man growing up poor in Brooklyn. The song concludes with the fame and riches he amassed through his struggles. What I love the most about this track is the message in the chorus about never giving up on what you want and following through with your dreams.

Sample Shout Out: "Fruity Instrumental" - Mtume

2.

"Dead President II" - Jay-Z (Reasonable Doubt)

With an estimated net worth of $520 Million dollars, Jay-Z knows a thing or two about "dead presidents". This track is somewhat typical of the genre, in that it's content is mostly boasting about wealth and street cred. I'd probably get a lot of hate for saying this, but I don't think it's the greatest written hip hop track ever. That being said, it's a testament to Jay-Z's abilities as a rapper to create a flow around clunky lyrics. Aside from Jay-Z's skills as a rapper, the thing I enjoy the most about this track is the production value behind the melody and beat. Produced by Ski Beatz, you can really tell his handle on the craft by listening to him talk about the process of creating it (which you can see here.)

Side note: The chorus features vocals from rapper Nas off his 'The World Is Yours' hit and sparked a long standing feud between the two that lasted up until 2005.

Sample Shout Out: "A Garden Of Peace" - Lonnie Liston Smith

3.

"Lovin' It (feat. Joe Scudda) - Little Brother (The Minstrel Show)

 Another great track with a great beat. 'Lovin' It' is off 'The Minstrel Show' by rap trio Little Brother, which I consider to be one of the best hip hop albums in the last fifteen years. The lyrics are coherent, albeit, a bit more boastful than I care to enjoy, but they're clever and the rhyme scheme is nearly flawless. The album 'The Minstrel Show' is a concept album that satirizes television programs and stereotypes of modern Hip hop culture and the music industry. Comparing current trends in the demographic as being similar to that of the minstrel shows of the past. It's a smart album and indicative of the underground nature of the group. Little Brother is truly an underrated group and maybe that's for the best.

Sample Shout Out: "One Night Affair" - The Stylistics

4.

"Heaven & Hell" - Raekwon (Only Built For Cuban Linx...)

Featuring fellow Wu Tang Clan member Ghost Face Killer, 'Heaven & Hell' is a philosophical journey into the psyche of those who grew up in poverty and saw violence as a means of protection and survival. The lyrics are pretty straight forward and there's hardly any wordplay to suggest any other meaning. The tempo is slow, the groove is somber and the rapping is cold and almost nonchalant. It's hard for most to understand why violence occurs in impoverished, Black communities and I could go on about the socioeconomic ramifications of historical trauma, but as my friend Julian always says, "that's not for here". Easily one of the greatest hip hop tracks of all-time, 'Heaven & Hell' is a hip hop classic for many reasons.

Sample Shout Out: "Could I Be Falling In Love" - Sly Johnson

5.

"Do For Love" - 2Pac (R U Still Down [Remember Me])

 Infidelity, love, trust and strong emotions are staples of 2Pac's songs and those themes are all featured in 'Do For Love'. Posthumously released after the tragic death of Tupac Shakur and with the artist's mother's blessing, the track features Eric Williams of Blackstreet off the 'R U Still Down (Remember Me)' album. This song and its music video always reminds me of the television channel The Box, which used to feature popular music of the time that viewers could request via telephone. It has a simple yet affective bassline and sampled vocals from Bobby Caldwell's "What You Won't Do For Love". Pac was a master lyricist and talented rapper, his rhyme scheme was impeccable and every track he laid down was of superior quality.

Sample Shout Out: "What You Won't Do For Love" - Bobby Caldwell

My Five Song Playlist

1.

"Ojai Valley" - Teeel (Amulet)

Sounding a bit like Com Truise with vocals, Teeel came about at the tail-end of the "Chillwave" scene. New Jersey native, singer & producer Jim Smith has a good handle on synth music and he has a great voice. To me 'Ojai Valley' has a slight 'Eyes Without A Face' feel to it and that makes it that much more enjoyable.

2.

"Daydream" - Youth Lagoon (The Year of Hibernation)

Another music act I've had the pleasure of seeing live, Youth Lagoon (aka Trevor Powers) sounds just as good, if not better, live. 'Daydream' is a multifaceted musical experience accentuated by Powers' "worbly", youthful voice and his use of electronic equipment. Just when you think this track is taking you somewhere it goes into another direction all the while keeping you feeling like you're on the same journey.

3.

"Pink Stones" - Memory Tapes (Seek Magic)

One of the more ambient tracks off 'Seek Magic', 'Pink Stones' has a cool arpeggiated sound, with a trance-like beat that slips into a more textural feel. Like 'Daydream', 'Pink Stones' is also a miniature musical journey. It's a fun instrumental that leaves you fairly satisfied with it's four minute run time.

4.

"Over the Ice" - The Field (From Here We Go Sublime)

'From Here We Go Sublime' is probably one of the best electronica albums to come out in the past ten years. Swedish artist Axel Willner has this amazing ability of taking micro-samples from songs, adding minimal beats and creating some of the most emotionally impactful music. There's a lot to like about 'Over The Ice' in my opinion, but for me the best part is the vocal samples. There's something so cool yet grounding about The Field that makes you want to listen to more.

5.

"Dreary Moon" - Big Black Delta (Big Black Delta)

 'Dreary Moon' sounds like something from a David Lynch movie. It's beautiful and in some ways eerie and strange. The simple bassline and percussion matched with electronic strings build to amass a dreamy love song. The album 'Big Black Delta' by Big Black Delta has a lot of great tracks and this is one of my favorites.

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.

no-fi, hi-5.

WELL, this is my first blog posting. It's exciting; I've never really blogged on a blogging site before. What to write about.......hmmmmmm?

I know!

What's always on my mind?

Music!!

Recently, I've gotten into the musical genre of no-fi. Which in itself isn't a genre, but rather the lack there of.

"What's no-fi?", you ask. Well if you shut up for five seconds, I'll tell you...

No-fi is short for no-fidelity, which in dumb-people speech means "low to no budget or high production".

Meaning???

Well, it means that all you get is the artist's musical vision minus the bells, whistles and overall hype. The Industry or "the biz" as we call it, is ruining the sonic landscape with superficial lyrics and convoluted, pop musical sensibilities.

REVOLT!!!

Good examples of no-fi:

Washed Out
Toro y Moi
Best Coast
Pearl Harbour

Hope you enjoy and thanks for reading my first blog entry,
-PonyBoy