Brant's January 2018 Playlist

"Am I to understand there is no beverage service on this flight?"

Baby New Year is fast approaching!  No word on whether he's bringing good luck and good fortune, but there do seem to be some new tunes for us!  This month's batch includes some new stuff from familiar bands, some Japanese Wallpaper AND Breakfast,  and other goodies!  Hope you enjoy.  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  My Only (The Pains of Being Pure at Heart) - Dreamy Indie Pop from NYC band.

2.  Meet on the Ledge (Greta Van Fleet) - My fave new rock band covers Fairport Convention's 1969 hit and drags it out of the commune and into the arena! 

3.  Permanent (Kygo feat. J. Hart) - No sophomore slump for this Norwegian artist!  This is from his second studio album and features Grammy nominated British singer J. Hart on lead vocals. 

4.  Baby Blue (Dusty Springfield) - I've heard "Dusty in Memphis" but was unfamiliar with "Dusty at the Disco"!  I stumbled across this on a compilation album of disco tunes.  This 1979 recording never made it onto any of her albums, so it's been something of a rarity. 

5.  Make It Work (Prince Charlez) - Prolific songwriter, who has worked with Rihanna and Usher, steps into the spotlight with this seductive slow jam. 

6.  Diving Woman (Japanese Breakfast) - We had her on November's playlist, and Michelle Zauner is back with more trippy beats to keep the New Year's Eve party going! 

7.  Time (Shy Luv) - I'm completely smitten with the old school R&B flavors on this London group's single!  Makes me want to put on some baggy pants and do the Smurf!

8.  Forces (Japanese Wallpaper feat. Airling) - Mellow electronica I first heard on a Pandora station.   Reminds me of some of the chill artists (Lamb, Frou Frou) from the early 00's.

9.  Better Than I Used to Be (Mat Kearney with Afsheen) - Folk singer/songwriter experiments with some electronic vibes on this new tune. 

10.  What Lovers Do (Maroon 5 feat. SZA) - Seasoned hitmakers team up with 2017 "It" Girl SZA  for this bouncy pop tune.

11.  Wild Fire /Live version/ (Laura Marling) - This is off the Deluxe edition of her album "Semper Femina".  I think I prefer it to the studio version - there's an edge to the live performance that I'm not hearing in the original.  Reminds me of some of Michelle Shocked's early stuff.

12.  What's New? (Keely Smith) - Best known for her material with husband Louis Prima, Grammy winning Jazz singer Keely Smith was just as compelling and enjoyable as a solo artist.  I was saddened to hear of her death this month.  This particular song wasn't on Spotify for some reason, but you can hear it here.   RIP

13.  Sign (VHS Collection) - Combining elements of New Wave, disco, and Indie pop - this NYC band delivers a gorgeous melancholy ballad! 

14.  Jester and June (Craig Finn) - Frontman of the Hold Steady serves up some quirky rock storytelling on his latest album, full of darkly tragic characters and top-notch songwriting. 

15.  Femmebot (Charli XCX feat. Dorian Electra and Mykki Blanco) - I think if I had to pick, Charli XCX would be my favorite contemporary pop diva.  I don't always love everything she does, but I love the way she brilliantly straddles the line between being accessible and a rebel.  This latest tune is way heavy on the beats and autotune, spinning wildly and deliciously out of control - like the last few hours of your New Year's Eve party! 

16.  United State of Pop 2017: How We Do It (DJ Earworm) - I always toss in a mashup of the best hits of the previous year, and was thrilled when my friend Mitch told me DJ Earworm's was out.  Not on Spotify, but you can hear it and download for free on Soundcloud. 

So that's the first playlist of 2018.  It's a few days early, but I wanted to go ahead and get this published prior to the holiday weekend.  Hope everyone stays safe, and I'll see you in the New Year!