Three people on this playlist are dead. Maybe this should've been my Memorial Day playlist! I kind of go where the music takes me, though, and there were a few posthumous albums (Michael Jackson, Donna Summer) released, as well as a blues tune from the 1930s that references "bull dykes"! How could I not include all that? Hope you like! To listen on Spotify click HERE.
1. Beautiful People (Curtis Harding) - Wistful soul that sounds like something Sly & the Family Stone would have released back in the day.
2. Great River Road (Ryley Walker) - Great musicianship on this one!!! Listen to this guy pluck the guitar strings.
3. It Don't Have to Rain (Blair Crimmins and the Hookers) - Jazzy ragtime. I just caught these guys in concert and they are great.
4. Crazy for You (Hedley) - A little Canadian pop with some disco flavors thrown in. I'd swear this is Nile Rodgers on guitars, but don't see him mentioned anywhere in their publicity material.
5. Love Is In Control /Chromeo and Oliver Remix/ (Donna Summer) - Chromeo is taking over the music world this summer!!! Hot on the heels of their hit "Jealous", they remix one of my fave Donna Summer songs on the tribute album "Love to Love You Donna".
6. Cold Dresses (Al Corley) - This just showed up randomly while I was listening to the 80s radio station. I thought it was Corey Hart, but turns out it was the guy from "Dynasty" (Steven Carrington) making his bid for music stardom. Not on Spotify, but to listen on YouTube click HERE.
7. Never Gonna Love Again (Lykke Li) - I would never have compared Lykke Li to Ronnie Spector (of the Ronettes) before hearing her latest album, but the wistful wall-of-sound vibe is VERY reminiscent of the 1960s girl group sound. How do you say "Baby, I Love You" in Swedish?
8. Magnolia (Lee Fields and the Expressions) - In my head, this is the companion song to "Rainy Night in Georgia". North Carolina singer channels Brook Benton in this ballad.
9. Love Never Felt So Good (Michael Jackson with Justin Timberlake) - Another great-talent-gone-too-soon is resurrected via technology. Taken from a 1983 demo and paired with former N-SYNC singer. If you'd have told me I'd live to see the day Justin Timberlake sang a Paul Anka song, I wouldn't have believed you!
10. Every Shade of You (Jim Brickman with Luke McMaster) - Easy going pop similar to Plain White T's "Rhythm of Love".
11. Enola Gay (Conor Oberst) - One of my all-time favorite lyricists is back!!! At first I thought this was a cover of the 1980s song, but this is an original composition. "The feelings come quick but they leave as soon, like the music from a passing car..."
12. B.D. Women's Blues (Lucille Bogan) - Blues from 1935. Who knew they had bull dykes (B.D. = bull dyke) back then?!
13. Busy Earnin' (Jungle) - More classic soul vibes, this time sounding like something out of the O'Jays catalogue.
14. So Good to Be Back Home Again (the Tourists) - I had these folks on last month's playlist. Annie Lennox's first band. Most of their stuff was mediocre, but a few of the tunes truly shine (like this one). It's great to hear some undiscovered Annie Lennox gems. Again, NOT ON SPOTIFY (WTF?!) but you can hear it on YouTube.
15. Freakin' Me Out (the Ready Set) - If you know me, you know I love some bubblegum pop. Indiana singer Jordan Mark Witzigreuter provides this month's dose. Don't know why he recorded under this stage name and didn't go by his real name! Witzigreuter is SO easy to pronounce and remember.
16. Miss Teen Massachusetts (Skaters) - Classic rock vibes from NYC band.
17. Let Go (RAC featuring MNDR) - That's a lot of letters! Remix Artist Collective (RAC) join NYC duo for some funky electronica.
18. Do It Again (Röyksopp featuring Robyn) - Another fruitful collaboration, this time from Scandanavia. Norwegian act Röyksopp teams up with Swedish pop star Robyn. Not sure what they're singing about but it's apparently very addictive!
So that's June! Hope everyone's summer is off to a great start! See you next month.
