Brant's October 2018 Playlist

New music.  Some sweet new headphones.  What could possibly go wrong?

Well, here we are with September behind us, and only three months left in 2018.  What's been going on?  Brett Kavanaugh is pursuing his seat on the Supreme Court like Michael Myers pursuing Jamie Lee Curtis, which is surprisingly on point since "Halloween" premiered 40 years ago this month.  I've also got some killer new songs to share.  This month I seemed to gravitate towards jazz and R&B numbers, so grab some candy corn and settle in for some smooth beats and funky basslines.  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Love Just Ain't Enough (Kara Marni) - London artist emotes over tribal beats and a cowbell!

2.  Whathegirlmuthafuckinwannadoo (the Coup with Janelle Monáe) - I would follow Janelle Monáe anywhere!!!  Here she's serving groovy old-school soul that would make Betty Wright proud!

3.  You're Somebody Else (flora cash) - Husband and wife duo made their American TV debut with this song on "The Late Late Show with James Corden" back in August.  Dreamy vocals over minimal instrumentation.

4.  Party Tyme (Madeleine Peyroux) - Peyroux is another artist I've grown to love over the years.  Her new album "Anthem" deals with the challenges of modern-day life, and this one is a slightly dark/slightly humorous take on life in rehab.

5.  Tieduprightnow (Parcels) - German band has clearly been listening to their parents' Nile Rodgers/Chic disco records!

6.  Count on Me (Jefferson Starship) - Founder and lead singer Marty Balin died this month.  He had a tempestuous history with the band, but there's no denying they made great music together!  RIP.

7.  Run Run (RAY BLK) - Reggae-tinged song details the singer's experiences on the streets of London.

8.  Adeus America (Susannah McCorkle) - I'm not sure where I heard this song, but Pandora or Spotify or somebody suggested it to me and I was immediately hooked to its easy samba beats.  Sad to hear the singer committed suicide back in the early 2000s.

9.  You Used to Hold Me So Tight /Club Mix/ (Reel People feat. Angela Johnson) - One of my fave Thelma Houston songs gets a fantastic update!

10.  Comeback (Ssion) - I had "Tell Me About It" on last month's playlist, but there was too much deliciousness on Ssion's newest album not to include another selection for October.

11.  New Birth in New England (Phosphorescent) - References to beer?  Tropical beats?  I think it's fair to compare this to Jimmy Buffett, in all the best ways!

12.  Here I Am (Dolly Parton with Sia) -  I would never have put these two together, but they make magic!!!  An update of Dolly's 1971 ballad.

13.  Dope Queen Blues (Adia Victoria) - Nashville-based singer delivers some bluesy soul.

14.  100 Miles and Running (Logic feat. Wale and John Lindahl) - I don't usually put a lot of hip hop on my lists, because frankly I don't feel like I'm a good judge of it - but I do know what I like!  Logic and friends serve up some lightning-fast rhymes over Incredible Bongo Band's "Apache".

15.  Dust /Dimitri from Paris vs Cotonete Discomix/ (Gizelle Smith) - French collaborators Dimitri from Paris and Cotonete transform Gizelle Smith's funky soul workout into a sizzling disco jam that would've gotten the Studio 54 crowd moving!

16.  Lucretia My Reflection (Sisters of Mercy) - I always like to have a Halloween song on my October playlists, and pretty much any Sisters of Mercy song fits the bill.  FULL DISCLOSURE:  I used to think the chorus was saying, "Vampire down!!!"  (It's really saying "Empire down")  Still works for Halloween, though, since they later ask to "dance the ghost with me"!

So that's October.  Hope everyone has a safe and spooky Halloween, and I'll see you next month!

Brant's September 2018 Playlist

Clearly Bill preferred Ariana Grande's tribute to Aretha over mine!

Okay, ideally I would've liked to have had this out before the holiday weekend but it just wasn't in the cards.  Virgos hate to be late, and I am no exception.  But I'm here now and hopefully this month's batch of songs will be so delicious that you'll forget their tardy arrival.  We've got some returning favorite dishes, some criminally out-of-print treats, and some tasty morsels from the Far East!  So without further adieu, let's dive in.  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  New Fire (Pretty Sister feat. MarcLo) -  Pretty Sister is the stage name of Zak Waters, and he's serving up some West Coast funk to get the party started!

2.  love4eva (LOONA/yyxy feat. Grimes) - From the West Coast to the Far East!  I'm pretty much on board for anything Grimes does, and this bubblegummy K-pop confection is no exception!

3.  Enemies (Lauv) - San Francisco artist had a hit with "I Like Me Better" and this minimalistic R&B number is from the same album.

4.  Body Talks (the Struts feat. Kesha) - I am SO digging free-range Kesha!  Seems like she's just doing whatever floats her boat, and this collaboration with British rockers the Struts is electrifying! Can't wait to see what she does next.

5.  If Not Now When (Aaron Lee Tasjan) - Indie rocker seems to be channeling George Harrison on this latest single! 

6.  Fascinating Rhythm (Tony Bennett with Diana Krall) - Tony Bennett sounds better at 92 than I've EVER sounded in my entire life.  He's got a new duet album coming out with Diana Krall, and if this first single is any indication - it's going to be divine!

7.  Laughter On My Mind (Helen Terry with Boy George) - After seeing Culture Club in concert this summer, I started digging into their music catalog.  I never realized that backup singer Helen "Church of the Poison Mind" Terry had released a solo album ('Blue Notes') in 1986.  For some reason, this particular song wasn't included!  It was the B-side to one of her first singles, and was out of print for years until a 2009 limited edition reissue of 'Blue Notes' included it as a bonus track. How this song was never a hit is beyond me.  Not on Spotify, but you can listen to it HERE.  Helen is no longer making music, but she certainly made her mark in the brief time she was recording.

8.  The Falls (Nic Pool) - Bluesy vocals over a percolating electronic backdrop, perfect for enjoying some of these gorgeous late-summer sunsets!

9.  Missing U (Robyn) - Robyn is back!!!  Hopefully a new album won't be far behind.

10.  Gimme! Gimme!  Gimme! A Man After Midnight (Cher) - The queen is back, and doing an entire album of ABBA songs can only mean great things for the dance floors of 2018!

11.  I Don't Want to Love You Any More (LANY) - Another personal fave band that I'm happy to see return with new music!  Easygoing dreampop with a wistful edge.

12.  It Might Get Dark (White Denim) - Austin, Texas band throws down some classic 70s-style rock that would fit on any Bachman-Turner Overdrive album!

13.  Don't Stop Believin' (Juliana Hatfield) - I'm still digging Juliana's sublime album of Olivia songs!

14.  Any Other Way (Jackie Shane) - I can't remember how I stumbled across this - but Jackie has an amazing story.  She was a transgender soul singer who left the Jim Crow South to find success in 1960s Toronto.  Her recorded works were painstakingly compiled and released in one volume last year.  Read more about her HERE.

15.  Deep Shadows (Nightmares On Wax feat. Sadie Walker) - A chill electronic remake of Little Anne's 1967 ballad.

16.  Every Girl Wants My Guy (Aretha Franklin) - Le sigh.  I still can't believe the Queen of Soul is gone.  I considered putting one of her timeless 1960s classics on this month's playlist - but instead decided to go with one of the early 1980s jams that first put Aretha on MY radar.  It was dance/funk tunes like this that made me a fan when I was a young teenager!  RIP

17.  Tell Me About It (Ssion) - "My Love Grows in the Dark" has been a fave song of mine for years, so I was psyched to see Ssion had some new stuff coming out.  This particular tune continues in the same danceable groove I first fell in love with all those years ago!

18.  Bliss (Kahoru Kohiruimaki) - Back in 1989, Prince contributed two songs to Kahoru Kohiruimaki's "Time the Motion" album.  It was only released in Japan, so getting a copy here in the USA has been next to impossible!  Thanks to a fraternity brother of mine who was traveling overseas - I can finally say I own it.  Both songs were good, but this one especially is a solid jam.  Not on Spotify, but you can listen to it HERE.  I wonder if it was an outtake from the 'Batman' soundtrack Prince was working on around this same time?

So that's September's playlist!  Apologies once more that it was late.  Hope everyone had a safe Labor Day weekend, and I'll see you next month!