Brant's December 2018 Playlist

Bah humbug!  I got visited by THREE spirits and not one of them brought music!  

Like Candy Spelling in her gift decorating room after too many Peppermint Mochas, another year is wrapping up fast!  Christmas albums began coming out back in September, but I'm still not ready for them.  Besides, there was plenty of other great music to check out - so let's get to it!  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Sylvia Says /Mind Enterprises Remix/ (Charlotte Gainsbourg) - Whether it's Breakbot (who also remixed this particular song!),  dearly departed Avicii, or DJ Snake - Europeans are masters of Electronica.  I'm totally digging this 80's flavored remix of Charlotte Gainsbourg's tune from her critically acclaimed album "Rest". 

2.  Lover Chanting (Little Dragon) - Yukimi Nagano and the gang are back with more trippy European electronica to help you dance off those Thanksgiving calories.

3.  Ride or Die (the Knocks feat. Foster the People) - I really thought after "Pumped Up Kicks" that Foster the People would be a one-hit wonder, but they continue to turn out great music, this time with American duo the Knocks!

4.  Gut Feeling (Ella Mai feat. H.E.R.) - Another powerhouse pairing that has been on heavy rotation since I first heard it.  Two R&B divas join forces for a simmering slow jam!

5.  Dream Operator (Talking Heads feat. Annie McEnroe) - It took him 32 years, but David Byrne has FINALLY released the complete soundtrack to "True Stories"!  I liked the Talking Heads' version, but something about Annie McEnroe's vocals from the film really took this song to the next level for me!  It sounds like a quirky lullaby sung to the world's coolest toddler!  The scene from the movie is probably one of my favorite 1980s movie clips ever!

6.  Winter's Day (Gunhild Carling) - I stumbled across a video of her performing "Bag Pipe Blues" at a jazz festival, and was immediately #obsessed with Gunhild.  What's not to like about a blonde bombshell with a horn???  Here, she welcomes the season with a mix of vocals and trumpet!

7.  Really Gone /Hansa Session/ (Chvrches) - Whoa.  Electronic band goes acoustic with gorgeous string renditions of songs from their latest album.  Perfect for listening as the snow falls.

8.  Flower in the Gun (Michael Franti with Victoria Canal) - One of my favorite live performers is back with a new album, and this earnest plea for world peace. I miss his "Ganja Babe" days, but this'll do in the meantime! 

9.  Messin' with Me (Northern Faces) - Indie band from Albany gets the party going again with this song from their sophomore album!

10.  New Compassion (Haerts) - German duo serves up some anthemic rock with soaring vocals.

11.  Farther Away (Sam Valdez) - LA songwriter reminds me of a female Chris Isaak with her mellow crooning and seductive guitar strumming!

12.  Feel the Same (Olly Murs feat. Nile Rodgers) - Olly is my go-to guy when I want some upbeat pop, and this partnership with Nile Rodgers only increases the fun!

13.  On the Inside (Cindy Wilson) - I'm really digging Cindy Wilson's (B-52s) solo material.  I had "Ballistic" on last August's playlist, but had to showcase this dreamy selection from last year's "Change" album.

14.  All I Needed Was the Rain (Glen Campbell) - Glen Campbell began his career recording demos for Elvis Presley!  Who knew???  Fortunately, someone dug up the recordings from 1964-68 and decided to make them available to the public.  Here, he sounds like Elvis covering a Bobbie Gentry tune!

15.  Get By (Diane Coffee) - California artist, and frequent Brantworld listee, Shaun Fleming is giving me life with this glam rock ditty!

16.  Dance Hall Days (Theophilus London) - Trinidadian-born American performs a solid cover of Wang Chung's classic, warming the original with a tropical flair!

17.  Great (IDLES) - Punk has always been a rallying cry against mainstream culture, so what a thrill to see it utilized here to call out the racist haters in the world by beloved British band IDLES.

18.  Crazy (Taichi Mukai) - I'm really getting into Asian pop!  Here, "Japanesey" artist gets our feet tappin' with some danceable R&B!

19.  Candy Cane Lane (Sia) - I had to include at least one Christmas song!  Since last year's December playlist was all vintage holiday music, I went contemporary for this year's selection.  Sia took a huge creative risk by releasing an album of original material for the season, but I think she did a great job!  I guess time will tell if any of these reach the heights of Mariah's 1994 standard ("All I Want for Christmas Is You").

So that's our last list for 2018!  Hope everyone has a festive holiday season - and stay warm!  I'll see you in the New Year!

Brant's November 2018 Playlist

New music always gets a thumbs up!  Mitch McConnell?  Not so much.  

Okay - now that Halloween is behind me and I've voted - time for a new playlist!  I actually had a tough time pulling together this month's list, due in part to the fact that all the new music seemed to be Christmas albums!!!  It's not even December, people!  Let's give everyone time to put away their Halloween decorations and enjoy Thanksgiving before we start breaking out the holly.  Plus, I always like to have had my flu shot before I start kissing people under the mistletoe.

Anyway - here's this month's list.  Last month was R&B heavy, so this month I found myself leaning towards the rock offerings.  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  You're the One (Greta Van Fleet) - I'm starting to notice some pushback from music lovers, who report that this young band's Led Zeppelin sound is starting to feel rote.  I certainly see their point, but good songs are good songs - and I'm digging this one.  Can't wait to catch them live on this current tour.

2.  Blue Again (Weakened Friends) - Maybe it's because I grew up in the age of Punk and Grunge Rock, but there will always be a place in Brantworld for this kind of unhinged female vocals and growling guitars!  Nothing weak here!

3.  Resting Bitch Face (Boy George and Culture Club) - I was lucky enough to catch them this summer on tour, and it was worth the wait.  Boy George's voice is shockingly lower in register, but all of the feeling still comes through.  The band has always been known for tackling different genres of music (bluegrass with "Karma Chameleon" and the gentle reggae of "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?"), but to my knowledge they've never done anything with this Memphis Soul vibe.  At a time when so many of the stars of the 80s are no longer with us, we're fortunate to have Boy George still around and still taking chances with his music.

4.  The Wave (Lion Babe with Leikeli47) - Funky soul workout from American duo.

5.  Tongue Tied (Earl) - This popped up on a streaming app and I was instantly #obsessed.  The swing sound of the last millennium gets a 21st century update, with glorious results! 

6.  Strawberry Lover (Mazarati) - My quest to own everything Paisley Park continues!  Mazarati is best known for the song they didn't get - Prince's signature song "Kiss".  They still managed to put together a solid album back in 1986, however.  This psychedelic soul ditty (with lyrics by Prince!) was a standout for me.  Not on Spotify, but you can listen to it HERE.

7.  Boogie All Night (Chic with Nao) - Nile Rodgers is still going strong, serving up fun, danceable grooves - this time with an assist from British singer Nao.  BTW - why did we EVER stop saying "boogie"???   

8.  Best Years of My Life (Pistol Annies) - Country supergroup returns with gorgeously despondent harmonies and tales of suburban ennui.

9.  We Might As Well Dance (Madeleine Peyroux) - I had "Party Tyme" on last month's list, but I can't get enough of Peyroux's latest album chronicling life in the modern era!  "Party Tyme" had a snarky, ironic tone - but this one soothes us with quiet resignation.

10.  1999 (Charli XCX and Troye Sivan) - Not to be confused with the Prince song "1999" (which looked forward),  this duet looks back with nostalgia at the last year of the previous millennium.  Percolating pop from two of today's most engaging artists.

11.  make you feel pretty (lovelytheband) - Handclaps and singalong chorus from LA indie band.

12.  Not Many Miles to Go (Rosanne Cash) - Introspective lyrics and a toe-tapping melody, from well-respected songwriter and Country music royalty.

13.  Are You Okay? (Winnetka Bowling League) - Wistful dream pop from LA band (Gossip Alert:  singer and songwriter Matthew Koma is Hilary Duff's baby daddy!!!).

14.  (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang (LCD Soundsystem) - Well-known Brooklyn band covers Heaven 17's frenetic political hit, which is sadly relevant again!

15.  Before You Get a Boyfriend (Phony PPL) - Delicious R&B vocals with a dash of hip hop.

16.  Heart to Break (Kim Petras) - Transgender German pop diva delivers some fearless danceable sass to burn off those Thanksgiving calories!

17.  Love Like Ours (Estelle with Tarrus Riley) - London singer closes us out with some easy reggae.

So that's November's list!  Hope everyone has a great month, and get out there and VOTE today!!!  If you need transportation - many car, bike, and scooter sharing companies like Lyft and Lime are offering discounted rides to the polls.  Or if you know a Mark Harris supporter - maybe he'll loan you his servant wife so she can drive you.  See you next month!