Brant's August 2019 Playlist

It would be a cat-astrophe to start a new month without some purr-fectly curated music!

Welp, this summer brought us a lot of scary stuff:  Season 3 of Stranger Things, Katy Perry dressed as a cheeseburger, and the CATS movie trailer!   All of these things involved terrifying transformations (Townspeople morphing into a giant spider!  CGI cats!!!) .  Thank goodness there was music to remind me that change doesn't always have to be scary.  A good remix can totally make a song better, so this month I focused on some fun remixes.  There's also some returning favorite artists and a few choice cover songs.  Hope you enjoy.   To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  You Mean the World to Me /Vertue x Franklin Radio Mix/ (Freya Ridings) - Our first remix brings to mind fellow British artists London Grammar!  The original was a ballad with piano accompaniment, but the remix gives Ridings' pristine vocals a peppy jolt of adrenaline!

2.  Take Me Back (Morgan Saint) - Quirky New Yorker serves up some ethereal vibes from her appropriately named debut album "Alien"!

3.  The Get Up /Miguel Campbell Edit/ (Kayex) - Remix #2.  My goddaughter turned me on to this!  Funky soul that sounds like an updated Dazz Band!

4.  Wished Out (Carl Broemel) - This has a psychedelic 1960s rock sound that I was totally digging!

5.  Idle Crown (Queen Zee) - I had these guys on last month's playlist and simply had to add another song by this irreverent punk band!

6.  Pop Life (Dump) - This is from 2001, but I only heard it for the first time last month while I was browsing Prince cover songs.  It totally captures the wistfulness of the lyrics.  Not on Spotify, but you can listen to it HERE.

7.  Wanna Come Down (Ibibio Sound Machine) - Another repeat artist from previous playlists.  This afro-funk band knows how to get the party started!!!

8.  Sure Don't Miss You (BUNT. feat the Dip) - Remix #3.  German duo takes the Dip's 2017 retro-rock tune and gives it the lounge treatment.  I fully expect this to be used by Wall Street to advertise either shoes or an Apple product at some point!

9.  Blame It On Your Love /Kat Krazy Remix/ (Charli XCX) - Remix #4.  This song has gone through numerous transformations.  It first appeared on Charli's 2017 EP "Pop 2".  She later added a new version with Lizzo to her 2019 album "Charli".  This is the Kat Krazy Remix.   The downside:  this remix edited out Lizzo (Why?????).  The upside:  it's WAY more fun than the reggaeton album version.

10.  Mirror (IDER) - London female duo harmonizes over mid-tempo beats.

11.  Seventeen (Sharon Van Etten) - This tune by rock veteran Van Etten reminds me of a female Bruce Springsteen!  Must be a New Jersey thing!

12.  Turn to Hate (Orville Peck) - Finally the gay cowboy that Brokeback Mountain promised us!  I'm totally loving the mashup of classic country and queer theatricality.  Hope I get to see him live on stage someday.

13.  Have You Ever Seen the Rain (Paula Nelson with Willie Nelson) - For some reason, Big Little Lies used a re-recorded version of this father-daughter duet during their Season 2 Finale, but I'm partial to the 2010 original!

14.  Late Night Feelings (Mark Ronson feat Lykke Li) - Glittery disco with Lykke Li's tasty vocals.

15.  Remind Me (Lipstick Gypsy) - Justin Timberlake-approved band gives us a delicate slow jam that definitely has some JT vibes.

16.  I Been (Ari Lennox) - Is Ari Lennox this generation's Millie Jackson?  Classic soul that is NOT safe to play at work!  I do wish we had the option to leave out the monologue at the end.  In these days of streaming, why can't we have the chatter as a separate track???

17.  Feels Right (Carly Rae Jepsen with Electric Guest) - I adore Carly and so I couldn't resist tossing in one last irresistible song from her latest album to close out this month's list! 

So that's August!  Hope everyone's summer ends on a good note and I'll see you in September!

Brant's July 2019 Playlist

TFW people seem more interested in Instagramming the road trip than listening to your latest playlist!

I'm a few days behind on this month's playlist - mainly because June kicked my arse.  The a/c went out along with a few other issues - so browsing music had to take a back seat.  Anyway, I've managed to keep things afloat for at least a little while longer, so here's a soothing mix of cool tunes and interesting covers to enjoy in your climate-controlled living space.  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Human Beings (the Wind and the Wave) - One of my fave bands is back, so it seemed only natural to have them get us going.  Plaintive vocals over a New Wavey beat that reminds me of Aimee Mann's Til Tuesday days. 

2.  Sisyphus (Andrew Bird) - Another selection (see April's playlist) from Andrew Bird's latest!  This one is giving me classic John Lennon vibes. 

3.  Head Over Heels (Japanese Breakfast) - Cover song #1.  Michelle Zauner sings Tears for Fears! 

4.  Far Away (Tom Rush) - The man credited with introducing Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, and Jackson Browne to the world reminds us that he's a pretty awesome songwriter in his own right!  Glad to see he's still around and still making great music. 

5.  Juke on Jelly (Cory Wong) - Minneapolis-based artist recorded this easy-going funk number with members of Prince's old band, New Power Generation! 

6.  Stayin' Alive (Lizzo) - Cover song #2.  Lizzo does disco with a fun remake of the Bee Gee's anthem.

7.  Baby You're a Trip (Prince) - Speaking of Prince, his estate has released an album of demos for songs he gave to other artists.  I think I'm still partial to Jill Jones' version (the horn section she has really makes the song pop), but it was fun to hear Prince's take on this underrated tune. 

8.  Talk (Khalid) - Eric turned me on to this, just this morning!  Yummy collaboration with the guys from Disclosure! 

9.  Landslide (Antony aka Anohni) - Cover song #3.  This is from 2012, but it turned up in the recent Netflix reboot of Tales of the City and I immediately recognized the voice!  Gorgeous rendition of Stevie Nicks' ballad. 

10.  Late September (Mandolin Orange) - My friend Page had posted about this band, so I had to check out their latest, and I was not disappointed.    Americana folk duo from Chapel Hill, NC.

11.  Broken Bones (Wingtip) - Up and coming electronic artist I stumbled upon and enjoyed!  Drowsy vocals and a choir lift your spirits before the beat drops and things really get hoppin'!

12.  religion /you can lay your hands on me/ (Shura) - I've been wondering when Shura would drop a new album.  If it's as good as this early single, I will be playing it all summer.

13.  Love 4 Love /Joey Negro Extended Remix/ (Change) - Some groovy disco for your next pool party!

14.  Super Cool (Beck feat. Robyn and the Lonely Island) - Yes, this is from the new Lego movie, but what fun to hear Beck and Robyn together!!!

15.  Loner (Queen Zee) - I do love a fun punk band, and these Liverpool rockers fit the bill perfectly!

16.  Dissolve /acoustic version/ (Absofacto) - Dreamy acoustic ballad by Michigan-based artist. 

17.  Love Again (Daniel Caesar with Brandy) - 2019 Grammy winner teams up with another Grammy-winner and 90s pop star for this jazzy new slow-jam! 

18.  Higher Love (Kygo feat. Whitney Houston) - Cover song #4.  Kygo takes a rare Steve Winwood cover from the 1990s and repackages it as a delicious contemporary dance-pop ditty! 

So that's July's playlist.  Hope everyone has a safe and happy Independence Day and I'll see you next month!