Brant's June 2020 Playlist

Space Force tryouts were more rigorous than I expected!

Coronavirus, murder hornets, massive unemployment, police brutality against people of color.  2020 continues to dole out one bad thing after another.  Stay-at-home restrictions are being relaxed, but it still doesn't feel safe to go outside. Some of the songs on this month's playlist were recorded at home by the artists (Charli XCX, intentionally focusing on her art while in isolation; Fiona Apple, who started her latest album prior to the pandemic but completed it during).  Those of us without artistic expertise find ourselves thinking, "Maybe I should join Space Force just to get off this rotten planet!"  Until then, we've got some new music.  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Rain on Me (Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande) - Pure escapist joy, from two gay icons.  I expect to be hearing this, and any subsequent remixes, all summer.  And I'm fine with that!

2.  But It Ain't You (Smoothie) - Groovy, space-age funk/disco from LA artist.

3.  detonate (Charli XCX) - Written while isolating with her boyfriend during the pandemic, it's clear cabin fever was setting in!

4.  Get It Right (Hajk) - This contemplative track from a Norwegian Indie band seemed like the perfect song to follow the restlessness of Charli XCX.

5.  We Broke (Cole DeGenova) - On his website, DeGenova describes his music as "somewhere between a soul pop concert, South Side jazz club, slam poetry reading, and punk rock dive bar".  Sounds about right.  I just dig the energy!

6.  Someone Like You (Snoh Aalegra) - A Swedish soul singer of Persian descent, now living on the West Coast of the US.  I love the worldliness of that.  And I love this song.

7.  Lilacs (Waxahatchee) - We had one selection from Waxahatchee's new album on April's playlist, but I had to add another!  Her music is like a soothing glass of sweet tea on an uncomfortably hot summer day, and in these trying times I can't get enough of it.

8.  In Light of Us (Honey Harper) - This sounds like it came from a jukebox at a small, Southern roadside bar from back in the 1970s.  Call it 'time-traveling escapism'.

9.  Alter Ego (KALEO) - Icelandic rock band, also featured on my April 2016 playlist, is back and once again I'm blown away by lead singer JJ Julius Son's fantabulous vocals!

10.  the end (Misterwives) - NYC Indie band serves up some New Wave-flavored percussive pop.

11.  Ladies (Fiona Apple) - Phew!  I don't know if I could listen to Apple's new album all-the-way through in one sitting, but it is an impressive work of art.  Intense, insightful, and unhinged - I guess it's everything we would expect from Fiona Apple.  I do love this particular selection - which easily could've been a Nina Simone song.

12.  Ventura Highway (Paco Versailles) - An EDM version of a classic America song?  File this under "Things That Should Not Work But Do"!

13.  Villain (Chenny Britt) - Boston artist delivers a soulful hip-hip track.

14.  The Key to Life on Earth (Declan McKenna) - Young British singer eschews conformity, much to the chagrin and bewilderment of his contemporaries.  It has a Jobriath/Thomas Dolby feel to it which I find appealing.

15.  This Love Isn't Crazy (Carly Rae Jepsen) - Oh Carly - how I adore you!  I'm noticing as I write up this month's list that there is a trend towards escapism.  You're joyful music never fails to take me to somewhere happy, and I thank you for that.

16.  Train to Mexico (Toby Sebastian) - More escapism, this time with a hint of Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off', if it had been done as a rockabilly song.

17.  Man on Fire (Sam Cohen) - 60s style rock/psychedelia from former Apollo Sunshine founding member.

18.  Make the Most (Lonr., H.E.R.) - Two Grammy winners join forces to make beautiful R&B music together!

19.  in the afternoon (josef salvant) - Easy going pop from Australian artist.

20.  Surrender /Eric Kupper Remix/ (Diana Ross) - Eric Kupper remixed an entire album's worth of Diana Ross songs!  I'd never heard the original of "Surrender", which may be why it's the track that made the biggest impression on me.  Hopefully these updates on classics will introduce the Divine Diana to a new generation of listeners!

So that's June's playlist.  One can only hope that 2020 turns itself around for the second half of the year, but if I'm still here - I'll continue to try to share my latest music finds!  Until then...