Brant's April 2021 Playlist

When you want to take an inspirational COVID vaccine photo, 
but you're also afraid of needles...

It's the last day of March, but since I got my COVID vaccine today it also feels like the first day of post-pandemic life.  I've still got one shot to go (Pfizer, in case anyone's curious), and need two weeks to build up antibodies - but the end is (hopefully!) in sight.  I guess time will tell.  In the meantime, I do have a new playlist!  It's a mix of everything but sometimes the variety is the fun part.  To listen on Spotify, click HERE. 

1.  Ancestors (Miko Marks and the Resurrectors) - Country singer returns after a 14-year hiatus, with some heartfelt, gospel-tinged Americana.

2.  Seventeen (Sharon Van Etten and Norah Jones) - We had the original version of this song on my August 2019 playlist, but I liked this Norah Jones collaboration so much I had to include it!  

3.  Smile (WizKid and H.E.R.) - H.E.R. is another artist whose collaborations I tend to enjoy.  Here, she teams up with Nigerian singer WizKid for some rhythmic Afrofusion. 

4.  This Is Heaven (Nick Jonas) - Catchy pop from handsome Jonas Bro!  I love the 80s-influenced sax solo. 

5.  Unknown Song (Joe Goddard and Hayden Thorpe) - Hot Chip member goes solo and the output sounds like a slightly hip-hop-tinged Erasure!  

6.  Everybody's Down (Anna Fox Rochinsky) - I was in the mood for something catchy and out-of-the-ordinary.  This definitely fit the bill!  

7.  Power Ranger (Pikes) - I couldn't find out much about this artist, but I like the song!

8.  I Need You (Jon Batiste) - Stephen Colbert's bandleader delivers some retro-flavored jitterbug-ready pop! 

9.  One's on the Way (Loretta Lynn and Margo Price) - An all-time fave teams up with one of my fave newcomers, to revisit one of Loretta's classic tunes.  

10.  I Can't Stop Thinking About You (the Shadowboxers) - This one reminded me of the synth ballads we used to hear back in the 1980s.  It'd fit perfectly on an album by the Cars.  

11.  Real Groove /Studio 2054 Initial Talk Remix/ (Kylie Minogue and Dua Lipa) - Dua Lipa makes everything better!  Even Kylie!  

12.  Tigress and Tweed (Andra Day) - This is from the soundtrack of "The United States vs. Billie Holiday" and Andra is fantastic in the lead role!  Catch it if you can.  

13.  Womxn (Låpsley) - Easygoing world-beats from English singer.

14.  Flowers (Aaron Taylor) - Contemporary R&B from London.  

15.  What a Day (Ben Howard) - The guys from the National seem to be everywhere!  First, they give Taylor Swift an assist on her two quarantine albums, now they're helping out singer-songwriter Ben Howard! 

16.  Want You to Want Me (Alex Mills) - This isn't the Cheap Trick song, but it does have a retro-vibe to it.  I'd say it's more 1990s than 1970s though!  

17.  Hold Me Down (the Happy Fits) - Vibrant alt rock from New Jersey band!

18.  Long Violent History (Tyler Childers) - Sympathetic roots-Americana in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.  This seemed like a great way to wrap things up as policeman Derek Chauvin is currently being tried for the murder of George Floyd.  

So that's April's list.  I'm not feeling 100% after this vaccine, so I think I'm going to hit the hay early tonight.  Hope everyone has a safe and happy Easter (those who celebrate), and I'll see you next month!