Brant's January 2024 Playlist

When 2023 has kicked your arse, but you are determined
to be optimistic about the New Year... 

It's hard to believe a new year is beginning, but here we are.  The holidays were pretty uneventful here, for which I'm grateful.  Anyway - here's January's list!  We've got some cool cover songs, a few returning faves, and the usual mix of pop, rock and disco!  Enjoy!  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Beautiful Stranger (the Dip) - Madonna gets the Memphis soul treatment! 

2.  Life Goes By (Almost Monday) - This San Diego Indie band never disappoints when serving up some high-energy alt-rock!  See also 2023's March and April playlists.  

3.  Sweet Is the Night (Juliana Hatfield) - I think one of the things I've enjoyed most about Juliana's ELO cover album is discovering the ELO songs I missed the first time around.  Case in point!  

4.  Ray-Bans (Dagny) - Another artist who's been on previous playlists returns and reminds me why I love this Norwegian singer/songwriter!  

5.  Get Me Started (Troye Sivan) - Young pop star shows no signs of slowing down with his latest album!  

6.  Gold (Austin Millz & Aluna) - Mitch turned me on to this!  Harlem dance music artist teams up with Welsh singer for this glittery ditty! 

7.  Children /What Time It Is/ (Billy Porter feat. Lady Blackbird) - Whoa.  Two powerhouse vocalists get together for some uplifting gospel!  Brings to mind great diva collaborations like "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" by Barbra Streisand & Donna Summer.  

8.  CooCool (Róisín Murphy) - Quirky Irish singer serves up some newfangled soul.  Imagine if an AI program tried to re-create Dusty Springfield and you get the idea! 

9.  Thought U Knew (Leela James) - The latest from R&B powerhouse.  I will follow Leela anywhere.  

10.  Tonight (Superlover) - Upbeat jazz funk from Berlin-based DJ.

11.  Attendance Record (Sadie Leigh) - Slinky vocals over jazzy beats that bring Macy Gray to mind.  

12.  Going to Town (Rufus Wainwright feat. Anohni) - Another delicious collaboration from Rufus's great "Folkocracy" album! 

13.  Sound and Fury (Margo Cilker) - This was on NPR's "Best of 2023" list, and I immediately downloaded it!  Great traditional folk performance from up-and-coming Californian.  

 14.  Spit You Out (Isla June) - Powerful rock anthem from L.A. Indie artist.  

15.  Bloom (Aidan Bissett) - Pop rock with soaring vocals that would make Tal Bachman proud!  

16.  Sex and Money (Lydia Loveless) - Ambitious alt-country from Ohio singer/songwriter.  

17.  Bougainvillea (Nymphlord) - Nymphlord is the stage name of Tia Rabinovitz.  I wasn't able to find out too much about her, but I love her retro-90s garage band vibe!  

18.  She's On My Mind (Romy) - Former lead singer of the XX ("Crystallized") goes solo, and leans into the effervescent 1970s disco sound with glorious results!  

19.  Danger (the Star Sisters) - This song is from 1985 but I only discovered it recently.  It should've been a bigger hit, IMHO, but I guess they got lost in the shuffle between Exposé and Taylor Dayne and every other 1980s dance-pop female act.  I'll be adding them to my 80s playlists moving forward - better late than never!  

20.  Crashland (Maris) - Speaking of 1980s dance-pop, Maris is definitely channeling that energy and I'm here for it!  

So that's our first playlist for the New Year!  Hope everyone has a safe and happy month and I'll see you in February!  

Brant's December 2023 Playlist

Anyone else got dem ol' "Been Hearing Xmas Music Since November 1st" blues?

Y'know - people occasionally talk about a War on Christmas. I personally can take or leave it, but when these same people people start playing music specific to that holiday THE DAY AFTER HALLOWEEN it kinda feels like a North Korean propaganda campaign!  But anyway, for those looking for some alternatives - here's December's playlist and (aside from one quick mention in the first tune) it has been scrubbed of all holiday references!  The music skews a little towards the Alt Rock and Dance numbers, but hopefully has enough variety to serve as an aural stocking stuffed with goodies!  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Stick Season (Noah Kahan) - So as not to be accused of being anti-Christmas, let the record show that the holiday IS mentioned in this song!

2.  Eye on the Bat (Palehound) - Toe-tappin' folk rock from American band. 

3.  Too Sad to Dance (Jung Kook) - Former BTS singer goes solo, and serves up some melancholy pop.

4.  Daisy Chain (Pixey & Tayo Sound) - Admittedly, the Andrea True sample is low-hanging fruit, but Pixey sure knows how to craft a peppy pop song!  

5.  Attention (the Aces) - Some 80s style rock that would make Chrissie Hynde smile! 

6.  What Love? (I Don't Know How But They Found Me) - Percolating Indie Pop perfect for your holiday party!  This guy's vocal range would give Prince a run for his money!

7.  Right Back in It (Leela James feat. Kevin Ross) - Leela never disappoints, and what a treat to see her collaborating with another R&B heavy-hitter! 

8.  Packin' /Mozambo Disco Remix/ (FHAT feat. Aaron Pfeiffer & Sedric Perry) - We had Sedric on October's playlist, so I decided to see what else he had done.  This is from 2019 but I'm digging the Jackson vibe! 

9.  edamame /Diplo Remix/ (bbno$ feat. Rich Brian) - This is from "Fall of the House of Usher" and sounds like EVERY after hours dance club I've ever been to (in all the best ways)! Just make sure you skip out before the sprinkler system turns on!  ;-)

10.  Talk Too Much (Reneé Rapp) - I always like to see a Carolina native make it big!  Reneé has been killing it on "Sex Lives of College Girls", and now I learn she can apparently sing too?!?  Andy Griffith better watch his back!

11.  MF Bassline (Will Joseph Cook) - Young Englishman serves up some silky soul!

12.  Coyote (Dylan LeBlanc) - We had Dylan on our December 2015 playlist, and now he's back with some easygoing Americana! 

13.  Telephone Line (Juliana Hatfield) - I will simply paraphrase what one of the other online reviewers said about this project:  It's the ELO tribute album I never knew I needed from Juliana Hatfield (until now!).  

14.  Impressively Average (Brigitte Calls Me Baby) - I'm getting Roy Orbison vibes from this, if Orbison had sung with an awesome Indie rock band! 

15.  Harvest (Rufus Wainwright feat. Andrew Bird & Chris Stills) - Rufus has covered Judy Garland, so I guess (?) Neil Young was the next logical step???  Either way, he's great at doing both!  

16.  Slap (Caroline & Claude) - The kind of catchy dance pop that draws me in like a moth to a flame...

17.  Escape & Retreat (Holiday Sidewinder) - Australian artist keeps the dance pop vibes going!

18.  Freak Me Now (Jessie Ware & Róisín Murphy) - Two dance divas team up for some frenetic, loungey beats! 

19.  Sex (the Dare) - From the lounge to the bedroom, probably with a quick stop to visit the medicine cabinet!  Sleazy electro-funk from NYC artist.

20.  Paint the Town Red /Sped Up/ (Doja Cat) - I liked the original (hello, Dionne Warwick sample!), but then the "Sped Up" version reminded me of the Chipmunks, and since it's the holidays...   

21.  Disco Ball Soul (Rebounder) - This feels like a nice song to wind us down.  Something you'd listen to after getting back from the club or whichever holiday party you'd attended.

So that's December, and our last playlist of 2023!  I guess I'll see everyone in the New Year!  Happy Holidays!!!