Brant's June 2017 Playlist

Hmmm...from the looks of things, maybe this half day excursion to the nudist beach wasn't such a good idea!

Well, summer is here, and unless your name is Kathy Griffin (who really should have known that posting a pic with a decapitated Trump head was a bad idea), there should be lots of good times ahead!  Nothing goes with cookouts and lounging on the beach like some good tunes - so let's dive in!  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Wait for You (Ady Suleiman) - Some reggae flavors to get the summer started!

2.  Lorraine (Peter Bradley Adams) - Talented folk singer is back with some new music, and apparently a promise to his girlfriend that he's going to upgrade his social circle.

3.  Good Girls (LANY) - I just caught them in concert last month, and they were awesome!  Great energy, feel-good music, and lead singer Paul Klein's hair game is strong.

4.  Don't Take the Money (Bleachers) - Apparently I wasn't the only one excited to see that Jack Antonoff had new music out - several of my friends were texting me to give me the heads up (which I appreciate!).  Can't wait to hear the rest of the album.

5.  Black Hole Sun (Soundgarden) - This month's RIP selection.  Chris Cornell's suicide was a great loss to the music world.  Gone but not forgotten.

6.  Heroin (Badflower) - Psychedelic rock from West Coast band.

7.  Moonshine Freeze (This Is the Kit) - Keeping the psychedelic vibe going with this tune, which vaguely reminds me of Velvet Underground and some of Lou Reed's early stuff.

8.  Peaceful Easy Feeling (Tristen) - I'm still enjoying the "Instant Love" series, so here's another offering - an Eagles cover by songwriter Tristen Gaspadarek.

9.  Arizona Hwy (the Darcys) - Canadian band serves up some peppy pop about cruisin' the American southwest.

10.  Cut to the Feeling (Carly Rae Jepsen) - CRJ has been consistently good since her breakout in 2011, but hasn't seemed to catch on in the US despite great success in the UK and Canada.  Here's hoping this new anthem brings her the universal success she deserves.

11.  Not the Loving Kind (Buffy Sainte-Marie) - Another 60s throwback!  I was moving some of her stuff onto my iPod when I wondered what BSM had been up to lately.  What a treat to see she is still releasing new music!  This is a reworking of her 1972 song, released in 2015.

12.  Bottle Rocket (the Weeks) - Indie rock swagger from Mississippi band.

13.  Drink You Gone (Ingrid Michaelson and John Paul White) - Indie darling teams up with former The Civil Wars singer/songwriter for this country-tinged number.

14.  Tango 'Til They're Sore (Madeleine Peyroux) - It's always fun to see an artist you like cover another artist you like!  Here, mercurial jazz chanteuse tackles Tom Waits with delectable results.

15.   Sweet VA Breeze (D.R.A.M.) - Kind of like listening to Barry White while on an acid trip.  I'm totally digging the Hammond organ!

16.  Cannonball (Hidden Charms) - Sexy glam rock from UK band.

17.  Little Hollywood (Alle Farben and Janieck) - Back to the sunny island vibes as we wrap up this month's playlist!

So that's June's list.  There are no sunny island vacations in my foreseeable future, but just in case I think I'll hit the gym so I'll be swimsuit-ready.  See ya next month!

Brant's May 2017 Playlist

What's going to be the best song of the summer?  It's still a toss up!

May is here and it seems the predictions of impending doom were a tad overblown.  America survived the first 100 days of its new President, and warnings of a tsunami in the Philippines were luckily unrealized.  In fact, the only disaster I can think of was the Fyre Festival - and anyone who is willing to pay $12,000 for a concert ticket pretty much deserves what they get.  Especially when you can listen to this month's playlist for free!  To check it out on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Why (Alan Cumming) - I just caught his one man show, "Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs", and it was fantastic.  I love that he opened with this Annie Lennox song!  Don't miss his show if he comes your way!

2.  Demon in Profile (The Afghan Whigs) - Recently reunited rock band brings their A-game with this new single!

3.  Shining In the Distance (the Stray Birds) - When I first heard this, I thought it was Christine McVie singing the lead!  Tight harmonies and toe-tappin' Americana.

4.  Kind Woman (Erin Durant) - Another selection from the excellent "Instant Love" series, where women sing love songs written for women.  Here, Brooklyn singer/songwriter Erin Durant sings Buffalo Springfield's 1968 classic.

5.  Until the Pain Is Gone (Daley feat. Jill Scott) - Another artist I've been lucky enough to catch in concert this year.  Smooth soul vibes delivered in collaboration with the totes brill Jill Scott!

6.  Big Picture /THRDL!FE remix/ (London Grammar) - Stately vocals over a pulsating beat that makes you feel like you are flying over a Scottish mountain range!

7.  Fever (Roosevelt) - We had him on last September's playlist, but this guy is so delicious I needed a second helping!  Feel good New Wave from Germany.

8.  She's Playing Hard to Get /Rid of/ (Sam Outlaw) - Former ad exec switched gears on his 30th birthday to pursue a career in music, and personally I'm glad he did!  He clearly has a love of classic country music and the chops to deliver some of his own!

9.  Spanish Harlem (Laura Nyro with Labelle) - It's been 20 years since we lost Laura Nyro, but when I saw the anniversary of her passing I dug out some of my old CDs.  Gone but not forgotten.

10.  Telling the Truth (Mary J. Blige feat. Kaytranada and BadBadNotGood) - The first of two Kaytranada songs on this month's list.  I'm really digging his minimalist beats, and of course Mary J. could sing tax forms and it'd sound good!

11.  Murder to the Mind (Tash Sultana) - Funky beats, slinky vocals that vaguely remind me of Macy Gray, and one bangin' guitar solo at the end!

12.  Deliverance (Prince) - Did someone say guitar???  How has it been a year since we lost Prince?  Various unreleased tunes of his have surfaced since he passed in 2016, but so far I think this one is my favorite.  I love the gospel touches, and his voice and guitar playing are on point.  I will forever be missing him.

13.  Dearly Beloved (Keisza) -  This is starting to feel like a stream-of-consciousness playlist, since "Dearly Beloved..." is the opening line to one of Prince's biggest hits.  Anyway, this is the latest from Keisza.  It kind of sounds like a 70s tune that got remixed in the 1990s.  It's growing on me.

14.  High (Sir Sly) - Indie pop from the West Coast.

15.  Rhinoceros (Juliana Hatfield) - Remember how Beyonce' used her album "Lemonade" to process her feelings about her husband's infidelity?  Well, Juliana Hatfield has done the same thing with her album "Pussycat" to process her feelings about our current President.  The results are honest, angry, and occasionally hilarious.  Case in point is this tune, which envisions what life must be like behind closed doors for First Lady Melania.    Ick.

16.  Together (Kaytranada feat. AlunaGeorge and GoldLink) - The second Kaytranada song, which serves up more spacey minimalist beats and flirty vocals.

17.  The Cross (Simple Minds) - Not one of Prince's more popular songs, but it perfectly suits Simple Minds' style and they do a great job with it.  This particular recording isn't on Spotify, but you can see it on YouTube.  It's nice to see other artists are still honoring Prince.

So that's this month's list.  Hope everyone has a safe Memorial Day, and we'll see ya next month!

Brant's April 2017 Playlist

Infamous crime duo Bunny and Clyde:  hoppin' dirty.  

Easter is two weeks away, and we've got a basket full of tunes for ya!  I guess the theme for this month could be collaborations.  Many of these songs are the product of artists coming together to make music.  And much like infamous Easter crime duo Bunny and Clyde - the results are outrageous and memorable.  Let's hop on in.  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Babygirl (Charli XCX feat. Uffie) - I've definitely been keeping my eye on rising pop star Charli XCX.  She seems to have a clear vision of where she's going, and I love her sound - which takes the best of 80's and 90's pop and repackages it to feel fresh and contemporary.  And what a treat to hear Uffie return from a hiatus to lay down some rhymes!

2.  Friends (Francis and the Lights feat. Bon Iver) - Cinematic electronica backed by a choir of Auto-tuned angels to soothe your tax season nerves.

3.  Never My Love (Knox Hamilton) - Inspired New Wave take on the Association's groovy classic.

4.  San Francisco Dues (Chuck Berry) - This rock pioneer passed away last month, but his body of work will live on forever.  He's best known for early songs like "Johnnie B. Goode" and "Maybellene", but this 1971 recording shows that he was still going strong in his later years.  RIP

5.  There 4 U (Leela James) - Another artist I've followed for a while now.  I'm totally digging the 1970s vibe she's got going on here!

6.  Songbird (Freedom Fry) - Usually I get my freedom fries with a burger, but nothing wrong with some fowl every now and then!  Especially when it's sung so deliciously.

7.  Crazy Love (Irma Thomas) - I stumbled across this on NPR.  Apparently Instant Records is releasing a series of recordings of women singing love songs traditionally sung by men.  If the rest of the offerings are as great as this one - we've got a lot to look forward to.  Here - New Orleans soul legend Irma Thomas covers Van Morrison.

8.  Empty Hotel by the Sea (Conor Oberst) - Okay, I guess the theme for this month could also be Artists that I Love.  Here's the latest from prolific songwriter Conor Oberst.  I was a little puzzled why he went back and re-recorded songs from his last acoustic album, this time with a full band behind him.  But luckily he threw in some new stuff as well, such as this tune.

9.  Slide (Calvin Harris feat. Frank Ocean and Migos) - Whether it's K-Pop artists or Bruno Mars, it seems that the 80s R&B sound is making a comeback.  Calvin Harris jumps on the bandwagon with this funky mid-tempo collaboration featuring Frank Ocean and hip hop group Migos.

10.  Just a Feeling (Phantoms feat. Vérité) - LA electronic duo teams up with Brooklyn singer to serve some icy cool dance beats.

11.  Lost in Music (Sister Sledge) - We also lost Joni Sledge, of Sister Sledge, in March.  Best known for their hit "We Are Family", here is Joni singing lead on this selection from the same album.  RIP Sister!

12.  All My People /Boogie Back Remix/ (Kindred the Family Soul) - Neo-Soul husband and wife act deliver some feel-good vibes that would make Ashford and Simpson smile!

13.  I Feel It Coming (the Weeknd feat. Daft Punk) - Grammy winner shows no signs of a slump on his third album, which concludes with this Daft Punk collaboration that could easily have been an outtake from Michael Jackson's "Thriller" album.

14.  Get on Up (DJ Bobo) - Sometimes a song can be doing everything wrong (hokey raps, Chipmunk-style background vocals) and it totally works!!!  This song gets my toes tappin' every time.  I guess that's why DJ Bobo has sold 14 million records throughout Europe - clearly he knows what he's doing!

15.  (Nothing But) Flowers (Talking Heads) - Hard to believe the Talking Heads released this 29 years ago this month!  The lyrics still seem relevant with President Trump recently signing an Executive Order to undermine Obama's efforts to curb climate change.

16.  Answer My Text (PWR BTTM) - I used to love Pansy Division back in the day, so what a treat to find this new Queer Punk band!

17.  She's Like a Star (Soul System) - Heard this online and never would have guessed it was an Italian band!  Great contemporary soul vibes!

18.  Good as Hell (Lizzo) - Crystal turned me on to this artist.  Up-and-Coming hip hop star with sassy attitude for days!

So that's April's list!  I guess that means now I've gotta get back to my taxes.  Somehow that doesn't seem as much fun as discovering new music.  See you in May!

Brant's March 2017 Playlist

Nothing like a little music when times are trough!  

Welp, February flew by and despite the groundhog's predictions - it looks like Spring is here.  The Zyrtec is helping, but I am still feeling the first pangs of hay fever.  So before I completely succumb - here's March's playlist!  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  The Love We Almost Had (Rhiannon Giddens) - Rhi is back and I'd follow this woman anywhere!!!  Sexy, jazzy song about missed opportunity.

2.  Call On Me (Starley) - Appealing folk-tinged pop from Australian singer.

3.  Gun Clap Hero (Hanni El Khatib) - Sounds like the long-lost theme song from a 1970s action flick!

4.  Glitter (Charly Bliss) - Loved this song from the first minute I heard it.  Reminds me of 1990s female-led alt rock groups like Veruca Salt!

5.  Love On the Brain (Rihanna) - I have a love/hate relationship with Rihanna.  I love some of her songs like "Pon de Replay" and "Only Girl in the World" but can't bear to suffer through other stuff like "Bitch Better Have My Money".  Luckily this  old school ballad falls in the "Love It" category.

6.  Alibi (Bear Mountain) - Wistful New Wave from Canadian band.

7.  We're In This Love Together (Al Jarreau) - No middle school slow jam playlist was complete without one of Al Jarreau's  tunes on it.  I was sorry to hear that he passed away last month.  #GoneButNotForgotten

8.  White Fields (Montmartre) - Icy beats and slinky vocals, courtesy of French duo.

9.  The Story (Dolly Parton) - Country legend covers one of Brandi Carlile's signature songs, with glorious results.

10.  Hollywood Forever (K. Flay) - Funky electronica that reminds me of Röyksopp.

11.  Love From the Sun (Theo Croker feat. Dee Dee Bridgewater) - Up and coming jazz trumpeter teams with Grammy winner for some glorious, soaring acid jazz.

12.  I Know a Place (MUNA) - Uplifting anthem that pays tribute to the victims of the Orlando shooting and imagines a world where LGBT people are safe and part of a unified America.   From their lips to God's ears.

13.  They Don't Own Me (Richard Ashcroft) - Former lead singer of the Verve ("Bittersweet Symphony") goes solo for this easy-going country-tinged ditty.

14.  Tip My Heart (Sally and George) - Nashville duo delivers some catchy old-school vibes that would make Buddy Holly smile.

15.  Windy City (Alison Krauss) - Alison pays tribute to classic country on her newest album, and this cover of the Osborne Brothers standard was a highlight.

16.  Olive (Denitia and Sene) - My friend Gary turned me on to these guys and their new album "love and noir", but once I started digging through their catalog - I found myself favoring this perky single from a few months ago.

17.  By Your Side (Hoody feat. Jinbo) - A sugary slice of Korean/English disco dessert!

So that's March!  Hope everyone has a safe and festive month, and I'll see you in April if the pollen doesn't kill me first!

Brant's February 2017 Playlist

You don't always get the Valentine you want, but at least in Brantworld you can get some new music.  February is here, along with a new batch of songs.  This one leans towards the mellow side, but hopefully still excites.  It's nice to see so many of this month's songs involve new artists turning to established names for collaboration.  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Black Tears (Imelda May feat. Jeff Beck) - Lawdy, this woman can sing - and a 1950s-style ballad like this is perfectly suited to her pipes.

2.  Shine (Mondo Cozmo) - This sounds like the love child of early Rod Stewart and Bob Dylan!  Totally dig when the choir kicks in.  Why aren't more people making rock music like this???

3.  Let Me Get There (Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions feat. Kurt Vile) - Mazzy Star lead singer teams up with Kurt Vile for this easy-going groove (although the video is freaky!).

4.  To Her Door (Empire of the Sun feat. Lindsay Buckingham) - The Australian duo tapped several veterans to work on their new album.  They got a Fleetwood Mac legend to collaborate on this track!  Wendy Melvoin (from Prince's band The Revolution) pitched in for another track: "Ride".

5.  Grow Up (Olly Murs) - I'll never understand why this guy isn't more popular in the US.  Great mid-tempo pop.

6.  Here I Am (Tom Odell) - The UK is clearly overflowing with gifted musicians!  This talented pianist from West Sussex is showing no signs of sophomore slump on his latest album!

7.  The Girl with Better Clothes (Crooked Man) - I picture this tune being on the soundtrack from some 80s teen movie!  Love its bitchy New Wave vibes.

8.  Sick Love (Red Hot Chili Peppers) - The feel is a little more mellow, but you can still recognize the band's characteristic funk.  Elton John provides a nice assist on keyboards.

9.  Oh My God (Gibbz) - Anthony brought this artist to my attention.  The use of horns reminds me of classic tunes by Chicago.

10.  Human /The Age of L.U.N.A. Remix/ (Rag'n'Bone Man) - The original version of this is getting a lot of play on Sirius/XM radio, but I kind of love this remix.  It removes a lot of the bombastic elements of the original and lets the focus remain on Rory Graham's bluesy vocals.

11.  Waiting for the Stars (Vitalic feat. David Shaw) - I loved their 2009 hit "Poison Lips", but Vitalic had slipped off my radar until Gary mentioned they had a new album out!  They can still rock some Euro-Disco like nobody's business, though.

12.  Kiss the Sky (Jason Derulo) - Top-selling singer/songwriter treats us to a new tune, from his Platinum Hits compilation.

13.  Come With Us /F9 Extended Disco Mix/ (Sophie Ellis-Bextor) - "Murder on the Dance Floor" songstress comes storming back onto the dance floor with this glitterrific disco ditty!

14.  Flowers (Bibi Bourelly) - German singer/songwriter seems poised to become the next big thing in the Hip Hop and R&B world!  She's already toured with Rihanna and collaborated with Lil Wayne!  Here she gives an expletive-laden tutorial on what NOT to do for Valentine's Day!

15.  All Night (Crystal Fighters) - Upbeat world music vibes from British band.

16.  Make Some Room (the Suffers) - Move over, Betty Wright!  There's a new Clean Up Woman in town.  My friend Page profiled the Suffers for South Park magazine, and I was digging their old-school soul sound.

17.  A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (Blossom Dearie) - I've been on a Blossom Dearie kick lately, rummaging through her catalog and lamenting the fact that so much of her music is now out of print.  Here she covers the Vera Lynn standard with a simple jazz band accompanying.  This seemed like the perfect Valentine's Day song to end our playlist.  Sadly not on Spotify or YouTube, but you can find it on her 1991 album "Tweedledum and Tweedledee".

So that's February!  Hope everyone has a great month and I'll see ya in March with some new music!

Brant's January 2017 Playlist

I opted for something simple and homemade to wear for New Year's Eve

Well, the craptastic year that took Prince, David Bowie, George Michael, and countless others from us is finally over.  Here's hoping 2017 is much kinder to us and the musicians we love.  Speaking of music, we've got some new songs!  I saw an article posted online the other day that says after age 33, the majority of people don't listen to new music anymore.  I'm happy to be bucking this trend, and hope some of you are too.  Life is too short to simply rehash your old playlists, no matter how great they are.  To listen to this month's list on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Tell My Heart (Nora En Pure) - We had the instrumental of this song, called "Lake Arrowhead", on last September's playlist!  Looks like somebody wrote some lyrics and added vocals by Dani Senior.  Seemed like a fun, upbeat way to start the year off.

2.  Indecision (Shura) - English singer/songwriter keeps the party going with some 80s flavored dance pop.

3.  Heavydirtysoul (Twenty One Pilots feat. Mutemath) - Mutemath takes Twenty One Pilots from the lounge and into the arena, expanding the sound of the original and making it even more epic!

4.  Gold (the Shelters) - Breezy, 60s style rock from LA band.

5.  Bullets (Kaytranada feat. Little Dragon) - Trippy beats and Yukimi Nagano's airy vocals combine to create the most blissed out anti-gun anthem ever!

6.  Radiate (Rockets) - Not sure where I stumbled across this, but it's the 80s version of trippy beats and bliss.  From the French band's 1981 album Pi Greco, 3,14.

7.  Sexual (Neiked feat. Dyo) - Gary turned me on to this one.  Perky Euro-Pop to get your body moving, both vertically and horizontally!

8.  I Knew You Were Waiting for Me (George Michael and Aretha Franklin) - The latest artist to be taken from us too soon.  D@mn you, 2016!  George Michael has a huge catalog of songs from which to choose, but ultimately I landed on this one - a duet with the Queen of Soul from 1987 which went on to chart at Number One in multiple countries, and win a Grammy!  RIP

9.  Redbone (Childish Gambino) - Some people are so talented it makes me feel like an invertebrate.  Donald Glover, aka Childish Gambino, started out as a comedy writer for 30 Rock before moving into music.  Two Grammy nominations later, he's back with this slinky slow jam clearly influenced by Prince.

10.  I Always Knew/Hotline Bling (the Struts) - I love hearing bands cover tunes that they love.  Here, the always engaging band The Struts covers the Vaccines and Drake in an unexpected mashup.  Not on Spotify, but you can watch the video HERE.

11.  Name on a Matchbook (Springtime Carnivore) - I heard this on the soundtrack to Crazyhead and immediately had to download it!  It has a great retro feel to it, like Nancy Sinatra meets the "Monster Mash".

12.  Not Easy (Alex da Kid with Wiz Khalifa, X Ambassadors, and Elle King) - With a lineup like this, it's no surprise this song is so awesome!  A glorious conglomeration of cowboy folk, hip hop, and electronica.

13.  Shakedown Street (Unknown Mortal Orchestra) - Another hybrid that perhaps shouldn't work, but does.  UMO provides a funky cover of the Grateful Dead's classic tune from the album of the same name.

14.  To Be Without You (Ryan Adams) - Fresh off his album of Taylor Swift covers, the prolific North Carolina-born artist returns with this gorgeous ballad.

15.  Blue Moon (Pink Martini feat. Rufus Wainwright) - After a great collaboration on "Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again" (featured on my October 2013 playlist!), the Oregon band partners with Wainwright once more to make magic.

16.   It's Over (Julaiah feat. Brothers Nalbandyan) - Taken from Hed Kandi's Serve Chilled 2016 compilation.  Sophisticated club beats and silky vocals that will go perfectly with whatever you're drinking to toast the New Year.

17.  United State of Pop 2016 (DJ Earworm) - An end-of-year mashup of some of 2016's hottest pop music, courtesy of DJ Earworm.  Also not on Spotify, but you can find it on Soundcloud.

So that's our first list of 2017.  Hope everyone had a great New Year's Eve, and that 2017 brings health and happiness for all!  See ya next month!

Brant's Best Pics of 2016

Overall, 2016 was NOT a great year - for me or any of us.  So more than ever, it was important to remind myself that there were good times too.  Below is this year's Best Pics video.  I can only hope 2017 is kinder to us than 2016 was.  But even if it's not, I feel lucky to be surrounded by some great people in my life!