Brant's April 2022 Playlist

Will Smith's slap may be getting the attention,
but I still say Joan Crawford is the one to beat!  

March has come and gone, much like Will Smith's sterling reputation - and so it's time for another playlist.  This month found me gravitating towards 80s vibes, as well as some global sounds.  Music that's perfect to enjoy as you ice your face after being bitch-slapped.  Hope you enjoy.  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  You Could Be (Anz feat. George Riley) - Manchester artist gets us started with some danceable pop! 

2.  Sweetest Pie (Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa) - Two pop divas at the top of their game team up with predictably primo results.

3.  When You're Gone (Shawn Mendes) - Never has separation anxiety sounded so peppy! 

4.  Talk Over Town (Katy J. Pearson) - We had her on September 2021's playlist, and now she's back with more Americana-influenced melodies!

5.  Colors /Savoir Adore Remix/ (Emmit Fenn) - I couldn't find out much about this artist, but I'm digging this remix.  

6.  Hymn to Me (Nightlands) - SERIOUS Crosby, Stills & Nash vibes going on here, in all the best ways!

7.  I'd Want You (CMAT) - Irish singer Ciara Mary-Alice Thomas reminds me of Maria McKee from 80s band Lone Justice.  I can't get enough of her!  

8.  You Got to Move (Mavis Staples & Levon Helm) - I have loved every version of Mavis Staples - from the Staples Singers to her Prince days to her newest folksy self.  What a treat to see her teaming with dearly departed Levon Helm.  This track was recorded shortly before his death.  

9.  Can't Stop the Rain (Neal Francis) - Another artist who's been on previous playlists returns with his trademark 70s vibes.  

10.  Bitter Sweet Symphony (Deco) - Delicious remake of the Verve's 1997 hit.  

11.  17 18 19 (Ibibio Sound Machine) - My favorite British afro-funk band is back!!!  This was giving me Grace Jones vibes.  

12.  Paint Your Nails Blue (Dirty Nice) - Easygoing electronica from Lisbon/London duo.

13.  Love Tastes Like Strawberries (Somi feat. Gregory Abbott) - "Pata Pata" was the only Miriam Makeba tune I knew, but this tribute album by Grammy-nominated singer has me wanting to dive into her catalog of recordings!  

14.  Purple Zone (Soft Cell & Pet Shop Boys) - A good friend of mine died last month, and he would have loved this collaboration between two fantabulous 80s bands.  RIP Jeff.  

15.  Seventeen Going Under (Sam Fender) - Sam was on last month's playlist, and I couldn't help but pick another song off his recent album!  

16.  crashing down (Arlie) - I think I heard this on the Sirius XM Alt 18 countdown and immediately loved it.  Energetic alt-rock from Nashville Indie band.

17.  Dancing Feet (Kygo feat. DNCE) - Frequent Brantworld listee teams up with a Jonas brother for what's sure to be a hit!  

18.  Charley's Girl (Lou Reed) - I heard this 1976 song on the soundtrack to "The Tourist" and forgot how much I enjoy Lou Reed.  He would've turned 80 this year.  

19.  Last Night (Arooj Aftab) - NPR recommended this artist and I was immediately intrigued.  Trippy reggae from Pakistani singer that sounds like something you'd hear in a faraway hookah lounge.  It's a long way from the peppy pop we started this list with, but I go where the music takes me...

So that's April's list.  I guess I've put off doing my taxes long enough, so that will be my next undertaking.  See ya in May!  

Brant's March 2022 Playlist

CURRENT MOOD (well, except for maybe the twigs in my hair)

Oof.  February was NOT a good month.  No need to get into it, but I'm glad to be done.  Anyway, this month's playlist is pretty random.  It was just stuff with a happy vibe that felt like chicken soup to my soul, with a dash of escapism.  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.  

 1.  Forecast (Diane Coffee feat. Deep Sea Diver) - I love Diane Coffee.  Just knowing Shaun Fleming is out there doing his thang makes me smile.  Can't wait for the new album.  

2.  First in Flight (Don McCloskey) - Brooklyn singer-songwriter seems to be channeling Graceland-era Paul Simon and I am here for it!!! 

3.  I've Been Over It (Geowulf) - We had them on our May 2020 playlist, and this Australian duo is back with more sunny Indie pop.  

4.  Love Came Down (Yebba) - Chance the Rapper brought her to everyone's attention, but she is fully in command of the stage at this point!  I'm getting Florence + the Machine vibes from this anthem.  

5.  Beg for You (Charli XCX feat. Rina Sawayama) - Two powerhouse pop divas team up for this new single from Charli's upcoming album!  

6.  L.O.V.E. (Blue Hawaii) - I love me some minimalist disco, and this funky bop from Canadian duo is just what the doctor ordered! 

7.  Foreign Things (Amber Mark) - A frequent Brantworld listee returns with a 90s-style pulsating jam.  

8.  Strawberry Lady (Judi Jackson) - Groovy, psychedelic jazz from London UK artist.

9.  Outta Time (Orville Peck) - I was all set to see Orville in 2020, until the pandemic forced him to cancel his tour.  Hopefully he'll be back this year - and now we've got some new tunes to hear him play!  This Southern-rock vibe is perfectly suited to his rustic voice.   

10.  Pretending That You're Dead (Sam Fender) - Another repeat offender from October 2019!  This young Englishman is becoming very popular overseas.  Hopefully his success will transfer to the colonies if he continues to offer up great alt-rock tunes like this.  

11.  Ex I Never Had (LANY) - Dream-pop trio doing what they do best!

12.  Peur des Filles (L'Impératrice) - Nobody does nu-disco like the French!  Sugary Euro, escapist bliss.  

13.  Company (Melba Moore feat. Carmichael Musiclover) - How cool to see Melba is still out there sounding as awesome as ever!  Back in the day, we called this Quiet Storm R&B.  

14.  Funny Girl (Father John Misty) - Critic darling and former Fleet Foxes member serves up some cinematic crooning that would make Chet Baker proud! 

15.  The Last Goodbye (ODESZA feat. Bettye LaVette) - Whoa!  What a great way to introduce soul legend Bettye LaVette to a new generation!  A sample of LaVette's 1965  "Let Me Down Easy" with some slammin' beats.  I salute the masters!

16.  Pills /Roosevelt Remix/ (Selah Sue) - Roosevelt works his magic again on Belgian singer's latest single.  

17.  Too Late Now (Wet Leg) - British Indie rockers are heavy on the reverb and lightning-fast sometimes spoken/sometimes sung vocals.

18.  Like Exploding Stones (Kurt Vile) - Former War On Drugs guitarist goes solo with some leisurely and trippy/folk rock.  

19.  Fleabag (Yungblud) - Always entertaining rocker and Halsey's ex closes us out with some self-flagellating punk rock.  

*BONUS TRACK:  The Last Resort (Eagles) - Okay, I just saw the Eagles for their 2022 Tour, and they did this track from "Hotel California" with a full orchestra and choir behind them.  It truly was a revelation.  I'd never paid attention to this particular song because their are SO many other great songs on that album - but it gave me a new appreciation for it.  Enjoy.  And catch the tour if you can! 

Brant's February 2022 Playlist

There's nothing abominable about a snow day!

Ask and ye shall receive!  Last month I was complaining about the lack of winter weather, and this month we got three (3) snows!  It was so much fun to have it actually FEEL like winter.  And once I was done frolicking outside, I could warm up by the fireplace and work on February's playlist!  This month skews towards R&B with a couple of nice remixes, but there's still a healthy dose of rock!  Enjoy.  To listen on Spotify (although after Neil Young and Joni Mitchell pulled out, I may be exploring other platforms), click HERE.  

1.  Lights (Band of Horses) - Grammy-nominated band kicks us off with some upbeat rock.

2.  Monday (the Regrettes) - We had them on our May 2018 playlist with their awesome cover of "Teenager in Love", and now they're back with an original song!  

3.  Mama Tried (Eli "Paperboy" Reed) - One of my fave Merle Haggard songs gets the Memphis soul treatment!  

4.  Home (IYAMAH) - The final season of "Insecure" wrapped up this past December.  I loved the music from the show as much as the show itself, so here's one new tune I discovered from the soundtrack!  

5.  Don't Forget Your Neighborhood (Cola Boyy and the Avalanches) - Some disco-flavored Indie pop from West Coast artist/activist Matthew Urango.

6.  Take You Higher (Leisure) - Another repeat artist from playlists gone by!  This New Zealand band was on our Feb 2019 playlist, and this groovy soul track is their latest offering.  

7.  Nobody Sees Me Like You Do (Japanese Breakfast) - Michelle Zauner is having her moment, and I am here for it!  I love this cover of an obscure Yoko Ono track from 1981.  

8.  Moonglow (Samara Joy) - Eric turned me on to this young up-and-coming jazz chanteuse, and I can't get enough of her!  This can be our Valentine's Day pick.  

9.  Rush (Raveena) - Dreamy R&B from Indian American artist. 

10.  Lost and Looking /Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy Cosmodelica Remix/ (Lady Blackbird) - Unexpected remix of Lady Blackbird reminds me of many late nights at the clubs back in the day!  

11.  Fine and Peachy (Eliza Shaddad) - Eliza was on our Dec 2020 playlist, and this is her latest!  Confessional soft rock that would fit perfectly in a Lilith Fair revival.  

12.  Dogs Run On (Maya De Vitry) - Beautifully simple acoustic folk harmonies that are perfect listening as you watch the snow fall and sip your cocoa.  

13.  Stay /Little Dragon Remix/ (Valerie June) - It's always a treat when two artists you love decide to collaborate!  Little Dragon gives the opening track on June's latest album an avant-garde reworking. 

14.  Good Old Days /Classixx Remix/ (JR JR and Classixx) - Peppy Indie pop from Michigan duo.

15.  Meant for Livin' (Mondo Cozmo) - Another welcome return, this time from LA folk-rocker Joshua Keith Ostrander.

16.  Get Lost in the Music (Ambar Lucid) - 1960s vibes that would make Lulu and Petula Clark proud! 

17.  (The Best Part of) Breaking Up (the Ronettes) - Speaking of the 1960s, we lost a legend this past month.  RIP Ronnie Spector, lead singer of the Ronettes.  I had to include one of their songs on this month's list.  

18.  Hard Drive (Cassandra Jenkins) - Half spoken, half sung cerebral lyrics that reminded me of Laurie Anderson.

19.  Night Call (Years & Years) - Olly Alexander is also having a moment, so I figured we could wrap up this month's list with his latest pop confection!  

So that's February's list!  Hope everyone has a great month and I'll see you in March!  

Brant's January 2022 Playlist

When you were really excited about the winter weather,
but it's been 70 degrees all weekend...

Our first playlist of 2022!  I actually debated whether to continue doing these, but at the end of the day - I really enjoy finding new music.  It's also fun to be able to look back at the lists from previous years.  Anyway, here's a fresh batch of songs.  Some of the themes were a tad dark, despite the upbeat presentation!  That wasn't intentional on my part, but feels appropriate given the last two years.  Let's hope 2022 is better to us than her predecessors!  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Last Day on Earth (beabadoobee) - Filipino-British singer/songwriter addresses the angst that sometimes comes in a New Year with an appropriately titled, but deceptively cheerful, ditty!

2.  Under the Rolling Moon (Ducks Ltd) - Toronto band serves up some jangly alt-rock.

3.  Train in Vain (Rostam) - A dreamy cover of the Clash classic.  

4.  Drugs (Anderson East) - Blue-eyed soul singer who last appeared on our March 2018 playlist is back with this dark but peppy disco tune!  

5.  All I Feel Is Rain (Khalid feat JID) - I love me some Khalid, and was very psyched to see he had released a new mix tape last month.  

6.  Walk On By (the Baylor Project) - Grammy-nominated Jean Baynor and husband also make a welcome comeback! It's not the Dionne Warwick song but still a great R&B performance.  

7.  Nothing's Ever Gonna Be Good Enough (Miles Kane feat. Corinne Bailey Rae) - This is one of those vivacious pop songs that only seem to come out of the UK.  Sounds like something Paul Weller would've done during his Style Council years.  

8.  Fire in Your House (Walk the Moon feat. Johnny Clegg and Jesse Clegg) - Frequent Brantworld listees continue to serve up great music.

9.  Don't You Worry About Me (Bad Boy Chiller Club) - This is a balls-to-the-wall party anthem.  I fully expect to hear it in some Netflix college/high school series in 2022.  

10.  How Not to Drown (Chvrches & Robert Smith) - Usually when a band has a guest vocalist, they sound like themselves with guest vocals.  This could TOTALLY be a Cure song with Chvrches as a guest performer!

11.  Purely Educational (Elder Island) - Let's keep the 80s vibes going with this minimalist Europop offering.  They've clearly spent some time listening to Yaz and Alison Moyet.  

12.  Heavy (Peach PRC) - Australian artist serves up a nice pop ballad.

13.  Silk Chiffon (MUNA with Phoebe Bridgers) - Dreamy soft-rock about ladies lovin' ladies!

14.  If You Got a Problem (Joy Oladokun) - Another proud queer artist who deserves much recognition.

15.  True Love (Hovvdy) - Austin, Texas duo, pronounced "howdy", adds some Western flair and harmonies to the usual rock vibe.  

16.  Bad Luck (BoyWithUke) - Mysterious TikTok artist has never shown his face but has racked up millions of views.  Can't wait to hear more from him!  

17.  Chapstick (COIN) - Sexy, nasty funk rock from Nashville band.  Probably not Covid-safe but fun anyway! 

18.  No Bad Days (Bastille) - I really expected Bastille to be a one-hit wonder for some reason.  Happily I was proven wrong! 

19.  Baby Grand (Anna B. Savage) - Listening to this is a completely immersive experience, so I put it at the end of the playlist.  I saw her name on several Best of 2021 Lists and have been fascinated ever since.  Her vibrato is off-putting (to me) at first, but the raw emotion is captivating.  She reminds me of Antony and the Johnsons/Anohni.  Enjoy!

So that's our first list of the New Year.  Hope everyone survived the holidays and has a great 2022!

Brant's December 2021 Playlist

Playlist?  Check.  Jet Ski?  Check. 
Okay, who's ready to do some Christmas shopping?!?

The last playlist of the year!  I'm still not sure how I feel about 2021 - it wasn't as bad as 2020 but it also wasn't a great year.  Covid variants.  Supply Chain breakdowns.  Marjorie Taylor Greene.  One can only hope that the New Year will be better.  In the meantime, here's one last batch of songs to close us out!  It's a hodge-podge, but hopefully you'll find a few tunes on here that you enjoy.  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.  

1.  My Universe (Coldplay with BTS) - 2021 brought us a lot of surprises, and seeing these two completely different musical acts collaborate was one of the more pleasant ones!  I figured it was a happy way to kick things off.  

2.  Once More for the Ocean (Slothrust) - I'm not clear on whether this band's name is pronounced Sloth-Rust or Slow-Thrust.  Either way, I do dig this rock jam with the Cher-styled autotune!  

3.  (Feels Like) Heaven (Roosevelt) - A new Roosevelt song always feels like a Christmas present!  And what a bonus to have him cover one of my fave 1980's tunes by Fiction Factory!  

4.  Paul Newman Daytona Rolex (Brett Dennen) - I imagine most of us won't get the $5,475,000 Paul Newman Daytona Rolex for Christmas, but at least we can purchase a song about it for $1.29.

5.  Hello (Kes) - True story:  I heard this while taking a Lyft ride home after a boisterous night with friends.  I texted the song to myself because it was fun and now it'll remind me of a joyous evening.  Hopefully, you'll like it too!  Celebratory Trinadadian calypso for your Christmas Island party.  

6.  Enough (Appleby) - Groovy electronica that is perfect for Après Ski or Holiday cocktails.  

7.  Christmas Time in New Orleans (Lars Edegran and his Santa Claus Revelers) - It felt rude not to include a Christmas song or two, but considering radio stations started playing them at the end of October - I'm kind of sick of them.  Anyway, this is one that we probably haven't heard a million times!  

8.  All Night Parking (Adele with Erroll Garner) - Adele's new album will ALSO be overplayed, but I do salute her sampling Jazz Master Erroll Garner on this slow jam.  

9.  Love Me Now (Kygo feat. Zoe Wees) - I caught Zoe performing in this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and liked her.  I wasn't surprised to see Kygo had already enlisted her for a collaboration!  

10.  Disconnect (Melissa B) - Lordy this reminds me of jamming to Midnight Star on my carpool rides home after school!  Let's hope we hear more from this R&B artist. 

11.  Changes, Pts 1 & 2 (Neal Francis) - Love the mid-70s vibes we get from this Chicago rocker.  He's got a new album out, but I was still enjoying this 2019 offering at the time I compiled this playlist.  

12.  Our House (the Head and the Heart) - Americana cover of the CSNY classic.  

13.  Always on My Mind (Nané) - Easygoing rock with soaring vocals from Austin, TX band.

14.  I Feel Like Dancing (the Night Game) - We had them working with Elle King on our May 2021 playlist, and now they're back flying solo with this upbeat ditty.  

15.  Dysfunctional (Kaytranada and VanJess) - Nigerian-American duo teams up with Canadian DJ/producer for some slick funk that would make Soul II Soul proud!

16.  New Shapes (Charli XCX with Christine and the Queens) - Soooooo glad to hear Charli doing pure pop again.  A little bit of her PC Music/experimental stuff goes a long way for me.  

17. It's So Easy (Margo & Mac) - Toe-tappin' loungey groove with a 1960s vibe! 

18. Can't Let Go (Robert Plant and Alison Kraus) - Two musical giants team up again to cover another musical giant - Lucinda Williams!  I smell a Grammy Award coming... 

19.  Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis (Tom Waits) - Here's another Christmas song you probably won't hear on the radio, which is a shame because it's AWESOME.  I've been on a Tom Waits kick lately, so this seemed like a perfect choice to close us out.  

Hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season!  I guess if the last two years have taught us anything, it's that there are no guarantees - but perhaps we shall all meet again in 2022!  Until then!  

Brant's November 2021 Playlist

Nothing's more fun than a turkey with a turntable! 

One year, I'm actually going to get November's playlist out on time.  This will not be THAT year.  October is such a busy (and festive) time - it's hard to sit still and browse music (even though I obviously enjoy that too).  Anyway, here's this month's list.  It's the usual potpourri of stuff - some pop, some Americana, some noteworthy remakes.  Enjoy!  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.  

1.  I Don't Live Here Anymore (War on Drugs) - Cheerful pop rock that's giving me a Traveling Wilburys vibe!  

2.  Set the Fairlight (Islands) - Canadian rockers keep the beats going with a dash of angst.

3. Wide Open Spaces (Soccer Mommy) - The Chicks Formerly Known as Dixie get a delicious reboot from Indie artist.

4.  Willow /90s Trend Mix/ (Taylor Swift) - A retro-electronic remix of one of TSwizzle's quarantine tunes.

5.  Calling All Angels (Chelsea Cutler feat. Quinn XCII) - Breezy pop from Connecticut chanteuse.  

6.  4ever After (Kero One feat. Ace Hashimoto)  - Can't remember where I heard this, but I was digging the R&B and jazz influences!  

7.  Freedom (Christine and the Queens) - People will either love or hate this George Michael cover!  Personally I love it.  

8.  It'll Never Happen Again (Lady Blackbird) - Eric turned me on to Lady Blackbird, and once I read that she was the "Grace Jones of Jazz" I was even more intrigued.  I especially adore her cover of this Tim Hardin deep cut.  

9.  Coming Home (the Green) - There's always room for some Hawaiian reggae!  We had them on our April 2019 playlist and they're back again with more islandy grooves.  

10.  Runaway (R3hab, Sigala, and JP Cooper) - From the island to the dance floor, we're covering a lot of ground this month!  

11.  Don't Freak (the Aces) - Indie band is back with a disco-tinged tune about mental health stigma! 

12.  Paradise (Alan Walker, K-391, and Boy in Space) - British Norwegian DJ serves up some happy tropical beats.  

13.  Jazz on the Autobahn (the Felice Brothers) - This is one of those turn-up-the-car-stereo driving songs perfect for your holiday road trips!  

14.  Piece of Mine (Lilli Lewis feat. Gina Forsyth) - Intense Americana/folk harmonies from New Orleans divas.  

15.  Keep Walking (Moonlight Breakfast)  - Funky minimalist disco from Euro band.

16.  Who's Hurting Who (Jack Savoretti feat. Nile Rodgers) - Did someone say "disco"?  Soulful British vocalist teams up with the King of Disco!  

17.  Coming Back (Domo Genesis with Mac Miller) - I honestly wasn't familiar with Mac Miller (even as Ariana Grande's boyfriend!) but when his drug dealer pled guilty to fentanyl overdose charges last week I explored his catalog of music.  I enjoyed this offering from 2016.

18.  Everywhere (Smallpools with Emily Vaughn) - Every few years it seems somebody covers this 1987 Christine McVie classic, and every few years I always enjoy it.  It's a timeless song.  

19.  Why the Bright Stars Glow (Valerie June) - A beautiful love song to close us out and get us set up for the holidays.  

So that's November's list!  Hope everyone has a great month, and remember to brush your teeth after bingeing on all that leftover Halloween candy!  

Brant's October 2021 Playlist

Who wants to be the one to tell them that Starbucks Vampire Frappuccino
doesn't contain real blood?  

It's the most wonderful time of the year!!!  And this year, it looks like we may actually get to celebrate Halloween (fingers crossed).  To that end - we've got another playlist ready to go.  This one has some Halloween tunes, as well as some familiar faces, to get your party started.  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Time Warp (Tenacious D) - By the time this came out last year, I had already published October's playlist - so I had to sit on it for a year!!!  But it's a great tribute to Rocky Horror.  

2.  Yes Sir, I Can Boogie (the Fratellis) - We lost María Mediola from Baccara last month, so I thought this was a great way to honor the original band as well as showcase a fun and unexpected cover tune!  

3.  Alone Star (the Vaccines) - More upbeat New Wave/alt rock to keep the celebratory vibes going.  

4.  Get Closer (Twin Shadow) - Slightly tropical rock feels from Dominican-American artist.

5.  Sweet Sunshine Wine (Pearl Charles) - Pearl definitely spent some time listening to her mother's 1970s vinyl collection.  Last month, it was ABBA-influenced pop, now it's Fleetwood Mac-inspired soft rock.  And I love it all!  

6.  Back Into Your Arms (RINSE feat. Hatchie) - Light and airy dream pop from Brisbane artist.

7.  I Can't Go to the Party (Rozzi) - Discovered by none other than Maroon 5's Adam Levine - I have a feeling she'll be going to a lot of parties in the near future!  

8.  No Rules (Kyle Dion) - Funky soul from up and coming R&B star.

9.  Eyes Without a Face (Angel Olsen) - Spooky but faithful interpretation of the Billy Idol classic.

10.  If You Ever Leave, I'm Coming with You /Roosevelt Remix/(the Wombats) - Heaven forbid I go a month without Roosevelt!  

11.  Future Starts Now (Kim Petras) - For me, there's nothing nicer than somebody making me a mix tape or putting together a playlist for me.  My friend Bruce did just that for my birthday last month.  This was one of the selections he included - which I (of course) loved.  Thanks, Bruce!  

12.  Candied Tangerines (Jon Bryant) - I don't recall where I heard this, but it's a great song and the titular fruit seems like a great Halloween party snack!  

13.  Daddy's Home (St. Vincent) - I know she's got another album out already, but I'm still enjoying this one!  

14.  Darlin' I Won't Tell (Blacktop Mojo) - Some old-school classic rock from Texas band.

15.  Dried Up River (the Lone Bellow) - More old school rock, this time from Brooklyn!  I hope something hasn't happened to the Hudson!

16.  Stupid (Deb Never) - Grunge/emo ditty from West Coast artist

17.  Song for Zula (Phosporescent) - They played this during the series finale of "Superstore" and I had to include it!  Great song for a great show.  

18.  I Put a Spell on You /Original Full Disco Mix/ (M Diggo feat. Eddie Johns) - One last Halloween party tune!  A glorious 1978 disco reboot of the 1956 "Screamin' Jay" Hawkins song.  

So that's October's playlist!  Hope everyone has a spook-tacular Halloween season and I'll see you next month!