Brant's August 2022 Playlist

You never know what that new Webb Telescope is going to find out there! 

It's a Saturday, and summer is in full swing.  After meeting a friend at his pool yesterday and deciding it was too hot to be outside - I decided to spend this afternoon finishing up August's playlist.  Usually I steer towards Indie artists and those performers people may not know, but there have been so many A-list artists putting out great music that I went ahead and added them in.  So, for every up-and-comer we have a Beyoncé, Harry Styles, Lizzo, etc.  Anyway, here's this month's list, published early so you can enjoy it as part of YOUR weekend (be it indoors or outdoors).  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Killing Me (Coin) - We had "Chapstick" on January's playlist, and now they're back with another peppy alt-rocker.  I'll be paying attention to this Nashville band moving forward! 

2.  The Girls (Albertine Sarges) - This tune reminds me of the quirky female-led songs from artists like Lene Lovich and the B-52s back in the 80s.  

3.  Wake Up (Young the Giant) - The latest anthemic offering from California rockers!  

4.  Music for a Sushi Restaurant (Harry Styles) - Harry's new album seems to vacillate between peppy horns-forward ditties and yacht rock.  I'm mostly favoring the former.  

5.  Everybody's Gay (Lizzo) - Viva La Lizzo!!!

6.  Hi-Fidelity (Lava La Rue feat. Biig Piig) - Easygoing funk collab between non-binary poet/artist/musician and Irish artist Biig Piig. 

7.  You're No Good (Weyes Blood) - Okay, it's starting to look like I'll have this entire "Minions" soundtrack on a playlist somewhere, but there are so many good songs!  Here's Weyes Blood covering Linda Rondstadt! 

8.  No Mistakes (Sarah Shook & the Disarmers) - I loved this song the first time I heard it.  What a pleasant surprise to see she's a North Carolina native!  She's serving "country punk and twang" and I am HERE for it! 

9.  (Remember Me) I'm the One Who Loves You (Watkins Family Hour feat. Fiona Apple) - Fiona follows her muse wherever it leads, and I like that.  For this number, she joins Sara and Sean Watkins (formerly of Nickel Creek) to do their rendition of a Johnny Cash standard.  

10.  Waiting by the Window (mokina, carbeau) - From American country to Brazilian bossa nova!  I always enjoy a lil' bossa nova in the summertime.  

11.  Different Colors x Pride (Walk The Moon feat. Jake Wesley Rogers) - My friend Lynn turned me on to Jake Wesley Rogers.  What a treat to hear him do this song with frequent Brantworld listees Walk The Moon for last month's Pride! 

12.  Never Really Loved Me (Kygo feat. Dean Lewis) - I don't know who Dean Lewis is, but I love this man's voice!  Kygo always manages to find quality vocalists for his stuff. 

13.  Life's Too Short (Adesha feat. Vincent Kwok) - Eric turned me on to this lady, and I'm digging the 80s old-school vibes she delivers.

14.  Sneakers (ITZY) - This K-pop group is giving me Spice Girl nostalgia.  Unapologetically exuberant and youthful.  

15.  sheluvme (Tai Verdes) - Cool R&B performance from handsome Californian.  I wish it were longer!  Can we go back to songs that are more than 3 minutes long, pleeeeeeease???

16.  Cuff It (Beyoncé) - I'd be remiss if I didn't have something from Bey's new album!  I fully expect to be hearing selections from "Renaissance" on dance floors for the rest of the year (and beyond)!  

17.  Like I Never Left (Kid Bloom) - Trippy psych-rock from young West Coast artist.

18.  Back On My Love (Pure Shores) - Another song to get you back on the dance floor! 

19.  Let's Get It On /Flight Facilities Remix/ (Marvin Gaye) - Remixing Marvin Gaye is a bold undertaking, but I think these guys nailed it!  Flight Facilities build on the original without completely bastardizing something that really didn't need changing.  

So that's August!  Stay cool, and I'll (hopefully) see you next month!

Brant's July 2022 Playlist

I couldn't hear the Horn in the West, but I 
can definitely hear this month's playlist!

Sometimes life gets in the way of putting together these playlists, but I guess that's not all bad.  It was just a super-busy month at work, and then the holiday weekend crept up and here we are 3 days into July and I'm just now pulling this all together!  Anyway, this month's list is a mix of good stuff - some folk-rock, some summery vibes, and because after all the nonsense coming out of the Supreme Court I wasn't feeling especially patriotic - I just threw in a kickass protest song from Nina Simone.  Hope you enjoy.  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Broken Shadow (Karen Elson) - Gorgeously haunting folk from the former Mrs. Jack White.

2.  Shine a Light (Paolo Nutini) - This sounds nothing like "New Shoes" but is still quite appealing! 

3.  Shining Star (Brittany Howard and Verdine White) - I'm really digging this new Minions soundtrack!  We had Diana Ross last month, and now we've got Brittany Howard teaming up with founding member of Earth, Wind, and Fire for a powerhouse reboot of their classic 1975 hit.

4.  She Had Me at Heads Carolina (Cole Swindell) - Another fun reboot - this time of Jo Dee Messina's 1996 country hit!  

5.  In the Mirror (the Interrupters) - Summer always puts me in the mood for some reggae and ska, and this will do quite nicely! 

6.  Butterfly Wings (Felivand) - Percolating R&B from Australian artist.  

7.  The Highs and The Lows (Chance the Rapper feat. Joey Bada$$) - Jazzy rap from Chicago artist.

8.  Potion (Calvin Harris feat. Dua Lipa and Young Thug) - Dua Lipa is having her moment!  I'm not surprised Calvin Harris recruited her to sing on his latest.

9.  Just Sayin' (JayWood feat. Ami Cheon) - I can't remember where I heard this, but really digging this summery soul vibe from Canadian artist.  

10.  Mighty Cloud (Wooze) - This is wacky and muscular and just one of those kinda goth, kinda New Wave songs that reminds me of the Pterodactyl Club in 1980s/1990s Charlotte!  

11.  Give It to Me Baby (Jarina de Marco) - Slinky remake of the Rick James classic.

12.  Show Me Love (Tove Styrke) - Very 60s-styled girl group ballad from Swedish singer/songwriter. 

13.  The Funeral (YUNGBLUD) - Frequent Brantworld listee is back with some peppy alt-rock.

14.  That's Where I Am (Maggie Rogers) - New Wave beats and earnest vocals from Harvard Divinity School graduate.  

15.  Sometimes (MUNA) - From the Fire Island soundtrack.  A delicious Britney Spears cover. 

16.  Suburbia (NoSo) - Smooth electronica from Korean American artist.

17.  In the Dark /Extended Mix/ (Purple Disco Machine feat. Sophie & the Giants) - Fantabulous disco from the aptly named Purple Disco Machine!  

18.  Dream (Madison McFerrin feat. Photay) - This sounds like the Andrews Sisters after a few edibles (in all the best ways!).  And yes, she's Bobby McFerrin's daughter.

19.  Backlash Blues (Nina Simone) - Nina kicking ass and taking names, as only she can! A great protest song.  I first heard it in the excellent Academy Award-winning "Summer of Soul" movie.  

20.  Out of Time (the Weeknd) - Easygoing pop from versatile Canadian star.

So that's July's playlist!  Y'all stay safe out there.  And remember, if you're road-tripping with someone who recently lost an election - don't give them any bad news if they're within arm's reach of the steering wheel!  #SafetyFirst 

There Are Other People in This World Besides You

 

I haven’t been a child for a very long time, but I occasionally can still hear my Mom’s voice in my head. It’s like an internal alarm system notifying me that I need to course-correct. Most times, it’s something of small consequence such as, “We can’t afford to air condition the entire neighborhood!” (close the door). But lately, I've been hearing, “There are other people in this world besides you!”

Mom reserved this for times when I was being a selfish brat – for example when I would whine about wanting pizza for dinner instead of the restaurant my family had chosen. Or when I didn’t want to go to one of my brother’s tennis tournaments. It seems like a toss-away statement, but the more I think about it the more I realize it was actually seismic.

THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD BESIDES YOU. This one little phrase eventually shaped my view of the world. It took me outside my head and forced me to develop empathy. I began to notice that there were external points of view that I needed (at the very least) to consider and (ideally) perhaps from which I could learn something.

Looking around these days, I have noticed that there are a lot of people out there whose mothers clearly never said this to them. There are the small incidents – people not using turn signals while they drive, people who do not wipe down the gym equipment after they use it. These are just a part of life’s daily annoyances. But other incidents are happening on a larger scale with greater consequence.

I see a lot of people who compare the recent overturning of Roe v Wade with 2020’s mask mandates and vaccine requirements. If you’re not aware that there are other people in this world besides you – it probably seems like a sound argument. You can’t choose to end your pregnancy. I couldn’t choose to go without a mask. It’s the same thing in their heads. But the difference is that one of these actions affects OTHER PEOPLE. If you choose to go without a mask (or vaccine), you are increasing the odds that you will catch a disease, which YOU CAN THEN PASS ALONG to OTHER PEOPLE. If someone opts not to carry a baby to term, they don’t increase the risk for others to miscarry or end their own pregnancy against their will. One of these decisions affects the collective.

On an even grander scale, you have decision makers in power, like Clarence Thomas. After the Roe v Wade precedent was overturned, Thomas wrote that the Supreme Court “should reconsider all of this court’s substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell”. These decisions were also based on privacy rulings and regarded issues like contraception and same-sex marriage. It’s quite telling that he omitted Loving v Virginia. This was the Supreme Court decision that made interracial marriage legal in our country. Thomas is 74 years old, straight, and in an interracial marriage. I would imagine issues of gay marriage and contraception are not part of his realm. But interracial marriage is, therefore he left it off the table. I’m guessing Clarence Thomas’s mother never bothered to tell him that “there are other people in this world besides you.” And because he is in a position to actually affect change, his lack of empathy has staggering consequences for the entire nation.

I don’t know what the solution is for the adults who are already out there. It seems like if you didn’t learn this lesson early in life, you never will. But for the parents out there raising kids – PLEASE share with them this vital nugget of wisdom. THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD BESIDES YOU. If you don’t, we all will continue to suffer the consequences. And it sucks living in a world with dirty gym equipment, tone-deaf social media posts, and legislators who pass and enforce laws that only benefit themselves. Avoiding that in adulthood is definitely worth occasionally not getting pizza for dinner as a child.

Brant's June 2022 Playlist

Inflation really took a bite out of the special effects in
 "Jurassic World 3", didn't it?

The early bird gets the...cyclist?  I guess because I was home sick all weekend (not Covid, thank goodness), I was able to complete June's playlist a little early!  June is Pride Month, so in hopes that I will NOT be sick and that I will get to do some fun stuff during the next 30 days - I leaned into the party vibes:  lots of dance, R&B, and synth pop.  Hope you enjoy.  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Daydreaming (Harry Styles) - This glorious mix of Styles' charisma and a slammin' Brothers Johnson sample kicks us off!  It seems destined to be one of the "Songs of the Summer" for 2022.  

2.  Down (Hot Chip) - Eclectic, Grammy-nominated alt-dance artists serve up more peppy beats.

3.  Don't Forget My Love (Diplo and Miguel) - Two West Coast greats team up to create some night club magic!  

4.  Slow Song (the Knocks feat. Dragonette) - This was giving me Fleetwood Mac vibes in all the right ways!  

5.  Heartbursts (Lucius) - Dare I say...luscious (and Lucius!)  female vocals over tasty Indie pop?  Yes, please!

6.  You Make Me Mad (Aquilo) - Slick alt-rock from English duo.

7.  Ominira (Angelique Kidjo) - Beninese legend delivers some tropical vibes perfect for the upcoming season. 

8.  At the Hotel (Eunice Collins) - I heard this on an episode of "Atlanta" and had to have it.  A rare and nearly lost R&B recording from 1974.  Haven't we ALL felt a little "motel" at the "hotel" at some time or another?

9.  Quicksand (Hatchie) - Dreamy pop from Australian singer.

10.  Broken (Alfie Templeman) - We had Alfie on last month's playlist, and one song was not enough!  

11.  One Second (Pink Skies) - Easygoing psychedelic rock from Oakland, CA artist

12.  Against All Odds (Jenevieve) - Unexpected but welcome R&B cover of an 80s anthem.  

13.  Skyline (Khalid) - Sunny dance tune from one of my favorite contemporary soul singers. 

14.  girl ur so pretty (Ambar Lucid) - Young Indie singer dabbles in some Sapphic sensuality. 

15.  Meteorite (Anna of the North & Gus Dapperton) - Peppy pop from Norwegian artist

16.  Passion (Roosevelt feat. Nile Rodgers) - This combo was destined to happen!  Roosevelt is clearly influenced by 70s and 80s dance and disco music, and Nile Rodgers is well, Nile Rodgers!  I can't believe it took this long for them to collaborate!

17.  About Damn Time /Purple Disco Machine Extended Remix/ (Lizzo) - Did someone say "disco"???  This had BETTER be on EVERY Pride Playlist moving forward! 

18.  Hurts But It Goes Away (The Head and The Heart) - Latest from the Seattle Indie folk-rockers

19.  Turn Up the Sunshine (Diana Ross & Tame Impala) - Minions make strange bedfellows!  I never in a million years would've put Diana Ross in the recording studio with Tame Impala, but they sound pretty great on this tune from the "Minions:  Rise of Gru" soundtrack!

20.  Strut Your Funky Stuff  /Original 12" Version/ (Frantique) - It wouldn't be Pride without some disco, and I recently discovered this band on a Disco Discharge compilation!  Strut your funky stuff, y'all!

So that's June's playlist!  Hope everyone has a safe and HEALTHY month - and I'll see you in July! 

Brant's May 2022 Playlist

Okay, I survived the Spring pollen.  Now I just need to be ready for the Summer bugs!  

It's hard to believe May is here!  I guess the allergy-induced haze I've been in for the last two months has distorted my perception of time.  Anyway - I'm a day late but here is a new playlist.  We've got some unexpected covers, some poolside beats, and a few artists I hope to catch over the summer concert season.  Enjoy!  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Stacking Chairs (Middle Kids) - Upbeat Indie rock from down under to kick us off!

2.  Nervous at Night (Charlie Hickey) - Young artist signed to Phoebe Bridgers' record label!  

3.  Too Young to Remember (Christone "Kingfish" Ingram) - Young Grammy winner will hopefully have a long career ahead of him!  It's nice to hear some old school blues. 

4.  C'mon Baby Cry (Orville Peck) - Orville is back on tour, so I'm hoping to catch him this summer!  In the meantime, I'm digging this retro-Country offering. 

5.  Puppy and a Truck (Jenny Lewis) - Her opening line is "My 40s are kicking my ass, and handing it to me in a margarita glass!"  I hate to tell her what the 50s will be like...

6.  Steal My Sunshine (Portugal. The Man with Cherry Glazerr) - First unexpected cover!  Psychedelic Rock darlings Portugal. The Man cover Len's 1990s hit (which in itself had a delicious Andrea True sample!).  

7.  About Damn Time (Lizzo) - Lizzo is baaaaaaack!!!  And there is much rejoicing! 

8.  Colors (Thunder Jackson) - Powerful vocals over a groovy beat to keep the party going.  

9.  Rocket on My Feet (St. Lucia) - Many artists have adopted the 80s sound, but this tune nailed it for me.  It sounds like one of those mid-tempo club tunes you'd hear at every cocktail lounge you visited.  Perfect for sipping your blue caracao cocktail and trying not to worry that the valet is going to scratch your DeLorean.  

10.  Beatmaker (Matt Berry & Emma Noble) - Unexpected cover #2!  The guy from "What We Do in the Shadows" does a fantabulous cover of the Doris classic!

11.  So Lonely (PJ Morton feat. Wale) - Great summer vibes from Maroon 5 keyboardist and Grammy winner.

12.  Sharks (Diane Coffee) - So excited to have a new Diane Coffee album!  And there's a tour this summer so I may try to catch that as well.  Shaun Fleming never disappoints.  

13.  Wild One (Bobby Rydell) - We lost Bobby last month, so I wanted to include one of his biggest hits.  For giggles, you can check out the disco version from 1976!  It's also added as a Bonus Track on Spotify.  

14.  Colour Me Blue (Alfie Templeman) - It's impossible to be sad while listening to these upbeat 1960s vibes from this up-and-coming UK artist!  

15.  Pogo (Skeleten) - Easygoing electronica from Sydney band.  

16.  Landline (Little Boots) - English pop singer is back with this disco-tinged tribute to the days before wireless!

17.  As I Try Not to Fall Apart (White Lies) - Another English artist serves up some post-punk New Wave beats.  

18.  Used to Know Me (Charli XCX) - Charli had me at the Robin S sample.  Can we get an extended version please???  2.5 minutes is not nearly long enough!

19.  Dark Rain (DRAMA) - Breathy vocals over a mid-tempo beat to ease us into the final song.  

20.  Inside My Arms (Gabrielle Cavassa with Braxton Cook) - 'Transportive' is the only word I can use to describe this jazzy conclusion to May's playlist.  Hearing it, I immediately feel like I'm in some hole-in-the-wall cabaret in a big city.  

So that's May's list.  Hope everyone has a great month, and I'll see you in June!

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!