Brant's May 2023 Playlist

I KNEW signing up for this SpaceX trip was a mistake...

Let's see - what's been going on during the last month?  A SpaceX rocket exploded, or per their own statement on the matter, experienced a "rapid unscheduled disassembly".  Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon were fired from their respective jobs.  And I am STILL taking Zyrtec daily because pollen season decided to run extra long this year.  I do have a new mix of songs, though!  Enjoy!  And to listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Beautiful People (Jessie Ware) - Jessie has blessed us with a new album of danceable confections, so I figured this was a great place to start us off!

2.  10:35 (Tiësto feat. Tate McRae) - More club-ready beats from Dutch DJ

3.  Happiness (the 1975) - Upbeat pop that's perfect for anyone's summer playlist!

4.  All Night Long /Amerigo Gazaway Remix/ (Patric Pleasure) - Funky R&B via Switzerland.

5.  Smoke (Victoria Monét feat. Lucky Daye) - It's always fun to see artists you enjoy team up, even if the topic is illegal in many states!

6.  Hearts Aglow (Weyes Blood) - Warm, slightly retro vibes from West Coast singer/songwriter.

7.  Oas (Dina Ögen) - First time I heard this, I thought Joni Mitchell had learned Swedish!  As warm and delicious as any Swedish meatball, but much less fattening.  

8.  Pilgrim (the Wood Brothers) - Bluesy, countrified Americana from NYC band. 

9.  Cherry Red Boots (the Nude Party) - I'm totally digging the 1950s stylings from this NC band!

10.  Call Me What You Like (Lovejoy) - Muscular Indie Rock from English band.

11.  Bad at Letting Go (Leland feat. MUNA) - Tasty pop collaboration with frequent Brantworld listees MUNA!  

12.  All I Really Wanna Do (Devon Gilfillian) - The latest from up-and-coming Nashville soul singer/songwriter.  

13.  Lavender Haze /Snakehips Remix/ (Taylor Swift) - British duo gives TSwizzle's latest hit a house music upgrade!

14.  Dancing in a Hurricane (Freya Ridings) - Hurricane Season isn't quite here yet, but I salute her joyous defiance!  

15.  Motive (Blossom Club) - Easygoing electronica from Parisian duo.

16.  This Isn't Helping (the National feat. Phoebe Bridgers) - Phoebe Bridgers has got to be one of the busiest artists working today.  Not only is she a member of the trio Boygenius, she's also giving assists to artists like The National! 

17.  Time (Nico Paulo) - Sumptuous soft rock from Portuguese/Canadian artist.

18.  Eat Your Young (Hozier) - This feels like a change of style for Hozier, but I'm digging it!  Curious to hear the new album! 

19.  Still Here (Rissi Palmer with Miko Marks) - Another NC artist to close us out, with some bluesy rock to get everyone in the mood for summer concert season! 

So that's May's playlist!  Hope everyone has a safe month, and we'll see you in June!

Brant's April 2023 Playlist

These are noise-canceling headphones.  Why do I hear screaming?
Is this an April Fool's joke?

Welp, it's April 1st - what's happening in the world?  Donald Trump continues to break records - this time by being the first president to be indicted.  Gwyneth Paltrow had to go to trial over a skiing accident (which is surprising because I was sure when she went to court it'd be over something she sold on her website!).  And I'm hoping we are through the worst of tax & pollen season.  We've also got a new playlist.  I really leaned into the retro vibes this month.  Hope you enjoy!  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Exactly What I Needed (Michael Rault) - This easygoing Beatles-esque song seemed like a nice way to get us started! 

2.  Chain Reaction (Joy Downer & Beck) - More 1960's pop stylings, this time from West Coast singer Joy Downer (best name ever!!!) and the always engaging Beck.  

3.  The Way You Look at Me (Kay Young) - Break out your go-go boots and hit the dance floor!  Up and coming artist is serving energetic retro-club jams that would make Austin Powers proud.  

4.  Pineapple Sunrise (Beach Weather) - I'm getting Weezer vibes from this American pop trio.

5.  Words with You (Chromeo) - Funkmasters are back and seemingly channeling Stevie Wonder on their latest offering.

6.  Free Yourself (Jessie Ware) - We had Jessie on last month's playlist, and I cannot get enough of her.  Can't wait for the new album!  

7.  Menergy /Purple Disco Machine Remix/ (Patrick Cowley feat. Sylvester) - I love seeing artists highlighting those who've gone before!  Here - Purple Disco Machine remixes an 80s club classic featuring San Francisco's Patrick Cowley and the legendary Sylvester!  

8.  Hooked on Aesthetics (Tupperwave) - This definitely keeps the retro vibes going!  Australian artist seems to have sampled some 80s exercise videos and dubbed them over a groovy disco beat.  More, please!!!

9.  Super Size (the Knocks feat. Peacemode) - The latest from this dependably fun duo!

10.  Did It Again (Pony) - I think Pony may be my favorite new rock band!  I had them on my playlist last month, and it certainly looks like I...(wait for it)...did it again! 

11.  Go Down River (the Heavy Heavy) - Easygoing pop-rock with a 60s/70s vibe.  

12.  Loving You Is Easy (Dylan Chambers) - West Coast soul and pop singer who has worked with everyone from Three Dog Night to "Dancing with the Stars" delivers some feel-good R&B.

13.  My Babe (Spoon) - Unexpected and welcome return from the longtime alt-rockers. 

14.  Only Wanna Dance (Almost Monday) - Another callback from last month!  I adore their youthful energy! 

15.  Alegría /Franc Moody Remix/ (Relatin) - I honestly can't remember where I heard this, but the disco grooves immediately made me Shazam to see who it was! 

16.  You're Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else (Michael Gray feat. Kelli Sae) - This is another new artist giving a shout-out to earlier greats.  British DJ gives The Jones Girls' 1979 classic a reboot!  

17.  Take Me to Your Body (Moon Boots feat. Nic Hanson) - Play that funky music, white boy!  Brookly DJ teams up with Philly singer for this sexy ditty! 

18.  Entangle (Paco Versailles) - Jazzy soul that's perfect for sipping wine at sunset...after taking your Zyrtec, of course! 

19.  When Someone Loves You (Emeli Sandé feat. Nile Rodgers) - I am SO thrilled to see Nile Rodgers still out there kicking butt and doing his thing after all these years!  Here, he teams up with Emeli Sandé for an uplifting dance-pop anthem.  

20.  Summer Season (Leisure & Muroki) - We had New Zealand band Leisure on our February 2019 playlist, and now they're back with some mellow soft rock in anticipation of the warmer weather.  

So that's April's playlist!  Hope everyone get those taxes done and has a fun month!  See ya in May! 

Brant's March 2023 Playlist

The googly eyes remind me of "Everything Everywhere All at Once". 
The video screen reminds me that it's time for another out-of-this-world playlist!

Okay, I'm a day late - but since Spring is apparently coming early this year (despite the Groundhog's prediction) I guess it evens out.  This month I seemed to be steering away from the pop and gravitating towards alt-rock and some club tunes.  But as always, there's a little bit of everything.   To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  I'm in Love with You (the 1975) - Feel-good pop/rock from English band gets us started! 

2.  A Little More Time (Role Model) - This randomly showed up on my Instagram feed (okay, maybe not so randomly - I see you, algorithm!), and I immediately saved it for March's playlist!  Easygoing West Coast rock.  

3.  Creek Will Rise (Conner Smith) - Young country singer is just getting started, but he certainly knows how to serve up some energetic country rock.

4.  Peach (Pony) - This was giving me Juliana Hatfield vibes in all the best ways!  

5.  The Captain of Her Heart (Le Flex) - Groovy bossa nova reboot of the Double 1985 classic.

6.  Moonlight (Kali Uchis) - We had Kali on some earlier playlists, and I'm so excited she's back!  Slinky and seductive R&B. 

7.  Let Me In (Two Another) - Do I have Spring fever, or are all these songs sexy?  Handsome Indie duo keeps the seductive vibes going!

8.  Woke Up in Love /Alok Remix/ (Kygo) - I liked the Kygo original, but this bangin' remix really got me moving!

9.  Crave /Tracy Young Remix/ (Madonna) - I just bought Madonna's remix box set ("Finally Enough Love") and went down the Madge rabbit hole.  I have to say - some of these remixes really worked magic.  Songs I never particularly cared for (such as this one) found a new enjoyability in their remixed versions!  

10.  Pearls (Jessie Ware) - Another welcome return!  J'adore Jessie, but I could also see Cheryl Lynn doing a fantabulous job with this disco bop. 

11.  Woman (Lady Blackbird) - Frequent Brantworld listee continues to prove nobody today can belt out a soul song like she can.  

12.  Gone Baby, Don't Be Long (José James) - Jazzy version of the Erykah Badu classic.

13.  Younger & Dumber (Indigo De Souza) - Asheville singer/songwriter serves up some hindsight-is-twenty-twenty heartache 

14.  Sophie (CVC) - Groovy, Pink Floyd-influenced classic rock 

15.  Back to You (Benjamin Dakota Rogers) - Heartfelt folk from contemporary Americana singer/songwriter.  

16.  Sun Keeps on Shining (almost monday) - Okay, it's hard not to dance to this upbeat, youthful pop!

17.  Too Much Music (Jake Shears) - Did somebody say "dance"???  I do believe that is in former Scissor Sisters singer Jake Shears' wheelhouse!   

18.  Afraid to Feel (LF System) - Mitch turned me on to this!  I immediately loved the Silk sample, but the lounge beats take this to the next level!  

So that's March's playlist!  See you in April.  

Brant's February 2023 Playlist

People say there's no love in my relationship with Mildred.  That's simply not true!  I love her car, I love the candy she bought me, and I love listening to this month's playlist on her home stereo! 

Another month, another playlist!  It's a little of everything as always.  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Blood on the Tracks (Marcus King) - Grammy-nominated blues rocker kicks things off nicely.  It's not the Bob Dylan song I was expecting, but still love it.

2.  The Thrill Is Gone (RAYE) - Another song title that could be considered a bait-n-switch if I didn't like it so much!  Not BB King, still rocks.

3.  Strawberry Letter 23 (Neal Francis) - Okay, this one is DEFINITELY the Shuggie Otis tune.  And I can't think of anyone in today's market better suited to cover it than Neal Francis!  

4.  New Day (Sunny War) - West Coast folk/punk rocker seems to be leaning more "folk" on this easygoing ditty.  

5.  I'm a Mess (Avril Lavigne with Yungblud) - I would never have thought to have put these two together, but they make beautiful pop together! 

6.  Hold the Girl (Rina Sawayama) - We recently had her on our March 2022 playlist singing with Charli XCX, and she's back solo this month but keeping the dance vibes going!  

7.  Leave Me Behind (Raquel Rodriguez with DUX) - Mid-tempo soul from up and coming Mexican-American artist. 

8.  Love Song from the Attic (Gunhild Carling with Billy Stritch) - If you've been following these playlists for a while, you know I love me some Gunhild.  I figured this was a nice Valentines Day ballad.  

9.  Helplessly Hoping (Crosby, Stills and Nash) - Le sigh.  We lost David Crosby last month so I had to include one of my fave CS&N tunes.  RIP

10.  Hysteria (Indigo Sparke) - Tyler recommended her to me, and I'm so glad he did!  Produced by Aaron Dessner of the National!

11.  So Far So Good (Great Good Fine OK) - One of those dance-pop songs that always make me happy!

12.  Candyfloss (Alfie Templeman) - Another frequent Brantworld listee who never fails to make me smile!

13.  Insomnia (the moss) - I'll admit it was the title of the song that grabbed my attention (is there ANYONE out there who isn't having trouble sleeping these days?), but it was the Indie Rock that inspired repeat listens!  If I have to lose sleep, at least I've got good music! 

14.  Rock My Kiss (Miles Gaston Villanueva) - Okay, if you're not watching "The Boys" who even are you???  I know this song is a parody of the early 2000's boy bands, but it's so spot on it's addictive! 

15.  Melody /from Me to You/ (Pixey) - Upbeat, slightly retro pop from English singer/songwriter/producer.

16.  Pomeranian Spinster (Alvvays) - Frenetic alt rock that's almost as hyper as a real pomeranian!

17.  Git Along (Butcher Brown) - Jazzy rap from from Richmond, VA band.

18.  Holding Pattern (Harvey Sutherland) - This is giving me definite Steely Dan vibes!  Sutherland, aka Mike Katz, is an Australian artist and this is off his debut album.  

19.  Frames (Julietta with Raphael Futura) - Mellow electronica from NY-based Indie artist.

20.  Join Me In a Dream (Rachael & Vilray) - I figured why not have one more romantic, old school ditty to close us out?  R&V have definitely been listening to classic June Christy records and learned from them well!

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

Brant's January 2023 Playlist

Happy New Year!!!  Wait, why does Dorothy look so apprehensive?
Does she know something I don't???

Well, Happy New Year!  Considering I spent most of December sick with Covid (better now!), I can honestly say I'm ready for 2023.  Let's hope it's a kinder gentler year than its predecessor.  There's no real pattern to this month's playlist.  It's just some stuff I've found and liked - some of it from TV and movie soundtracks, some familiar artists, and some of it I don't even remember where I found.  Hopefully you'll enjoy!  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.  

1.  Six Ways (the Jack Moves) - I figured a little party song would be a great way to kick off the new year!  This Newark band never disappoints.  

2.  It's Been a Little Heavy Lately (Joesef) - Indie Scottish singer keeps the disco vibes going with his latest!  

3.  Freakalizer (Sudan Archives) - West Coast violinist is not your Mama's classical musician, as this funky ditty attests! 

4.  Killing Me (Omar Apollo) - Best New Artist Grammy nominee serves up some sexy soul. 

5.  I Want to Ta-Ta You Baby (Johnny "Guitar" Watson) - Lordy, they don't make songs like this anymore, and that's a shame!  I heard this on a movie soundtrack and had to track it down.  From 1976 but sounds as fresh as ever.  I suspect a lot of people Ta-Ta'd to this song. 

6.  Soul Sweet Song (Tedeschi Trucks Band) - Another band that never disappoints!  I caught them last time they came through Charlotte and love their bluesy-rock sound.  

7.  Elegy (Theo Kandel) - Indie singer/songwriter delivers some airy acoustic pop.  

8.  Abigail (Chatham Rabbits) - Another band I caught live and have followed ever since.  The backstory on this is pretty cool:  Singer Sarah McCombie wrote the song about the Pack Horse Library Initiative of 1935, where women were paid to deliver books to rural communities that might not otherwise have them!  A great tune about a great program!

9.  Many Mirrors (Alvvays) - Soaring dream pop from Canadian Indie band.  There was a lot of good stuff on their latest album!  Don't be surprised if more of them shows up on future playlists. 

10.  Ciao Ciao (La rappresentante di Lista) - This was on the soundtrack for Season 2 of "White Lotus" and I will always picture a coked-up Jennifer Coolidge dancing to it now whenever I play this!  

11.  Something About Your Love (SG Lewis) - Daft Punk-inspired lounge beats from English artist.

12.  Makin' Memories (Melissa Carper) - Some more roots Americana from Arkansas bassist and songwriter. 

13.  Ain't Bad for a Good Ol' Boy (Mo Pitney) - I have no idea how I stumbled across this Country musician, but so far I'm digging him.  Definitely one to watch. 

14.  Smartest Man (Homeschool feat. Samia) - This was giving me Weezer vibes in all the right ways! Singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Tom D'Agustino teams up with touring partner Samia for some tasty pop. 

15.  And That's Saying a Lot (Christine McVie) - I went down the Christine McVie rabbit-hole after her death last month, and was pleasantly surprised to see she had recorded a solo album prior to her Fleetwood Mac years, under her maiden name Christine Perfect.  This is from that 1970 album.  

16.  Blutooth (Blu DeTiger feat. Chromeo) - NYC musician teams with funkmasters Chromeo for this danceable ditty.

17.  Honey (the Lone Bellow) - This reminds me of the New Wave-tinged country anthems by groups like Cock Robin and Lone Justice in the 1980s!  

18.  When You Stole the Sun from the Sky (Mamas Gun) - British soul band has obviously been studying some of the great R&B bands of the late 1960s and early 1970s!  This screams "Age of Aquarius"!

19.  United State of Pop 2022 (DJ Earworm) - It's been a while since I've had one of these End-of-Year mashups on a playlist, so I figured "why not?"  It's not available on Spotify, but you can find it on YouTube!

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

Brant's December 2022 Playlist

Old Man Winter and a DiscoBrant of a certain age... 

Our last playlist of the year!  After the non-stop festivities of Halloween month and the indulgent deliciousness of Thanksgiving, it's nice to have some down time.  In that spirit, I found myself steering towards mellow Americana and easygoing electronica.  Lest I incur the wrath of the War-On-Christmas police, I also threw in a couple of seasonal ditties as a nod to the winter holidays.  Hope you enjoy!  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Snowshoes (Caamp) - A little seasonal song to get us going! 

2.  Diamond Wave (Ron Sexsmith) - Canadian artist and a former Juno Songwriter of the Year keeps the easy vibes going with his latest offering.  

3.  Undo the Blue (Iraina Mancini) - Some lush, 60s-styled psychedelia from young British vocalist.

4.  Christmas Train (Brett Dennen) - A little Christmas music goes a long way for me, but this one handily flies under the radar without being too cloying! 

5.  Sugar (Remi Wolf) - Breezy West Coast pop from former American Idol contestant.

6.  If Love Is All It Takes (Glassio) - My 2022 Spotify Wrapped reminded me how much I like this guy and his self-described "melancholy disco"!  

7.  Only Ones (Art d'Ecco) - The latest from British Columbian Glam rocker.

8.  Let Me See Your Phone (DRAM) - We had him on our June 2017 playlist, and now he's back with more new-school R&B stylings!  

9.  Find a Way (Phillip-Michael Scales) - This is from 2020, but I heard it online somewhere and liked it.  I'll be keeping an eye on this new Indie rocker. 

10.  Holy Water Hangover (Butch Walker) - Obviously I can't get enough of the new Butch Walker album!  

11.  Temporary Home (Chatham Rabbits) - My friend Andrea took me to their show last month, and I am now a fan!  Catch them if they come through your town.  Home-spun folk to get your toes tappin'!

12.  Why (Fleetwood Mac) - It was heartbreaking to learn that Christine McVie passed away.  This isn't one of her bigger hits, but it's been a personal fave of mine for years.  RIP

13.  Under the Light (Airpark feat. St. Lucia) - Summery grooves to warm your bones on these cold winter nights!

14.  Lonely (Koffee) -  A little reggae from Jamaican Grammy winner to prolong our aural island excursion.  

15.  Warm In December (Samara Joy) - One last seasonal ditty for good measure!

16.  Lifetime (SG Lewis) - Danceable beats and backup choir are a delightful recipe to include on your holiday cocktail party playlist.  

17.  Who Do You Love (ARTY feat. Rozzi) - Did someone say "danceable"???  This newest anthem from Russian DJ is simply begging for some lasers and mirror balls! 

18.  Keep Away (Carly Rae Jepsen) - Uncharacteristically mellow CRJ, but I'm digging it! 

19.  Bigger Than the Whole Sky (Taylor Swift) - This was a bonus track on Taylor's latest, and it just seemed like a perfect chill-out song for sitting by a window and watching the snow fall (assuming at some point there IS snow!).  

So that's December's playlist - our last of the year!  Wishing everyone a great month, and hopefully we can get together again in the New Year!  

Brant's November 2022 Playlist

I didn't have time to cook for this year's holiday get-together,
but I did pull together a new playlist! 

I've pretty much given up trying to get November's playlist out on time.  Halloween month always takes precedence, and between pulling together a costume, haunted trails, and Halloween parties - finding new music always falls to the wayside.  But I did finally pull something together.  We've got a good mix of big names and newbies - so hopefully you'll enjoy.  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  I'm Just High (Pixey) - The self-proclaimed "Indie Britney Spears" gets us started with some 90s-retro beats and soaring vocals.  I might describe her as closer to Gwen Stefani than Britney, but hey - I love her either way!

2.  Hang a Cross on Me (Pond feat. Cowboy John) -  Euphoric Indie rock from Australian band. 

3.  Anti-Hero (Taylor Swift) - Taylor has dropped her folksy quarantine sound and returned to her pop roots, with her faithful producer Jack Antonoff.  I get the whole 'don't fix it if it ain't broke' philosophy, but part of me keeps wondering what other producers could do with TSwizz.  Perhaps future albums will explore this possibility, but for now I'll enjoy the new songs.  

4.  Make Your Own Kind of Music (Paloma Faith) - Yes, I first heard this in the Volkswagon commercial.  But any faithful cover of a Mama Cass classic is worth a spot on my playlists, I dare say!  

5.  Wild Child (the Black Keys) - Testosterone-rich classic rock from Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney.  

6.  Left and Right (Charlie Puth with Jungkook) - YouTube sensation teams up with BTS member for some easygoing pop.  

7.  Honky Tonk Disco Nights (Elle King & Nile Rodgers) - Never in a million years would I have thought to put these two together, but it works! 

8.  Bad Habit (Your Smith) - Breathy vocals and drowsy beats from Minnesota artist.

9.  Miss Being Mrs (Loretta Lynn) - I'm still grieving the recent loss of Loretta Lynn.  And if you had told me that her Grammy winning 2004 album "Van Lear Rose" would be out-of-print and not available to stream - I'd have said you were insane.  But here we are.  Anyway, this isn't on Spotify so I hope you can find it somewhere.  The entire album is magnificent.  

10.  Streamline Train (Van Morrison) - Losing an all-time great like Loretta Lynn makes me appreciate having new music from Van Morrison all the more!  He sounds as good as ever.  

11.  Dancing In the Rain (Young the Giant) - Energetic arena rock from California band. 

12.  Lionheart (Joel Corry & Tom Grennan) - Here's an inspirational adrenaline-rush for your gym playlist!  The frantic beats remind me of some of the great dance songs of the early 00s!  

13.  Stay with Me (Calvin Harris feat. Justin Timberlake, Halsey & Pharrell Williams) - Popular Scottish DJ has pulled together an all-star cast for his latest single. 

14.  Big Energy (Latto feat. Mariah Carey and DJ Khaled) - I caught this rap artist at the recent Lizzo concert, and liked this little ditty featuring Mariah Carey and a Tom Tom Club sample! 

15.  Surprise (Chai) - Glorious Japanese dream-pop from Nagoya girl group.  

16.  Letter to the Past (Brandi Carlile) - Lordy I love this woman.  'Nuff said.  

17.  He Needs Me (the A's) - Growing up, Mom used to listen to a sister act called Patience and Prudence. That's the first thing I thought of when I heard this!  Imagine my surprise to learn it was a cover of a Shelley Duvall song from the Popeye soundtrack!  

18.  Somebody's Watching You (the Jack Moves) - I do love a good disco song!  The bass on this is flawless.  

19.  Social Call (Samara Joy) - This seemed like a good way to close out November's playlist, as we move into the holiday party season!  Jazz Chanteuse and frequent Brantworld listee covers Gigi Gryce.  

So that's November's list!  Hope everyone has a good Thanksgiving, and I'll see you in December!