Monday Mixtape, Vol. 186

in

All sorts of sounds for your ears today! Starting with one of the most original guitarists I grew up listening to constantly, a man whose signature riffs, tones, and creativity led album after album of brilliance by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Of course: John Frusciante. I just started digging into his solo stuff, and I can’t wait to dig more. “The Past Recedes” is a Dylan-esque song with Spanish guitar, harmonica, acoustic guitar, Frusciante’s vocals, harmonies, and no drums! It’s beautiful.

By the way, how awesome is Mdou Moctar? I haven’t even wanted to know one thing about these guys, I’ve just wanted to listen to what my (bad) linguistic ears think is a Middle Eastern language and sound mixed with rock, chants, up tempo and funky rhythms. What a song.

The Black Keys released a new album, and I’ve been digging it. The lead track on the album, “Crawling Kingsnake,” is full of low-key swagger, a rockin’ bluesy bluster.

J. Cole released a much awaited new album. I love J. Cole although I don’t love any one specific album of his, but there are many tracks from each album that I love, if that makes sense. This album might be one of my favorites, the only track I don’t like is the first, but the rest is Cole spewing fire in rapid clips.

Speaking of good rappers, I’ve been exploring Lute’s discography, and this guy is talented. He’s only got one album from 2017 amidst his come up, but he’s due for something awesome. Or not. You never really know with artists, sometimes they can put it all together into a cohesive piece of art, other times they can’t. Time will tell.

Finally, Porches (and yes, I know, my write-up is all out of order to the mixtape order, but WHATEVER MAN) is a band that I think sounds strange. Maybe catchy. But strange. Something about “I Miss That” sings to me, whether it’s a strange beckoning in the vocals or something else, I like that.

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 185

in

You’re getting transported on this week’s mixtape: Biking along the shores of the Pacific Ocean, whatever your friend gave you an hour earlier starts to kick in when the trippy track by the appropriately named Holydrug Couple rings through your eardrums, creating colors and sounds over the ocean like rainbows raining…Now as your mind and self are adequately disoriented, Wolf Alice wakes you, rocks your core as you stumble off your bike unbalanced, falling...Oidar’s track may sound a bit more clear and down the straight and narrow, but you gain consciousness in a maze of mirrors. The only way out is up, and the vocals lift you to the clouds…you’re weightless, sitting on pillows whiter than snow, as the sounds of an acoustic guitar envelop you, and an angel with a voice like Billie Eilish serenades you as you drift off to sleep…and dream something akin to a masterfully choreographed iPhone commercial with Madlib’s jazzy choral track as the conductor… your outfit changes to a faded light jean jacket and same-colored jeans, an 80s vibe and neon lights as Ryan Adams’ big head rises like the moon and sings to you...You’re back home, laying in bed. It’s bedtime. In another language, one last song speaks to you, and no translation is needed as you drift to sleep.

The magic of music compels our days.

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 184

in

I feel very good about this week’s mixtape. Every single track gives me the feels in one way or another. We got some rock tracks by Angel Du$t and COIN, or at the least, songs featuring guitars with distortion! Yeah mid 90s!

Speaking of mid 90s, we got an old-school like beat from the Nintendo days, my favorite beat of the year, going on during “ON CHAIN” (which - speaking of mid 90s - ends with a sample from “C.R.E.A.M.” by the one and only Wu-Tang Clan) on Brockhampton’s new album, a rap album definitely worth a listen.

On the pop front, we have a crazy new talent, Remi Wolf with the ridiculously infectious “Disco Man.” All you need to hear is her melody and rhythm on her first line to know this girl has got some talent. Then you hear the chorus…damn!

Another budding pop artist, Claud, released her new album very recently. It reminds me very much of my favorite, BENEE, but doesn’t have nearly the “it” factor, but she’s still some good tracks like “Overnight” on this week’s mixtape.

I thought this track from Fred again, “Marea (We’ve Lost Dancing)” is a track of the culmination of COVID. It’s an inhale of the claustrophobia we’ve had for an exhausting year. We lost our space. We lost hugs and people we loved. We lost dancing! But more importantly, this song is also an exhale and a celebration. The light at the end of the tunnel is there. And I can see the silhouette of a crowd in unison, packed shoulder to shoulder, looking up to a stage, heads bobbing, dancing.

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 182

in

I really think this M.A.G.S. guy is going to be a big deal. There’s something to him. His track on this week’s mixtape is just a taste of his great stuff, so please dig in more.

Starting the mixtape off with some Creedence! What a song. That little riff is the reason music exists.

Morgan Wade, a country rock-ish / songwriter, released her debt album this year. Think she’s got big things ahead of her as well!

A couple oldies but goodies because I’ve been listening to them so much this past week: Post Malone and Hippo Campus. Post Malone really is a pop genius. And Hippo Campus is sneakily one of my favorite 5 bands to come out in the past five years, if not my favorite of new bands over that time. I just bought their entire discography on vinyl, and I can’t wait to absorb all the little nooks and crannies of notes and instruments that vinyl brings out (for example: I bought the 20 year anniversary OK Computer vinyl edition, an album I’ve listened to an unfathomable amount of times, yet the vinyl let me hear some instruments on a couple songs that I had never heard before!)

Enjoy the rest of the tunes and your week. Rock on.

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 181

in

Happy Monday! I first heard about Mallrat by listening to BENEE who I first heard about by listening to Joji, all new artists I’ve discovered in the past handful of months. Seeing who artists choose to feature on their tracks is a great way to find new music ;)

Speaking of new music, check out King Green’s new album if you like the track on this mixtape.

Also, Benny the Butcher’s recent mixtape, The Plugs I Met 2, is really good. It’s dark as hell coke rap, a brutal honesty of a life before rapping:

This supposed to be success / then why the fuck I feel stressed out and guilty? / Cuz I’m paid and all my niggas in the Feds or the grave / that shit kill me / That coulda been me / I think about it every day / That coulda been me / I answer every call from jail cuz that coulda been me.

Go find some new music and go down the rabbit hole of sounds :)

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 179

in

A few notable musical events this past week:

  • Kings of Leon released their eighth album. While after a listen, I thought maybe this one is a mellow release, but no, it’s a snoozer. Caleb Followill is STILL PLAYING THE SAME GUITAR WITH THE SAME TONE AND THE SAME BAR CHORDS THAT HE’S BEEN PLAYING SINCE Only By the Night. WTF.

    • "The Bandit” is a totally regurgitated track in almost every sense and instrument from previous outings, but I can’t deny that chorus.

    • KOL used to be one of my favorite bands. Their first three albums still kick ass and sounded nothing like I had heard before. I will always love those albums (and really, their two albums after that are pretty good too.)

  • Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak created a supergroup, Silk Sonic, and all that can be said is DEAR GOD YES.

  • M.A.G.S. gives me indie rock Frank Ocean vibes. Really interested in this artist.

  • The bass line on the first track, “Slowly” by the young Irish band, NewDad, is a heaping of 90s grunge and a dash of shoegaze. Some Nirvana with a bit Pixies and a smidge of DIIV. Good stuff.

  • I can’t hate on Post Malone. I’ve been giving this guy love since 2015 when I had “White Iverson” on Monday Mixtape, Vol. 15! And when he covers Hootie for a Pokemon movie, I mean come on, let’s all just enjoy it.

  • I don’t know who she is, but Julia Jacklin is pretty badass.

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 178

in

Welcome to this week’s mixtape! I shouldn’t even be using an exclamation point because this mixtape is so chill and subdued.

Ichiko Aoba reminds me of Seu Jorge (who got famous by performing David Bowie tracks with his beautiful voice and classical guitar for Wes Anderson’s movie, The Life Aqautic). Her voice is so delicate, pure, and relaxing. The fact that she’s singing in another language makes it that much better to get lost in. The same can be said for the following track by the incomparable, Jose Gonzalez.

Hayley Williams of Paramore released a solo album a few weeks ago on the heels of her great 2020 solo album. This album, Flowers for Vases / descansos, sounds like a nod to Taylor Swift’s stripped-down phenomenal album, folklore. I love the album because Williams has a beautiful voice, and she’s a hell of songwriter. Mainly just her and her guitar, the album has so much room to breathe and relax in, and it sounds like Williams is in a place comfortable enough to air out all her troubles.

I accidentally came upon Juniper because I was looking for Junip, Jose Gonzalez’s band of yore, who have a instrumental featured on this mixtape. Fortunately, Juniper sound great and remind me a ton of a favorite newer band of mine and frequent contributor to this blog, Hippo Campus.

Ending the mixtape with my favorite type of instrumental, one layered in sustain from a piano. Keep calm and carry on.

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 177

in

Hope everyone enjoyed the Super Bowl…my favorite commercial was the GM-Will Ferrell-Norway commercial. The punch through the globe did it for me lol.

Threw some jams together that should make you bop your head, starting with infectious Offset, he of fame from the rap trio Migos. Dude is awesome, love his flow.

Lots of random stuff on this one, including a single from Lana Del Rey, a great ballad from Taylor Swift’s second album of 2019, and more.

That’s all I got! Have a good week.