Monday Mixtape, Vol. 47

Sorry that I have disappeared for two weeks, but I was just on a two-week long binge trip of work. 13 straight days to be exact. I would love to tell you about how wild it was and how many different qualities come out of human beings that are stressed and sleep deprived beyond reason, but I will only do that in person!

Anyhoo, a TON has been going on in the wide world of music, including Radiohead putting their new album and "In Rainbows" on Spotify!! Years back, I was trying to make a Best of Radiohead playlist on Spotify but just couldn't because I thought "Nude" and most certainly "All I Need" needed to be included. But good news, now that all of their albums are on Spotify, I can do it. See you in a year. 

Radiohead’s new album, A Moon Shaped Pool, is the calmest album they’ve made, a slow pace around the orchestra pit. I’m not sure how many instruments were involved in the making of this album, but the simplicity of the piano and strings in “Glass Eyes” was the most effective of all and delicately gorgeous. Radiohead also gave their loyal fans who know every B-side they’ve ever made a true treat at the end of the album, a studio version of “True Love Waits.”  

Nobody liked Band of Horses last album. Because it was really bad. Fortunately, their new album is pretty good, none better than the opener that starts with their patented chill-reverb guitar and Ben Bridewell’s vocals. Speaking of these guys, if you haven't listened to my Best of Band of Horses, here's the mix!  

After the first 30 seconds, if you had to guess whose song “Wow” was, what are the odds you would have said Beck? One percent? Five? The point is the man adapts and creates like no other artist I can think of. 

If you actually listen to Whitney (a spin off of two dudes from bigger bands, one from Unknown Mortal Orchestra and the other Smith Westerns) instead of just the instrumental from them that I included, you may think the lead singer sounds like the greased-up deaf guy from Family Guy:

and you will probably be right. Nonetheless, I still like the album as it’s the sound of summer. And we all need more summer. 

If you haven’t listened to the Car Seat Headrest album, get on it. 

Wild Beasts have been a band I’ve followed for many albums, and they’ve never really caught on, mainly because their lead singer refuses to sing any way other than a man reading an erotic novel like an opera singer. He tones it down a but with “Get My Bang,” the catchiest song they’ve ever written. It’s still no “The Fun Powder Plot,” my favorite song they’ve done from back in 2009.

Have a great week, I am flying to Croatia as we speak and will be navigating down the coast over a two week span in a rental car with a manual transmission (that I somewhat forget how to use). Pictures will be posted upon my return. You can't go to Lake Plitvices and not return without pictures.