Monday Mixtape, Vol. 205

Happy Monday! I hope you’re diggin’ an array of tunes this week. We got rap from Cousin Stizz, Pusha T with a Kanye-produced track, and totally new who the hell are these guys?? rap group called aroomfullofmirrors.

All of this rap is bookended by Palace, a rock band I’m still not exactly sure how to describe. All of their albums have a certain flow, a relaxed vibe filled with reverb, and beautiful compositions. Shoals, their third album released a couple weeks ago, might be their best or at least on par with their awesome debut, So Long Forever.

If you like Palace’s tracks on this mixtape, you really gotta dig into their previous albums. I just looked to see if they were coming by the Bay Area on their new tour, and their show at The Fillmore (my favorite venue in San Francisco) on May 21 is already sold out! They have more of a following than I thought. Hopefully I can get something on resale :)

Enjoy the tunes.

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 133

We’re stating the mixtape with a track from a rapper, Denzel Curry, whose new album, ZUU, is a contender for rap album of the year, and one of my favorite albums I’ve listened to all year. The production is unique, raw, and Denzel Curry brings a heavyweight punch to certain tracks while displaying his verbal dexterity on others. If you dig the songs on here, check the album out.

Speaking of favorite albums of the year, I have another album, a COMPLETE 180 from Denzel Curry, the mellow and delicate Faye Webster. She instantly reminded me of Natalie Prass with a touch of country (thanks to that slide-guitar featured throughout), and my wife thought she sounded like a chill Gwen Stefani, which I thought was an apt comparison.

Webster’s Atlanta Millionaires Club (Yeah, I’m not sure about the album name OR THE ALBUM COVER…) is a true album, it flows completely from the front to the back, recounting a romance with “Jonny” that didn’t work out. Love it.

Palace continue to release great singles,  and I’m hoping a new album is in the mix. Clairo is a new pop artist, whenyoung reminds me of the music woman-child of Best Coast and Florence & The Machine, and finally, Bon Iver released a new track, which sounds like a combination of all three of his albums. It’s got electronics (22, A Million), a catchy chorus (For Emma, Forever Ago), and a subdued rhythm (Bon Iver). I’m digging it.

Have a great week!

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 121

I don’t have a lot to say because I don’t have a lot of time!

The 1975 released their new album which I’m still digesting, Palace made an ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL SONG, Anderson .Paak dropped a disappointing album but it’s still got this jam, some new artists to check out for ya, and a lil’ Hippo Campus unplugged.

Enjoy. More to come next week, and my Top 100 Songs and Top 25 Albums of the Year SOON!

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 81

Palace was on last week's mixtape. They're on this week's mixtape twice. I can't stop listening to them, slowly rocking my head to their beachy blues and rhythms that just distinguish them from many others. I feel like they'd get along with the jazzy trio Badbadnotgood swimmingly, and I hear so many other influences from a ton of genres. You have to listen to their recent album from 2016. It's been on repeat for me.

Foster the People released their third album, and it's really good. There is not one song that I skip on this album. I think it's definitely better than their last album which was hit or miss. They have sultry "Sit Next To Me," upbeat and hilarious "I Love My Friends," distorted barr chord rocker "Lotus Eater," and spaced out beauties "III" (which I did not include - go listen to it yourself!)

St. Vincent has a large piece of my heart. She's a phenomenal performer, one of the few very who completely command a stage just with her presence, she's a kick ass guitarist, she loves David Byrne, she's a beauty, AND who knew, but she writes quite the ballad! "New York" is a simple and beautiful love song. Can't wait for her next album. 

I saw NE-HI on a Youtube festival and then found this track on Spotify. They're a bunch of young guys just banging away on their instruments. It's raw. 

Have a wonderful week!    

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 80

A bunch of new bands to digest this week, including Cende, The Jungle Giants, Palace, and Japanese Breakfast. 

Conde's debut album is really enjoyable yet I can't place exactly who or what they sound like. It's a little upbeat, a little punk-y, but no song from 2017 album is better than "What I Want," which actually reminds me a bit of Deerhunter with their amazing transition at 2:50 from the sweet vocals into an ass kicking of rock. Cool song!

"Quiet Ferocity" is a contender for one of my favorite songs of the year. It's certainly got some LCD Soundsystem in it (and the rest of the album sounds a bit Glass Animals a bit Foster the People - who by the way, just released their third album which I need to give more time and listens and will report back!), a bit of The Maccabees, but I love the rhythms, electronics, and this dude's falsetto. 

Vince Staples continues to carry rap in cool and unique directions with his new, critically acclaimed album. "Big Fish" is certainly the catchiest song (or maybe "BagBak") so that had to be included, but this is an album to really dissect, which "745" is a testament to with its trance-like bass line and starstruck piano. 

Pretty damn disappointed in Cousin Stizz's new album, but "Doubted Me" caught me on my first listen. 

I definitely need to listen to Palace more - this is the only song I've heard by them - because they have a really cool chill rhythmic sound, and I LOVE the lead singer's voice.

I wasn't big on Japanese Breakfast's first album despite the love she got on the interwebs, but her second album is a great album front to back. If you like these tracks, give it a try!

Onwards and upwards.