Monday Mixtape, Vol. 176

Happy 2021 all! And what a 2021 it’s been so far.

There has been very little new music released this year, but thankfully, we have an incredible live version of Bombay Bicycle Club’s phenomenal 2009 release, I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose. This live album is even better than the recorded album, a rare feat! It showcases the range of LOUD, symbol crashes, and excellent drum fills with the subtleties of intricate rhythm guitar playing and angelic off-kilter vocals. This is a piece of art, and I’ve already bought the vinyl to treasure for years to come. Enjoy a few of my favorites.

As for the rest of the mixtape, we have a great new track from Ab-Soul, one of my favorite rappers from many years ago who has fallen off the face of the earth since his last awful album (which got a brutal review in Pitchfork). So maybe there’s still some hope for him.

As for a more recent great rapper (and occupier of one of my Top 25 Albums of 2020) who I hope can continue to make great stuff, Kota the Friend released a 15 minute mixtape, and “Luke Cage” might be my fave of the many very short tracks.

Finally, this Myd track featuring Mac Demarco remixed by Metronomy is such a strange song, but I love it. Myd seems as weird as Mac Demarco, and that’s saying something!

Enjoy the week.

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 39

Morning, I am currently on my way to Florida, and my travels have been nonstop but at fortunately the music don’t stop either. 

I loved Nothing’s last album, Guilty of Everything, so I’m hoping this single is a taste of what’s to come on their new album. 

I have no idea who Declan McKenna is other than to guess he’s Irish. Great track. 

Vera Blue has some pipes!

Wild Nothing’s EP Empty Estate is a must listen, even better than his recent released album which this track is from. 

Peter Webb is a singer/songwriter who will probably never gain notoriety because his music is tuned to very specific tastes, but this is a delicate and beautiful song.

High Highs make music where you question how high you are. 

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 35

As my fellow east-coasters have been deluged in a sea if snow, I have been swamped in an avalanche of new music and albums. There were so many songs I wanted to put on this mix, but I will just have some great material for next week as well.

Let’s start with Diiv. I heard their new album in a buddy’s car, it’s like a 90s grunge concert underwater, washed out and covered in reverb. Their albums swim together in a beautiful unison. 

Chairlift is just making some unabashed catchy tunes. Both songs on this mixtape I liked from the minute I heard em!

PUSHA T. I’ve been blasting his new album on repeat. It’s under 30 minutes of raw, bass-rattling tracks with a ton of room for Pusha to menace and mean mug his vocals all around. This is a killer album (released right at the end of 2015), and Push is releasing another one this year.  

Hinds is a group of chicks from Spain just killing it. Love em.

Really digging Allan Kingdom’s album, Northern Lights. It’s been on repeat all week. He’s got a bit of Kid Cudi in him (not the new Kid Cudi, DEAR GOD, please listen to his new album, just do it, it’s like watching Gigli. No, I’m serious, you need to listen to it and envision someone actually trying to make that) and a whole lot of potential. 

I still am unsure whether I like Savages or not. They’re one of those super serious bands that does not fuck around. Their sound proves the point. They just released their sophomore album, and “Adore” has stuck with me. What a buildup.

Albums to look forward to in 2015!

I've scoured the interwebs for a bunch of info on 2015 album releases (thank you Consequence of Sound, Stereogum, Pitchfork, Metacritic, Ranker) and here's an incredibly quick listing of albums that I promise to listen to MANY MANY times which are ranked from somewhat excited to RIDICULOUSLY excited):

Brandon Flowers - TBA
Savages - TBA
The Dodos - Individ (1/27)
Wild Nothing - TBA
Panda Bear (Noah Lennox from Animal Collective) - Panda Bear Meets The Grim Reaper
Heems (from the now extinct Das Racist) - Eat Pray Thug (3/10)
Jose Gonzalez - Vestiges & Claws (2/17)
Fleetwood Mac - TBA
Chromatics - Dear Tommy
Pusha T - King Push
Freddie Gibbs - Lifestyles of the Insane
James Blake - TBA
DIIV - TBA
Purity Ring
Belle & Sebastian - Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance (1/20)
The Decemberists - What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World (1/20)
Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear (2/10)
Death Cab for Cutie - TBA
Chance the Rapper - Surf
Blood Orange - TBA
Joey Bada$$ (finally!) - B4.DA.$$ (1/20)
Band of Horses - TBA
Drake - Views From the 6
Adele - TBA
Modest Mouse - Strangers to Ourselves (3/3)
Beach House - TBA
A$AP Rocky
Grimes - TBA
Run the Jewels - RTJ3
My Morning Jacket - TBA
Kanye West - TBA
Kendrick Lamar - TBA
Radiohead - TBA
Frank Ocean - TBA