Monday Mixtape, Vol. 86

I was looking back at my playlist of Top Albums of 2017:

THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY GREAT ALBUMS THIS YEAR! 

This has been a fantastic year in music. I can't say there was a life changing album, BUT it's still been so consistent across the board and much better than last year. 

That tangent has nothing to do with this week's music, it's more of an observation that we're very lucky mohave Kendrick Lamar, Ryan Adams, Hippo Campus, Future, John Mayer, Chris Stapleton, Fleet Foxes, Vince Staples, SZA, Washed Out, Haim, Foster the People, Electric Gues, LCD Soundsystem, and so many more, creating such great music. 

#blessed. 

ANYWAY, this week's mixtape is weighted by Alvvays, a band whose 2014 debut was really impressive yet their sophomore album even more so! You know me and sophomore albums: they're usually regurgitations of the previous album at half the quality and originality. This album is an exception, and the two tracks from them on this mixtape are my faves from their new album about a certain love lost. "What's left for you and me? I ask that question rhetorically...There's no turning back / after what's been said," Molly Rankin sadly states on "In Undertow."

Alvvays gets a bit more upbeat with the catchy "Saved By A Waif" that all comes to a crescendo with that amazing chorus.

Bully relased one of the more raw rock releases this year. A kick ass album with no sheen, just distortion and a bit of yelling. I really dig, "Spiral."

Slackers Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile made their own record and it's about what you'd expect: a bit unfocused and rambled, a bit by the seat of their pants, but it's got some good tracks, highlighted by "Over Everything."

ODESZA is one of those huge bands adored by the EDM crowd that I'll get on board with. They relax me, they bring me up, they just do it for me. You too?

This mixtape is ended with King Krule, a young kid (I think he's now 22 or 23) and critical darling, who just released a new album. Some may immediately turn away at his voice, but his music and production is always on point and original, and I just love the beat of this track. ]

Have a great week all!  

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 31

The year is closing out, and that means I've been hard at work narrowing down all the albums I listened to this year to my favorite 25 as well as my favorite 100 songs! 

It's been quite the process since there were over 200 albums to begin with as well as thousands of songs to hear to make to the songs playlist. 

Anyways, those two playlists will be coming shortly, but in the meantime, here are some tunes I've been jamming to lately.

I found The New Basement Tapes randomly, but it's a supergroup of artists (Jim James from My Morning Jacket, Marcus Mumford, Elvis Costello, Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, and an unknown to me, Rhiannon Giddens) who were all assembled to take Bob Dylan lyrics from 1967 to record. It's a very cool album which begins with this track, "Down On The Bottom," which Jim James just crushes. 

G-Eazy is an Oakland rapper who has slowly but surely gained quite a following. He had a huge slot at Outside Lands here in SF, and "Random" shows his abilities. Check him out. 

Bully is a raw rock band with screeching vocals and a taste for distortion. Their sound is for those who like music without perfect edges.

I wrote about C. Duncan last week, but this album is sticking with me for its dreamy sound. “Say” is the opening track of Architect and sets the stage for the rest of the album. I’m still debating whether it makes it into the Top 25, but it’s close!   

Half Moon Run’s debut album last year made it into my Top 25 as they were one of the few rock bands that I heard with a bit of Radiohead in them. Their new album this year isn’t at the level of their debut, but “Turn Your Love” showcases their mix of electronics and more standard rock with barr chords and loud choruses. 

Prhyme is a collaboration of rapper Royce da 5’9 and legendary producer DJ Premier (outside of Q-Tip, no one exemplifies 90s rap beats more than Premier). I just started listening to this album from 2014, and I’m amazed I hadn’t heard about ti earlier. The album features Jay Electronica, Ab-Soul, Schoolboy Q, Mac Miller, and more and is a great listen. 

Finally, I wrote a short piece about Scott Weiland’s passing a few days ago (along with a Best of Stone Temple Pilots playlist!), and I thought it would only be fitting to end with an acoustic version of their most famous song. RIP.