Monday Mixtape, Vol. 160

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Some great music today starting with the aptly titled, “Dreamland,” by the incomparable Glass Animals. These guys sound like no one else, and I can’t wait for the new album.

I heard “Edge of Town” by Middle Kids on SiriusXMU and was blown away by it. That chorus! It indelibly sticks in your mind and will not leave, you just wait!

Come to think of it, this is a pretty catchy mixtape. Every song except for Phoebe Bridgers’ “Punisher” were all songs that I liked the first time I heard them, which is usually the result of something sticky in the sound. Let’s see if it works with you!

Enjoy the Monday, I hope you had a good fourth of July amidst what has been a year that’s been a very dark test of our democracy, and the strangest fourth of July’s in my lifetime. America will endure.

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 153

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My loyal readers and listeners, I’m back! It’s been a couple months, and I apologize for the very long absence, but the silver lining is I have a TON new music to share, so I will try my best not to abandon you again.

Let’s start with Tame Impala. As you know, I love Tame Impala. In the past twenty years, I’d say my favorite bands are Radiohead, Tame Impala, Arctic Monkeys, Vampire Weekend, Wilco, and Kings of Leon, probably in that order.

Tame Impala’s (I’m sure you know this, but Tame Impala is really just Kevin Parker - He writes, records, mixes, and does engineering on EVERYTHING and has with all his albums) fourth album, The Slow Rush, is a companion album to Currents, in the same way that Lonerism is a companion to their debut, InnerSpeaker. Each duo has similar sounds yet show tracks and themes going in other ways.

The Slow Rush seems like a look back to the scale of fame and “rock star status” Kevin Parker attained after Currents. Crazily, Parker took five years in between these albums, and A LOT has changed.

I’ve seen Tame Impala live five times, and after their second album, they were still slotted in the 3pm-4pm festival circuit. Once Currents came out amidst full blown adulation and critical acclaim, Tame Impala started headlining every festival and selling out arenas.

Five years later, here we are with The Slow Rush. Meaning this in the best way possible, it’s the hangover album to Currents. The shades feel drawn on this album, like Parker doesn’t want a lot of sunlight in. Not depressing but reserved.

Compare the first tracks on both albums, “Let It Happen,” Parker’s masterpiece, with “One More Year,” a softer and safer version and vision. The difference in these two tracks is the difference in the album.

You don’t really get to a real upbeat rhythm until the ninth track! This track, “Is It True” is my favorite track on the album, and where I think Parker excels, finding different sounds (those drums and keys make the song) to pair with his reverb-laden vocals.

I don’t think there are any songs on this album that come close to the majority of songs on Currents, but I still enjoy every single song (except maybe “Tomorrow’s Dust”). I think I’d rank this album third, in front of InnerSpeaker then behind Lonerism and of course, Currents.

As for the rest of the this week’s mixtape, I gotta give love to Glass Animals, they are so unique. No one sounds like these guys, and they just find weird ass and cool hooks. I have no idea who Do Nothing is, but they give me a lot of vibes of Parquet Courts mixed with some garage rock like Interpol. Great track.

Caribou released one of my favorite albums of 2020, and this track is awesome.

Arlo Parks is a new artist I stumbled upon, and everything I’ve listened to has been good. She’s one to watch out for.

For some reason, “Good Day” by BBC really resonated with me. It’s a song that doesn’t sound like them and stuck on our their average new album.

Finally, Dan Croll keeps improving as an artist. “Yesterday” is a really great song.

Have a great week all. Stay safe.