Monday Mixtape, Vol. 135

Shut up and play the hits.

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 131

So…everyone’s dead on Game of Thrones. Well, not everyone, but mostly. I suppose that’s what was to be expected. Just let Sansa rule with Arya as hand to the Queen, and we’ll all be happy.

This week’s mixtape starts off reeeeall chill, I can’t get enough of Billie Marten’s voice. One of a kind. It’z crazy to think she’s only 19, that’s a lot of talent!

I’m been constantly listening to the Vampire Weekend album, and it’s one of those albums that’s just too long. 18 tracks?? Really?? If they had cut the 6 weak-ish tracks out of the album, it would be a really, really, good album. It’s still good, and when it’s great (Unbearably White, Bambina, This Life, How Long?, 2021), it’s really great. It just can’t keep the momentum up.

Holy Ghost! continues to kick ass, and “Escape from Los Angeles” is a seven minute opus!

If you haven’t listened to TOKiMONSTA, she’s a pretty great producer of, usually, laid back jams. Good to just throw her stuff on when you’re looking to relax a bit yet be productive.

Have a good week all!

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 117

Shame on you! As in: Listen to Shame. These guys fucking rock. The youngsters from England scream and punish their instruments with no apologies. Raw bands have such a refreshing sound. I love this album. It took a little time to come around to the screaming, but this is punk at its best. While “One Rizla” and “Angie” are certainly there two most melodic tracks on the album with the least screaming, it shows their range and talents. I constantly picture Dave Grohl hearing this and just being like, “These guys fuckin’ ROCK!” as he headbangs away.

Speaking of Dave Grohl, if you don’t hear Nirvana’s sound in The Pollies track “You Want It” with Grohl’s thundering snare drum and lightning quick drum rolls, you aren’t hearing the right song.

Is it fair to compare Anderson .Paak to this generation’s Nate Dogg? He’s more talented than Nate Dogg because his albums are better, but it seems like every song with .Paak on it bumps. Anderson .Paak continues to release some good ass vibes, and I can’t wait for his new album which will will feature the head-bopping’ “Tints” with Kendrick.

Speaking of bands that have some awesome vibes, Holy Ghost! is back! Such an underrated band these dudes continually churn out great electro-pop while all sorts of worse wannabes win popularity contests.

SOAK is a young songwriter from Ireland who I’ve written about for a couple years, and this is one of her more accessible yet sad songs. Check her out!

BTW I’m seeing Lord Huron and Tame Impala tonight (it’s Sunday afternoon now not Monday, silly!) at Treasure Island Music Festival (Shame is actually playing here, but my wife is feeling under the weather, but she’s still a trooper and wants to see Tame Impala so we’re going late :) SO PUMPED!

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 59

I'm going to try to write this in five minutes. I'm exhausted. Here goes. 

I'm seeing Bon Iver on Tuesday at the Fox. I've never seen him. It's going to be an epic show, in part because he tends not to play a ton of shows, so I'll really savor this one. Hearing his falsetto live, playing his beat up guitar while singing "re:Stacks" (my favorite Bon Iver song right above "Beach Baby") will be a memory I hope I can have. Coming in third place of my favorite songs by Justin Vernon might be "33 God," it's just that good. 

Three minutes.

Ark Patrol is some weird DJ who lives in Berkeley and has made some very chill and spacey songs. This one is a bit more catchy. Check out "Tokyo" for another!

Alex Frankel is from the very talented duo, Holy Ghost! To date, I still think their debut is one of my favorite Electro-Pop albums I've heard, and I really don't think they get the respect they deserve. They're better than Chvrches yet get one tenth the love. 

One minute!

Night Moves FOR GOODNESS SAKE LISTEN TO THEIR ALBUM.

Temples! Tame Impala lite. Maybe Tame Impala wanna bes, okay Tame Impala wanna bes. Particularly on this track the lead singer's voice is even more Kevin Parker-ish. BUT their debut album was really really good. So there's that.

I did it! Seeya!

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 41

The first track - a remix by Kris Bowers - is fittingly futuristic as our world becomes enveloped in different realities like the virtual and augmented. You can’t watch a series of commercials without seeing something about Samsung’s VR set, and the Oculus Rift is apparently going to be a world changer. Although the lyrics aren’t futuristic, the sounds take me somewhere else. 

Bear Hands continually make catchy songs with their own bend to it. I immediately liked this track, while most of their earlier stuff took me a little bit longer to appreciate, but please check out their Distraction album from 2014 if you’re digging them. 

I can’t even remember how I found the next two tracks. Was it radio? Was it someone’s playlist? Either way, you may like one of the two.

Holy Ghost! is one of the more under appreciated bands in the Electro-Pop genre. I still swear by their first album and their second, Dynamics, was a great sophomore effort. “Crime Cutz” continues to slam synths and elaborate buildups while the track gains steam. 

Bas! My favorite new rapper. If you remember me going on an on about Cousin Stizz, I have very similar feelings with Bas (save for the fact that Bas is clearly getting some help from J. Cole as the album is on Cole’s Dreamville record label, and Stizz didn’t seem to get help from any established artist). Anyways, “Dopamine” is only one example of why this guy has got some serious talent. Although he doesn’t have a trademark voice, his rhythm and production exhibit his abilities. 

Had to put another track from Ray on here. His new album is out there, I’m really enjoying it. 

Have a good week!