My Summer Playlist 2014

My Summer Playlist 2014

Here’s my Summer Playlist for 2014; twenty-seven songs that I listen to over and over again as I motor about.  They make for perfect road trip music or a musical score to, ummm, score!

I’ve reviewed most of these in the past few months.  The big surprise?  Several of the songs I initially disliked have grown on me big time.  Even the Disney Princesses and Nickelodeon Queens have won me over and have become guilty pleasures. 

Now, these aren’t in any particular order, but I guarantee if you pull these together on a playlist, you’ll have the perfect soundtrack for what remains of the summer.

Happy listening!

Cool Kids

Echoesmith

Reductive pop (see Quarterflash), but goes down like a vanilla shake.  Love singing harmony on the chorus.

Break Free

Ariana Grande Feat. Zedd

Great little pop song with a bit of substance.  Zedd synths it up, old school.  Hate the ending.

Tongues

Joywave Feat. KOPPS

Quirky, silly, fun.  “Speaking in tongues”, indeed.

Do It Again

Royksopp & Robyn

Simple, but unstoppable.  Love this. Every time I hear it, I want it to play again, immediately.  Great throb and Robyn nails the vocals.

I Will Never Let You Down

Rita Ora

Smartest pop song of the summer.  It’s cribbed from a few sources, but makes for a wonderful listen.

Aviation High

Semi Precious Weapons

Part of a whole new breed of power pop.  Cryptic, quirky, and unmistakably cool.  Gives one hope.

Alienation

Morning Parade

See: ‘Aviation High’.

Transpose

Bad Suns

See: ‘Alienation’

A Little Bit Faster

Cocktails

Miss Elvis Costello?  He could have given birth to Cocktails, an on the money homage with a genuine heart – they embody this sound.

http://www.wonderingsound.com/news/song-premiere-cocktails-pouty-power-poppy-little-bit-faster/

Who Needs You

The Orwells

Brash, with a garage band esthetic that engages the ear. Cribbed, but with an authority that makes it their own.  Superlative vocals that make me think rock may not be dead.

Flume

Holding On

A gritty, throwback Stax song grafted onto an eclectic modern production. 

I Got U

Duke Dumont Feat. Jax Jones

Seductively lilting; Caribbean steel drums, a sweet pulse beat, and perfect vocals.

Habits (Stay High)

Tove Lo

Saddest song of the summer.  Haunting.  A pop nightmare fully realized and captured.

I Walk Alone (JRMX Club Mix)

Cher

Love this mix; very old school, but wonderfully so.

I Found Out

Bimbo Jones & Beverley Knight

Classic disco soul, al a the Philadelphia sound, with a modern, propulsive club beat.  Beverley Knight in perfect diva form.

Rather Be

Clean Bandit Feat. Jess Glynne

Enchanting.  Sweet.  Endearing.  Great strings.  Perfect arrangement.  Lovely vocals.

Cheap Sunglasses – RAC Feat. Matthew Koma

More steel drum fun with an Owl City aesthetic.  Very 80’s; a modernized Nu Shooz.

Really Don't Care

Demi Lovato Feat. Cher Lloyd

Demi takes over Kelly Clarkson’s tough pop territory.  The vocals, like Clarkson’s can be, are a bit shrill, but the song’s empowering theme rules the day, so who cares?  Sometimes to be heard you have risk being overbearing.

If I Fall

Cole Plante With Myon & Shane 54 Feat. Ruby O'Dell

Wistful, plaintive, yearning.  Love the message.  I am such a sucker for this waifish sort of dance music.

I'm Not Coming Down

Martha Wash

Powerhouse diva vocals? Check.  Empowering message? Check.  Sweet melody? Check?  On the mark production?  Check?  What more could a gay ask for?

Love Sublime

Tensnake Feat. Nile Rodgers And Fiora

Silky, slinky, seductive.  Be sure to get the original mix.  This will take you back to the glory days of Chic, in the best way possible.  Sublime, indeed.

Calling All Hearts

DJ Cassidy Feat. Robin Thicke & Jessie J

A bit earnest, but delivers the simplest of retro-disco fun. Jessie J has chops!

Sia – Chandelier

Delivering a searing, aching, over the top vocal, Sia does Rihanna in her own idiocentric style. 

Summer – Calvin Harris

Big, big synths teased higher than a hair hopper’s dream.  As predicted, a perfect summer theme, despite the novelty vocals.

La La La  - Naughty Boy Feat. Sam Smith

A very deep song wrapped around a childish taunt.  Great vocals, very unique.  A marvelous diss song. 

Latch - Disclosure Feat. Sam Smith

Incredible.  Propulsive.  Totally original.  Inventive vocals, engaged production.

Ain't It Fun  - Paramore

Yes, it is.  A delicious slice of power pop.