The Playlist: Spring 2015

This is my current playlist.  It took me forever to figure out how to download that damn free U2 album, and that is why two of their songs are on this list.  That album took home a lot of 'Best of the Year' awards last year.  I am thinking they deserved them.  

The rest is a the usual mixed lot.  Erkia Jayne proves more versatile than previously thought on the Black Eyed Peas inspired 'Crazy'.  Tove Lo pushes her way back into the Top 40 for a third time with the entertaining 'Talking Body', while Zedd (feat. Selena Gomez) takes a trip back in time to create the rather rote dance floor pleaser 'I Want You To Know'.  Tori Kelly is currently rumbling about in the lower 75 of the Hot 100 with the surprisingly catchy 'Nobody Love'. The song feels patched together, but it works, thanks to the vocal chops of Ms. Kelly.  And who could deny those horns?

The rest range from dance floor fodder to high art - several of which, I am sure, will be featured as part of my 'Of Note' series, in the near future.  Enjoy!

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.

Favorite Singles / Songs 2013

I probably missed some (I always do), but this is a list of the songs that kept my ears tuned in throughout the year.  As years go, this was not a bad one (save for that horrible hillbilly dance music trend and the return of Jay Z). 

The Stars (Are Out Tonight)  / Where Are We Now? – David Bowie

Cryptic musings from a reinvigorated space alien.  ‘Stars’ coasts by with a speed and lushness that only Bowie can bring to the table.  ‘Where’ aches with age, experience, and a well-trod heart.

Clarity – Zedd feat. Foxes

2013’s ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’.  In other words, a well-written song with a fresh point of view performed flawlessly.  Ear candy for the emotional part of our brains.

Suit & Tie – Justin Timberlake / Jay Z

Best single of the year.  Even Jay Z’s grinding everything to a halt can’t diminish the impact of Timberlake’s dead-on retro soul hooks.

Say Something – A Great Big World

I prefer the version sans Xtina; she is so unnecessary (why is she there?).  Sparse, crisp, yearning… brilliant.  This song saved my life.

Wrecking Ball – Miley Cyrus

Miley grows up.  This is her first near-decent song.  And that rasp in her voice is growing on me.  Her tendency to careen up to a note?  Not so much.

Perfume – Britney Spears

Britney moves onto adult contemporary fare with this one.  The story is tad confusing, but then most three-way relationships are.  Vocal-wise?  The girl sounds almost real.

Counting Stars – OneRepublic

This one took forever to climb up the charts, but now it is snuggly ensconced in the top ten.  Filled with irresistible hooks and a buoyant sound, it’s hard not to smile when you hear it.

Come To Me – Goo Goo Dolls

Love this song; a tale of romantic love and redemption.  Its story really hit home with yours truly. 

Best Day of My Life – American Authors       

Technically was around in the latter part of 2013, so I have included it on this list.  Again, a very uplifting song; go on, try to not smile as you listen to it while driving in your car.

Royals – Lorde

Weird, gloomy and spooky, Lorde strikes me as that teen age nightmare that lives in the room at the end of the hall.  She sure is opinionated.  And talented.  Undeniably talented.  But she would make for a horrible roommate.   

Hold On, We're Going Home - Drake Featuring Majid Jordan

My favorite song of the year.  Love it.  It skates on the most wonderful, subtle groove.  Drake?  All is forgiven.

Kisses Down Low – Kelly Rowland

Others preferred ‘Dirty Laundry’, but Ms. Rowland had me with this one.  A perfect boudoir jam for getting your sexy on - no matter where you or on what you are planting your lips on!

My Songs Know What You Did In the Dark – Fall Out Boy

Furious, serious surging pop.  Throwing in everything they could grab, including a sweet KISS tribute (I’m on fire!), FOB managed to manipulate their way back onto the charts and into the ears of America.  Sure, it feels a tad desperate, but I will take this kind of pop smarts over the savvy marketing fare of Maroon 5 any day.

2013 - Primal Scream

Scathing and propulsive.  Makes me feel like my ears have been acid washed.  Something about this group’s music gets inside my brain and tickles my dark side.

Trying To Be Cool / Entertainment – Phoenix

Trying?  These dudes definitely succeeded.  These songs should have been much bigger than they were.  Stupid radio.

Sweater Weather – Neighbourhood

Not surprising that this hit in the year of (our) Lorde.  It strikes the same chord, but with less pretension.  Proof that moody and dark can be fun and intriguing.

Without You / Free Life – Natalie Maines

Love both of these.  Both should have been hits, but, alas, radio had no idea where she fit.  There used to be a format for music this good.  Stupid radio.

Love Illumination – Franz Ferdinand

This ‘Cars meets The Kinks’ ode is a slice of pure power pop.  I adore every snarly, sparkly, retro-seventies moment.  Makes me bop like I was seventeen again.

Get Lucky – Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams

Daft Punk takes 1970’s disco and turns it on its polyester head.  As inventive as it is retro, this had everybody’s ears perking up.

Same Love – Mackelmore & Ryan Lewis feat. Mary Lambert

Social activism has never been more smart or sweet.  A landmark single from unexpected quarters.  I originally wrote these guys off as a one-hit-novelty artist.  I was so wrong.

Scream & Shout – Will.I.Am feat. Britney Spears

This one was a howl from beat one.  Britney’s faux British / German(?) accent delivering dead pan VIP observations immediately brought to mind Madonna during her Marlene Dietrich phase, but if it works (and it does)?  Who cares?

I Love It – Icona Pop feat Charli X

Snarly, sassy, and infectious.  A great slice of pop drama. Would love to see this play out in real life.

Applause – Lady Gaga

Can’t help myself.  Makes me want to clap along.  Yeah, I know, it’s utter nonsense, but then doesn’t that describe all the best pop?

Lady Gaga – “Do What You Want” featuring R. Kelly 

Sounding like Christina Aguilera, Lady G (with the help of R. Kelly) brings home a nice hot grind.  A sonic lap dance and proof that the dame’s got  great pipes.  Musically, I suspect this woman has only scratched the surface.

Mirrors – Justin Timberlake

Chunky pop fun.  Chugs along on a deep groove, supporting one of the sweetest melodies of the year.  Mr. Timberlake could do no wrong in 2013.

Reflektor – Arcade Fire

Saw them perform this on SNL.  Now, I’m hooked on the video.  Oddest collection of musical ideas, but somehow it all works.  All that falsetto is chilling. That chick is freaky weird, too.

Radioactive – Imagine Dragons

The rest of their stuff feels a tad too ‘Corporate/Arena Rock’ for my taste, but this song sounds and feels deeper.  Not sure where they plan on placing themselves in the hemisphere; they remain a tad too faceless to have any staying power.  However, their talent and power is something to be reckoned with.

Next To Me – Emeli Sande

Filling in the retro soul slot for the year (in Adele’s absence), Emeli provided one of the sweetest pop gems of 2013.  Whether she is anything more than a one hit wonder remains to be seen, but something tells me this song will be getting a lot of reoccurring plays over the next few years. It’s tasty.

Burn – Ellie Goulding

From the reissue of her 2012 ‘Halcyon’ CD (‘Halcyon Days’), this one lives up to its title.  Her voice remains as waifish as ever, while her sense of craft remains unerring.  Very stirring.

Don’t You Worry Child – Swedish House Mafia feat. John Martin

Every generation needs an ode to the yearning for patriarchal approval.  This one supplies the balm and meets that criterion with style to spare.  As swan songs go, this was a great way for SHM to go out.

Special Note: The Little Single that Could

Sail - AWOLNATION

On the charts for over a year, it took forever for this one to break into the top 40 (and when it did, it only went as high as #17).  It continues to get plenty of airplay and has taken up residence in the lower half of the top 40 (where it still remains) for the past 20 weeks.  I guess good things come to those who wait.

As songs go, it is an odd number – super heavy, pitched somewhere between prog rock and Muse/Imagine Dragons territory.  It’s the stealth dinosaur that invaded the top 100 in 2013.

Up Next: Worst Music of 2013