Sunday Music: Playlist for September 2018

September 23, 2018

New playlist for September 2018, with commentary:

1. Right Now (feat. Syd) by Dirty Projectors. He suggests “time like a song just might rhyme with itself,” while the rhythms, panning and melodies drift away before landing back on tempo and key.

2. Apollo by St. Paul & the Broken Bones. I really dig him when he’s not belting. I could use more of this quasi-Al Green vibe.

3. Best Hugs by DRAM. I think I appreciate DRAM in the same way I loved Bizmarkie.

4. Tribe by Bas and J. Cole. One of those extra catchy, kind of a love song tracks.

5. REEL IT IN by Amine. He says “she Bjorke cute.” I laugh even writing that.

6. Tyrant (feat. Jorja Smith) by Kali Uchis. The rhythms, the melody, the sound of those back up vocals – the palette of influence here is not run of the mill pop.

7. What’s the Use by Mac Miller. RIP. This one with Thundercat made me so excited for what was coming next. In hindsight (because I just wasn’t paying attention), he really knew music. This should have been the start of something.

8. Boys by Lizzo. Prince, James Brown, and feminism, together at last.

9. Wide Awake by Parquet Courts. Happy Monday’s raw/sloppy, and probably with less drugs (can’t do more drugs than Happy Monday’s, right?), but fun nonetheless.

10. Hey Saturday Night (feat. Tune-yards) by The Coup. I’m all for personifying day’s of the week for seduction. “Lust, revolution, and love – the holy trinity.”

11. Soberland by Hinds. English may not be their first language, but I’m as annoyed with the guy this song is about as they are.

12. Just One of the Guys by Jenny Lewis. This is how you write a bridge. This is how you produce a bridge. Reference as often as needed.

13. Gaslight Anthem (the song not the band) by Thin Lips. I discovered this one because my brother likes Gaslight Anthem – the band, and the title made me laugh. Then I heard her sing, “while my pride decomposes” along with that guitar arpeggio. Damn.

14. Danny Nedelko by IDLES. This is as smart as Protomartyr, while more in the vein of early punk.

15. Barack Obama Special by Bas. He’s got bars.

16. Southern Fried by Killer Mike. A few years old, but well worth the revisit.

17. Trill Over Everything by Bun B. Bun B gets the same pass as Pusha T, not just for the name similarity, but because when they revisit the same subject matter for the millionth time it plays like a James Bond movie. Don’t mess with the formula.

18. The Chairmen’s Intent by Action Bronson. This type of attitude never gets old.

19. Fall in Love by Slum Village. Listening to Mac Miller put me on a J Dilla binge. That sample just sticks to your soul.

20. Self by Noname. For the record, I never thought she couldn’t rap. Plus, she launches her album this way, and I couldn’t resist ending on this note.

Here’s the iTunes and Spotify links (thanks Ryan):

https://itunes.apple.com/us/playlist/2018-september/pl.u-RRbV9y5C2vavP