Monthly Mix #21: November 2016

November 2016:
The end might be near.  At least we have music.



1. Leonard Cohen - "You Want It Darker"
Another legend gone.  Fortunately, he took Bowie's cue and released one dark-ass final record right before he passed.

2. Mayer Hawthorne - "Time for Love"
Mayer Hawthorne returns to form on this track off his Party of One EP.

3. The Panics - "Passenger Side"
This Australian band has been around since 2002, but this is my first time hearing them.  I've got some homework to do.

4. Honus Honus - "Heavy Jesus"
Man Man's frontman goes solo.

5. A Tribe Called Quest - "Movin Backwards"
A lot of people have been singing the praises of the new Tribe album.  I dig it, but I'm not blown away.  Three guesses who's featured on this track, hehe.

6. Busman's Holiday - "What We Need We Know"
For their sophomore album, the Rogers brothers did something very non-sophomoric: they added a 21-piece orchestra.  This is the powerful result.

7. D.D Dumbo - "Cortisol"
It was hard to narrow it down to one song from Utopia Defeated, Oliver Perry's first full-length, because I really love the instrumentation and production, but this frenetic track won out.

8. Hayley Kiyoko - "One Bad Night"
Yes, this is a pop song, and yes, I like it.

9. Dawes - "Roll with the Punches"
That organ though.

10. Harry Belafonte - "Jump in the Line"
It's been a shitty month, a shitty year even.  There's a reason this song is at the end of Beetlejuice.  It's too hard not to dance and sing along.  Stay positive.  Never lose hope.

Monthly Mix #20: October 2016

October 2016:

I made the playlist in October before the election.  Maybe this was a "calm before the storm"-type deal?  Keep in mind that you can get these lists the moment I finalize them if you follow me on Spotify.

1. Cris Jacobs - "Bone Digger"

Cris Jacobs' Dust to Gold is shaping up to be one of my favorite records of the year.  Here's one example as to why.  (Listen to podcast interview here.)

2. Rage Against the Machine - "Guerrilla Radio"

This country doesn't need Prophets of Rage, or a Zack de la Rocha solo LP drowned in El-P's murky production.  It needs Rage Against the Machine.

3. Bon Iver - "33 God"

There's a lot to unpack in Bon Iver's 22, A Million.  Some of its songs feel unfinished, but this is easily its most fully realized number.

4. Børns - "Electric Love"

I'll admit that I didn't give Børns a listen until now because of that ø.

5. Solange - "Junie"

Imagine trying to live up to your successful older sibling.  Now imagine that sibling is Beyoncé.  That's right.  You can't.  Solange knows that, so she enlisted heavyweights Raphael Saadiq and Andre 3000 to guide her on this slice of funk.

6. Nx Worries - "Fkku"

Despite my love of all things Anderson Paak, it pains me to say that Yes Lawd! is a bit of a letdown.  This final track cracks me up though.  Why does it end so early???

7. Eagles - "One of These Nights"

This is my favorite Eagles song and album.

8. Matthew Logan Vasquez - "Personal"

Delta Spirit's charismatic frontman "strikes out on his own."  I slept on this record until recently.  You shouldn't.

9. Skinny Lister - "Carry"

I like to play with words.

10. Gold Clubb - "Sweat It"

This tune by the side project of Nicky Francis from the Majorleans (Listen to podcast interview here.) made it onto my Top 40 Songs of 2015 list, but at the time, it was only available on Soundcloud.  Now that it's on Spotify, you can give it the listen it deserves.

The Next Round - Episode 49: Cris Jacobs

Two Maryland dudes hanging out.  This episode would've been longer, but the recorder stopped for some unknown reason.  I turned it back on in time to capture most of this conversation with Cris Jacobs.  While you may remember Cris from Baltimore jamband The Bridge, he's been solo since 2012, releasing his fantastic second record, Dust to Gold, a few weeks ago.  Already an accomplished guitarist, Jacobs explains how songwriting has become his main focus, taking inspiration from everything from Cormac McCarthy novels to becoming a father.

Stream below, download directly, or subscribe on iTunes to unite America.


Click here for Cris Jacobs' tour dates/tickets.
Get tickets to the Bridge's reunion show.
Buy Dust to Gold on iTunes.
Hear "Jack the Whistle & the Hammer" on The Next Round Companion Playlist.

The Next Round - Episode 48: Emily King

The Next Round returns with a new episode featuring Grammy-nominated R&B artist, Emily King.  Emily was double-booked, so the interview is on the short side, but it's still a good chat.  Find out how she celebrated her birthday on the road, why she chose to release a deluxe edition of last year's The Switch, and her recipe for the perfect PB&J.

Stream below, download directly, or subscribe on iTunes to never miss an episode.


Buy The Switch (Deluxe Edition) on iTunes.
Visit Emily's website.
Listen to "Sleepwalker" on The Next Round Companion Playlist.