These new releases are sure to have you grooving out until the next installment of my Friday Favorites series. Enjoy these tracks which range from rap to R&B with some genreless surprises added too. Be sure to check out all of my Friday Favorites on Spotify.
Can’t Decide – Amine
Catchy and smooth, this track from Amine’s new release Limbo is my top choice. It’s a great slow jam perfect for dancing or taking a drive through the night.
Afterlife – Flatbush Zombies
This single is captivating and esoteric, from the simple bass line to the haunting piano melody with some creepy, interesting album art to top it off.
Woman – Lianne La Haves and Nao
This track is the first project Nao has released this year, and it does not disappoint. She gives us vocals reminiscent of early Erykah Badu on this funky track that will captivate your full attention, and Lianne La Haves’ clear vocals pair perfectly.
Endorphins – tobi lou
Another new release from tobi lou, this one mirroring Frank Ocean’s style in Blonde but still bringing the classic and immaculate tobi lou energy.
Inhale – Bryston Tiller
Tiller is one of my favorite mainstream R&B rappers, known for his smooth vocals and “trap soul” beats. This track is short and sweet but I can’t get it off my mind; it’s also his first single release of 2020.
There is a certain levity in listening to sad music during moments that aren’t specifically sad. In my opinion, sad music can be enjoyed regardless of your current emotional state. This is untrue of other kinds of music – try listening to “Happy” by Pharrell while in the midst of a breakup and you’ll see what I mean. Whether you’re on a late night drive or crying in the club, this is the playlist of sad bangers that will help you capture that oddly specific vibe you’re going for:
King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1 by Neutral Milk Hotel: The opening track on In the Aeroplane Over the Sea finds Jeff Mangum juxtaposing playful childhood memories with traumatic ones.
Nowhere2go by Earl Sweatshirt: The release of this song in 2018 marked Earl’s return from a brief musical hiatus. “Nowhere2go” gives us a brief update from him as he touches on his feelings of isolation and despair.
Broken Bones and Pocket Change by St. Paul & The Broken Bones: On this track, singer Paul Janeway bares his soul over sorrowful horn lines from his band. His powerful voice is the perfect vessel for the emotional tone of this song.
Self Control by Frank Ocean: As the king of sad bangers himself, Frank Ocean is known for his ability to convey emotional states in a way few artists can. “Self Control” is a slow burner that deals with a fundamental disconnect between two lovers, and features one of the most transcendent outros of any song I’ve ever heard.
Heavenly Father by Isaiah Rashad: The melodic and upbeat nature of this song definitely betrays its heavy subject matter. “Heavenly Father” finds rapper Isaiah Rashad reflecting on the lack of guidance in his life from his estranged father and God.
Good News by Mac Miller: The lead single from Mac Miller’s posthumous album Circles paints a picture of his tired soul, and describes the pressure he felt to hide his pain. The intimate lyrics combined with the gentle instrumentation make this song a truly bittersweet experience.
Ex-Factor by Lauryn Hill: This classic by Ms. Lauryn Hill describes a toxic relationship that is all too familiar to many of us. The resonant lyrics and beautiful music make this song a certified Sad Banger™.
That’s the playlist! What are your favorite sad bangers?
Everyone born in Gen Z remembers and loves Victorious which aired on Nickelodeon between 2010 and 2013. This show was a favorite of mine and all of my friends during middle school, and I remember it fondly. The show has complex characters and some great scenes, but most notably the soundtrack is sung by the cast and many of the songs are total bops. It’s unsurprising that these actors make great songs, as many of them got their start young on Broadway, and actresses like Ariana Grande who performed on Victorious are now well-known for their musical talent.
1. Take A Hint
This is the best song hands down. Not only are the vocals amazing and memorable, the scene itself is really empowering as two of the female characters shut down two annoying guys that are hitting on them. This song pops into my mind constantly and it’s definitely worth a listen if you want to reminisce about the show.
2. It’s Not Christmas Without You
I love a good holiday song and this is no exception! The scene itself has some of the cutest costumes and narrative of all the episodes, and the song itself is great to put you into a Christmas mood.
3. Best Friend’s Brother
10/10 always a bop. I definitely can’t relate to the subject matter, but despite that I think Victoria Justice did a great job with this one and the background vocals are also amazing. The music video is cute as well.
4. Give It Up
I love the vocals by Liz Gillies and Ariana Grande, so this R&B style song from the main soundtrack is also one of my favorites. The harmony between the two girls is beautiful throughout.
5. I Want You Back
A classic cover song with talented vocalists can’t go wrong. I love the energy the cast brings to this track. Though Victoria Justice dominates the track, we get snippets of vocals from members of all of the cast.
I love listening to all of these songs when I feel nostalgic for this period of my life, and it’s always entertaining to listen to these amazing straight up bops. Let me know your favorite songs from the show, and if you agree with my ranking. Hope you enjoyed.
€ € € €^^%%!!!!!heaven!!!!!! by Lala Lala and Baths
Golden Girls by Devendra Banhart
Pines by Men I Trust
Coffee by beabadoobee
Ivy by Frank Ocean
Stay Tru by Mereba
Sea of Love by Cat Power
Teddy Bear Rises by OOHYO
Clouds by Hiroshi Yoshimura
Bella’s Lullaby by Michele Garruti
À tout à l’heure by Bibio
You Might Be Sleeping by Jakob Ogawa and Clairo
Something Wild by Radiator Hospital
Getting It On by SALES
Ghostride by Crumb
The Moon Song by beabadoobee and Oscar Lang
Love Song by Devendra Banhart
What kind of songs inspire romance? Which songs allow the listener to absorb the kind of soothing mood only a date at a cozy café? These are the questions which inspired the playlist, and successfully carried it out. This playlist is perfect for a quiet evening or a first date. Artists like Devendra Banhart and beabadoobee bring quiet melodies with subtle, romantic lyricism perfect for this mood. Check out this playlist here.
Happy Friday everyone! Here are the songs that got me through the past week:
Plastic by Moses Sumney: The unassuming guitar progression on this track is the perfect backdrop for Moses Sumney’s ethereal voice. The combination makes for a truly beautiful meditation on heartbreak and fragility.
Trader Joe by Junglepussy: A catchy indie-rap song about a man that Junglepussy likes more than Trader Joes. Favorite bar: “We don’t f—, he just pick me up from Trader Joe’s/Carry all my groceries and lick on all my toes”.
Weight by redveil: This self-produced track by 16 year-old redveil truly showcases his potential. Be sure to check out my review of his latest release, Niagara!
HiiiPower by Kendrick Lamar: Section.80 by Kendrick Lamar is often overshadowed by his later releases. The closing track, produced by J. Cole, proves why the album is still worth your time.
Crawl by Gabriel Garzón-Montano: Every time I create a Friday Favorites playlist, I have to fight the urge to include a GGM track. This week, that urge prevailed. “Crawl” has been stuck in my head all week, and if you listen to it, it will be stuck in yours too.
Wasteland by Tierra Whack: One of my favorite things about Tierra Whack is her versatility. Every one of her songs has a distinct feel. My only question is, where is the album?
Late Nights & Heartbreak by Hannah Williams and the Affirmations: This song is a scorching soul ballad about mistreating one’s lover. Its subject matter, combined with Hannah William’s commanding vocals, made it the perfect sample for Jay-Z’s “4:44”.
If You Want Me To Stay by Ari Lennox and Anthony Ramos: On this track, Ari Lennox and Anthony Ramos team up to cover a Sly and the Family Stone classic. This rendition features modern instrumentation but just as much soul as the original.
We are all familiar with the steady 4 beat pulse that permeates much of today’s music. This is called common time or in time signature notation, 4/4. However, not all popular music uses this rhythm – other popular time signatures are ¾, often found in waltzes, and 6/8, often heard in soul music. Some popular songs even use time signatures that are asymmetrical or irregular, or time signatures that change! I’ve put together a playlist of notable songs that employ these odd time signatures.
Tom Sawyer by Rush (Moving Pictures, 1981): Prog rock legends Rush are known for their extensive use of odd time signatures. Tom Sawyer is no different; it features grooves in 4/4 and 7/8.
Nosferatu Man by Slint (Spiderland, 1991):This track by post rock band Slint features sections in 5/4, 6/4 and 4/4.
Money by Pink Floyd (The Dark Side of the Moon, 1973): By far the most popular song on this list, this track’s famous opening riff occurs in 7/4 time with its solo sections in 4/4 time.
Pyramid Song by Radiohead (Amnesiac, 2001): This song by Radiohead is famous for its seemingly nonexistent rhythm – fans can’t seem to reach a consensus on what time signature it is in. Interestingly enough, the song’s rhythm can actually be conceptualized as a heavily syncopated 4/4 groove. Listen for yourself and tell me what you think!
Take Five by The Dave Brubeck Quartet (Time Out, 1959): The best selling jazz single of all time features a memorable piano vamp in 5/4 time.
Never Meant by American Football (American Football, 1999): The subject of many a music meme, this track’s opening riff is most easily described in terms of 6/4 or 12/8 time.
By Fire by Hiatus Kaiyote (Choose Your Weapon, 2015): Like many Hiatus Kaiyote songs, By Fire changes time signatures like nobody’s business. This track alternates between ¾, 2/4, and 4/4 and is tied together by Perrin Moss’ drumming.
That’s all for this playlist! What are some of your favorite songs in odd time signatures?
You, walking down the street: “Wow what a perfect day. I’m seeing all my friends and doing all my favorite things. You know what would make this day even better? Some music playing in the background that fit every action I was doing as if I were in a movie.”
Well now, thanks to the power of Playlists, I bring you 10 songs that make you feel like you’re in a movie.
1. Peace Blossom Boogy by the Babe Rainbow Turn on the lights, pan the cameras, and play this song. Here we find you, the main character, driving your convertible with the top down along an unadulterated stretch of beach road. Dressed in bright colors, the sun reflects off of your yellow sunglasses as the wind rolls through your hair. A great introduction scene like none other.
2. Chapstick (Demo) by Hippo Campus You know those summer days when you’re with a few close friends, you’ve got no worries, and you feel like things could stay that way forever? Well boy have I got a song for you.
3. Dedicated To the One I Love By The Mamas and The Papas This one is for Quarantined Lovers, separated by a pandemic that has forced them to be apart from one another. The screen would split between the two, each in their different rooms, trying to distract themselves from thinking about each other.
4. Subterranean Homesick Blues by Bob Dylan This song is perfect for a day when you’re just running around with a million things on your mind, you have a million things to do, and there’s more caffeine running through your body than blood. It’s one of those songs that says get out of my way, I don’t have time for chit chat, there are things to be done.
5. European Vegas by Mac Demarco To set the scene: you’re sitting at a bar, late at night, drink in hand. You’re nicely dressed but in a bit of a distressed state. This would be the part of a movie where the main character has had enough. Maybe they risked something and lost it all, or maybe they just had their heart broken. But whatever the case, they’ve somehow found themselves in this dimly lit, antiquated bar, thinking about all the mistakes they’ve made.
6. Weak Hearts by Felly Perfect for a time in your life when you, the main character, are going through some major changes and you’ve finally come far enough to look back on how you’ve changed and the decisions you’ve made. You can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel.
7. Heroes by David Bowie This song would totally be in the climax of the movie, where the main character realizes their true potential and finally faces whatever was troubling them.
8. Ooh La La by Faces This would be a great ending scene song. Similar to driving through a pretty place and looking back on a long week, the main character looks back on everything that has happened throughout the movie and realizes how they have grown.
Well there you have it, eight great songs perfect for their respective situations, that really make you feel like the main character in a movie.
Hiking is really the only type of exercise I actually enjoy doing. Middle school gym class conditioned me to dislike (fear) any sport that involves a ball, lots of running, or really anything remotely competitive. So, here we are left with long nature walks.
In Raleigh, my favorite place to hike is on the Sal’s Branch trail at Umstead Park. It’s a beautiful wooded loop that I find really relaxing to walk on. Sometimes I prefer to hike without music just to hear nature, but I find that if I’m feeling especially overwhelmed, music and walking is the perfect combo to get me out of my head.
Here is a sneak peek into my hiking playlist. At first glance, it may look like a completely random and weird mixture of artists, which it absolutely is. However, if you take a listen, all these songs combine gentleness and beauty that allow for reflection, along with a steady or upbeat tempo that keeps you walking at a consistent pace. Don’t be fooled by the Jimi and Zeppelin appearance.
Go outside. Start walking. Take a listen. I hope it’s as meditative for you as it is for me.
1. Cherokee Mist – Jimi Hendrix 2. Orange Peel – Sopwith Camel 3. Heart to Heart – Mac Demarco 4. Benzo – Blood Orange 5. Nikes – Frank Ocean 6. Give It to Me – HOMESHAKE 7. Purity – A$AP Rocky (feat. Frank Ocean) 8. The Rain Song (Live) – Led Zeppelin 9. Stormy – The Meters 10. Lost My Mind – Will Van Horn 11. Mango (Freestyle/Process) – Orion Sun & Mulch 12. You Don’t Have to Change – Kool & The Gang 13. Hit Me Like That Snare – alt-J (feat. Rejjie Snow) 14. T.M. – Jack Kilmer 15. Too Late to Turn Back Now – Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
As autumn approaches and the summer comes to an end, I am reflecting on a great summer despite all the strangeness because of COVID. One of my favorite go-to genres to listen to during hot summer months is surf punk especially because it reminds me of my high school years. I’m sharing some of my favorite songs of this genre, hope you enjoy and find some unique new songs.
Suburban Home – Descendents
The Descendents are an LA punk group that make some really great music, and this song is one of my favorites by them.
Nine Is God – Wavves
Although I didn’t love seeing this band live, I still really enjoy the band and think this is one of their best, especially because it’s featured in GTA V.
Awkward – FIDLAR
My top choice from this genre is FIDLAR, and this single keeps me reminded of why I loved this genre so much as a teenager. A really great punk-ish song that I can’t get enough of.
Sick Shit – together PANGEA
Catchy with a cool melody, this track is one of the best of together PANGEA.
Babes – Hockey Dad
Simple, nostalgic, punk. What more could you ask for? This one is perfect for a beach day or taking a drive on a summer day.
As always, you can check out these songs and more on my WKNC Friday Favorites playlist here. Let me know what you think!
Earl Sweatshirt is one of the standout artists from the former Odd Future collective and one of my favorite rappers. Along with his peers Tyler, the Creator and Frank Ocean, Earl is an artist that I grew up with, who matured as I matured. His debut mixtape Earl was released in 2010 when he was 16 years old and characterized him as a crude teenager who, in spite of his often cringey subject matter, undoubtedly had tons of potential.
Like the rest of us, Earl has grown a lot in the last ten years. I have curated a playlist that displays his growth, starting from 2013’s Doris to 2018’s Some Rap Songs. One of the highlights is “Chum”, the lead single off of Doris and Earl’s most popular song. From his relationship with his estranged father to his stay in a Samoan boarding school for at-risk youth, this track dives into his headspace prior to the release of Doris. Another highlight from Doris is Hive featuring Vince Staples and Casey Veggies. Earl’s stone cold delivery, combined with a grimey bass line and a killer Vince Staples verse make it one of my favorite rap songs ever.
2015 saw Earl at perhaps his most reclusive with his album I Don’t Like S***, I Don’t Go Outside, an album rife with themes of anxiety and avoidance. The cloud rap-inspired single “Grief” exemplifies the paranoia he experienced during the recording of this album. The song “AM // Radio” featuring Wiki, with its laid back sample loop, takes a less abrasive approach to similar themes.
In 2018, Earl Sweatshirt released Some Rap Songs, which I consider to be his best work. It is the result of almost ten years of artistic growth, and when compared to his early work it really shows. Everything from his production sensibilities to lyrical content have gotten better with age.
One of my favorite things about Earl is his willingness to be honest with his fans. He explores corners of his psyche that can be downright painful to face, but does it all the same – all while sharing his findings with the world.
