iTunes Shuffle 8/29/14

1. Joyce Cobb - "Memphis In June" (Hoagy Carmichael cover, also made famous by Nina Simone)
2. Bee Gees - "How Deep Is Your Love"
3. Aquanote - "True Love"
4. Jolie Holland - "Palmyra"
5. Halls - "White Chalk"
6. Larkin Grimm - "Mina Minou"
7. Beastie Boys feat. Lee "Scratch" Perry - "Dr. Lee, PhD"
8. Dashboard Confessional - "Tall Green Grass" (Cory Branan cover)
9. The Chieftains with The Rankins - "Jimmy Mo Mhíle Stór"
10. Destroyer - "Leave Me Alone" (New Order cover)

Eclectic! We start with Memphis' own Joyce Cobb singing "Memphis In June," which was originally written and performed by Hoagy Carmichael. Nina Simone also did her part to make it famous. I do love my hometown, and this August feels more like June than August anyway, so it's appropriate.

I have to admit, I do love the Bee Gees song.

Jolie Holland, as always, is brilliant, and I'm a sucker for a New Orleans-themed song. "I'll dance at your funeral if you dance at mine..."

The Halls song is incredibly beautiful (seriously -- it's got a fucking choir), but my favorite discovery here is the Cory Branan song, done brilliantly by Dashboard Confessional's Chris Carrabba on his solo covers record, and done here. In fact, I've become obsessed with Chris's version and the original this week. The video is just Chris, since, even though it was done for the band's Daytrotter session, it's really just Chris.

Oh, and Destroyer does a great New Order cover.

A few of them in Youtube form, and then the Spotify playlist.

iTunes Shuffle 8/22/14

1. Divine Fits - "My Love Is Real"
2. Black Milk - "Sunday's Best"
3. Black Milk - "Monday's Worst"
4. The Boxing Lesson - "Muerta"
5. Björk - "Ambergris March"
6. Patrick Watson - "Words In The Fire"
7. Bay City Rollers - "Saturday Night"
8. Josh Ritter - "Wildfires"
9. Gnonnas Pédro - "Yiri Yiri Boum"
10. The Gaslight Anthem - "American Slang"
11. Alberta Cross - "Broken Side Of Time"

Here's an eclectic mix. Indie rock, hip-hop, psychedelic rock, Beninese music ("Yiri Yiri Boum" will be in your head all day, and that's not a bad thing), an instrumental from Björk...it's all there. The Patrick Watson song is quite beautiful. You might end up singing the soul riff from "Monday's Worst" all day, as well.

Of course, Josh Ritter is one of the most brilliant songwriters alive. I can listen to him for days on end.

Playing the part of the fish out of water, of course, is Bay City Rollers. What?

Overall, I really like this mix, and hurray, they're all on Spotify.

iTunes Shuffle 8/15/14

1. Easter Island - "Independence"
2. Kopecky Family Band - "Heartbeat"
3. Toro y Moi - "Before I'm Done"
4. Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit - "Seven-Mile Island"
5. David Wilcox - "Dangerous"
6. Dinah Washington - "Rich Man's Blues"
7. Caribou - "Desiree"
8. Marc Anthony - "You Sang To Me"
9. Chromeo - "Grow Up"
10. Andrew Bird - "Fiery Crash"

This is a fabulous mix that actually flows really well. How did that Marc Anthony song get in my music collection, though? Fish out of water. Oh, I see, I have the Runaway Bride soundtrack. That is why.

Highlights:

Easter Island. Angelic male voices always get me.
Toro y Moi.
Jason Isbell. Always, Jason Isbell.
I've been listening to David Wilcox since high school, but only now in my 30's do I feel like I'm really getting him. He's a treasure.
It doesn't get better than Dinah Washington.
Caribou.
And of course, Andrew Bird, one of the finest artists of our time.

And hurray, they're all on Spotify this week.

iTunes Shuffle 8/8/14

1. Fiona Apple - "O' Sailor"
2. El-P feat. Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala (of The Mars Volta) - "Tasmanian Pain Coaster"
3. Muse - "Guiding Light"
4. Cedar & Boyer - "A Created Thing"
5. Tom Waits - "Dead And Lovely"
6. Michael Nyman - "The Heart Asks Pleasure First" (from the original score to The Piano)
7. Raphael Saadiq - "Radio"
8. Kermit The Frog - "The Rainbow Connection"
9. Jason Boesel - "I Got The Reason #1"
10. Au Revoir Simone - "Take Me As I Am"

Highlights:

Fiona.
El-P with the guys from the Mars Volta. Incredible hip-hop.
Muse. I don't usually give that much of a shit about Muse, but this song is awesome.
Cedar & Boyer. Husband and wife duo that makes lovely music. The guy sounds a bit like the Band Of Horses frontman. It's not on the playlist, but totally worth listening to.
Tom Waits, because Tom Waits.
Kermit. I can't believe I've never thought of covering that song before.
Jason Boesel.