Guilty pleasures…
Category Archives: 31 days of good
(31) Days of Good//12.19.14
One of my favorite discoveries of 2014. I love how this track continuously jumps around sections with a multitude of musical styles, influences, beats, and tempos.
Hands down one of the best debut albums and most catchy songs of 2014.
♩ Sylvan Esso – Coffee [from Slyvan Esso]
Right out of the gates, this song hooks me. It’s one of those songs i’ll never get tired of and the perfect addition to a road trip playlist. Roll down the windows and blast this gem.
♩ Eternal Summers – Gouge [from The Drop Beneath]
Lo-fi, fuzz pop, shoegaze, atmospheric, cinematic etc. All of these and more could be used to describe XO’s Heart. I highly recommend listening to this album beginning to end, but if your crunched for time, at least give “Coast” and whirl. And like Eternal Summers above, “Coast” is a must add to your road trip playlist.
“Eurydice’ sticks with the band’s early-’90s dream-pop aesthetic, but it’s got a big, glowing widescreen chorus, and it’s the sort of thing that some very smart director could use to soundtrack a romantic-comedy running-in-the-rain montage.” (via Tom Breihan, Stereogum)
♩ The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Eurydice [from Days of Abandon]
[thepainsofbeingpureatheart.com]
(31) Days of Good//12.18.14
His sophomore album may be closer to a release than expected and if the first few tracks are any indication, Kendrick will be holding onto his throne as hip hop’s new king.
♩ Kendrick Lamar – i [single]
I hope these two never stop making music. Some producers and MCs just click…similar to the vibes that Flying Lotus and Kendrick Lamar have, Freddie and Madlib keep old school gangster vibes going on Pinata. I love the sample on this track too (Thuggin is also on this record but that song has been out forever)
♩ Freddie Gibbs & Madlib – Shame (feat. BJ The Chicago Kid0 [from Piñata] (via soundcloud)
The T.D.E. crew continues to impress with every release. Obviously King Kendrick is still killing it with his various features and collabs with Flying Lotus, but his labelmates do not disappoint either. Schoolboy Q’s debut full length had features from fellow T.D.E. cohorts Jay Rock and Kendrick and other big names in hip hop like 2 Chainz and Tyler, The Creator.
♩ Schoolboy Q – Man of the Year [from Oxymoron] (via soundcloud)
I love when it’s obvious that rappers have beat envy. 0-100 was one of those tracks that every rapper wanted when they heard it because everyone soon released their own freestyles or remixes over that beat. Say what you want about Drake, but he can rap (sometimes) and he always gets dope production.
♩ Drake – 0 to 100 / The Catch Up [single] (via soundcloud)
(31) Days of Good//12.17.14
Throughout the year, i compile all my favorite tracks into an ever growing 31days playlist. This little rock diddy from Angel Olsen was the first track I added to the 31days2014 list (all the way back in Dec 2013). it’s remained a favorite of mine all year and a must listen.
♩ Angel Olsen – Forgiven/Forgotten [from Burn Your Fire For No Witness]
Having already teamed up with SOHN and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, BANKS looked to LA producer Shlomo for “Brain”, which is the perfect pairing for the up-and-coming songstress’ powerhouse vocals.
♩ BANKS – Brain [from Goddess]
Short and sweet little diddy from the debut LP by Frankie Cosmos (aka Greta Kline, daughter of actors Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates. With “Birthday Song”, Cosmos “drops a hilariously frank birthday song that tells it straight about these annual celebrations of existence. While it may seem like Frankie is raining on the parade, it’s sometimes good to laugh at arbitrary rituals a bit. Plus, the instrumentation is pretty endearing as well.” (via Brooklyn Vegan)
♩ Frankie Cosmos – Birthday Songs [from Zentropy]
[ingridsuperstar.bandcamp.com]
Casablancas earned some of his rock street cred back with this side project. Very reminiscent of the first Strokes album.
♩ Julian Casablancas+The Voidz – Where No Eagles Fly [from Tyranny]
(31) Days of Good//12.16.14
I’ve seen Mariachi El Bronx in concert twice, both times by accident. Each time I was blown away, each time I promptly forgot about them. There’s something particularly liberating about their latest eponymous album. Makes me want to drive around on a summer day with the top down. Hackneyed? Sure. How about: Makes me want to sit around on a patio, bbq, and drink three (four?) too many, like the Torretto family at the end of every Fast/Furious movie. Next sunny day, here’s what you should do: Get a little wasted, call an Uber, and make the driver throw this shit on super loud while driving around town. Tell him to play this.
♩ Mariachi El Bronx – Raise the Dead [from Mariachi El Bronx (III)]
I was listening to a Grantland podcast a few weeks ago . One of the hosts (Andy Greenwald) was talking about his interview with Jenny Lewis, who had just released the Adams-produced “The Voyager.” Apparently Lewis and Adams got into an argument one night at the studio–Adams told Lewis to go home and “write Wonderwall” (which he believes is the apex of songwriting). She came back with the best song on the album and his response was something to the effect of “that’s not Wonderwall.” Fucking amazing. (Also said, in response to Lewis’ request that she use backing vocals: “Morrissey didn’t use backing vocals.” Listen to the clip here, begins around the 43:00 mark.)
♩ Jenny Lewis – The Voyager [from The Voyager]
And speaking of Ryan Adams. He released his 14th solo-studio albums this year. One of finest I might add. However, the best Adams song to come out this year is the live version of “Fix It” from Spotify Sessions.
“my money get older and older and older like Regis”
♩ PARTYNEXTDOOR – Recognize (feat. Drake) [from PARTYNEXTDOOR TWO]