A little summer, a bit of jitter, some bugs. I went sunnier, brighter, and louder than I usually do with this mix. Sort of "SPF 30." Not too strong--enough to get a little color if you stay out long enough.
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Vampire Weekend / Step
I recommend this whole album. It's dreamy, innovative, and still true to their sound. The album is like witnessing The Beatles, Buddy Holly, Prince, and a hip marching band drink tea together in the Berkshires in the fall. They get along famously.
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Vampire Weekend is an indie rock band which formed in February 2006 in New York City, New York, United States. The band consists of Ezra Koenig (vocals, guitar), Chris Baio (bass) and Christopher Tomson (drums). Rostam Batmanglij has left the band in early 2016 to begin solo career, but will continue to collaborate with Ezra. The band has released four albums: "Vampire Weekend" (2008), "Contra" (2010)","Modern Vampires of the City" (2013) and "Father of the Bride" (2019). Read more on Last.fm more...
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Lucy Schwartz / When We Were Young
I took this from the series, Parenthood, a goldmine for tear-jerker tunes. This one just feels happily nostalgic. Like looking through pictures of summer camp and remembering only the good parts, not the bug bites, or poison ivy, or the time you almost drowned because your counselor was making out with the boy's counselor.
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Lucy Schwartz is a singer/songwriter with an “old soul” that belies her young age of eighteen. Although her influences are varied, the result is a truly original and timeless musical voice. She just released a CD of original songs titled "Winter in June". Lucy has been performing with her band at Los Angeles area clubs and this summer she also played the Palo Alto Music & Film Festival, Central Park's Harlem Meer Music Festival and opened for Guggenheim Grotto at the Canal Room in NYC. Read more on Last.fm more...
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Crystal Fighters / Champion Sound
I like running to this song. It feels like travel. And Spain. And all good things. Things for champions.
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Crystal Fighters are an English/Spanish electronic band who formed in London, United Kingdom in 2007. They are Sebastian (lead vocals, guitar), Gilbert (electronics, guitars, txalaparta, percussion) and Graham (guitar/ txalaparta), plus Laure and Mimi (vocals). Sebastian and Gilbert were old friends, while Gilbert and Graham met through various parties. The three then began making music under various guises before being joined by Laure and Mimi. The band now play with a live drummer. Read more on Last.fm more...
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Whitley / More Than Life
I've tried learning how to play this song, but in the process can't get past how many truly awful and awkward teenage covers there are on YouTube. So, this must speak to that part of me.
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There are two artists by the name of Whitley listed on Last.fm: 1) Whitley is an artist from Melbourne, Australia. Whitley seamlessly blends organic acoustic flavours with electronic overtones creating songs with hushed, whimsical tales of love and loss. Whitley’s previous incarnations in hardcore and punk bands were tempered when he was dragged along to see alt-country stars Keiran Cane and Kevin Welsh by a friend’s dad. He had an epiphany Read more on Last.fm more...
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Night Terrors of 1927 / Dust and Bones
Am I crazy to somehow make a connection to Gangsta's Paradise with this one? I don't know--maybe it's the "Dust and Bones" and the Valley of the Shadow of Death thing. Something about the core of it. No. I think I'm crazy. But I blast this song. Just like I did when I was a gangsta.
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The Night Terrors of 1927 are an indie/alternative pop duo based out of Los Angeles, California. The duo consists of Jarrod Gorbel (former lead vocalist of The Honorary Title) and Blake Sennett (ex-guitarist for Rilo Kiley. Coming together in mid 2012, the duo released their debut single "Dust And Bones" in November of 2012, along with another track, "Watch The World Go Dark". Both tracks garnered widespread attention from around the globe, leading the duo to sign to Atlantic Records that summer. Read more on Last.fm more...
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The Last Royals / Friday Night
Great going out song.
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The Last Royals are a two piece band from New York City comprised of writer/producer Eric James and drummer extraordinaire Mason Ingram. The Last Royals are nascent, having only recently emerged from a joint project that brought the two musicians together in Spring 2010. The connection urged a new chapter in Eric’s career as a musician, evolving him from a solo artist who played under the moniker The Early Hours to one-half of a self-proclaimed pop band. Read more on Last.fm more...
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Benjamin Francis Leftwich / Box of Stones
You wouldn't think a guy whose name sounds both presidential and like a sandwich made out of leftovers could make such an unmuscular, palatably pleasing song.
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Benjamin Francis Leftwich (Born September 4, 1989) is an English singer-songwriter from York. Leftwich began playing music at the age of ten and grew up listening to The Rolling Stones and Nina Simone before discovering such singer-songwriters as Nick Drake, Bob Dylan, and Elliott Smith. Read more on Last.fm more...
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Capital Cities / Safe and Sound
I love the trumpet in this, followed by the drums. I don't know what these guys look like, but something about this song makes me pretty certain they all have awesome hair. (Just looked them up. Mediocre hair. Awesome/obnoxious sunglasses.)
More Info from Last.FM
L.A.’s Capital Cities arrive with a little sonic head rush called ‘Safe and Sound’, an easy, breezy, beautiful slice of effervescent electro-pop that even comes complete with a massive ‘trumpets-in-da-club’ bit that absolutely kills it. (Neon Gold) The song has catchy indie stylings and features the beloved vintage Juno-106 keyboard that gives the production such a comforting retro vibe. (Arjan Writes) It's a scorcher bound to make your dance-infused taste buds sizzle. Read more on Last.fm more...
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Icona Pop / I Don't Care (I Love It)
This one goes out to John. If you don't like it, I DON'T CARE (I love it). But blame John.
More Info from Last.FM
Icona Pop are a Swedish duo who were formed in 2009, with electro house, punk and indie pop music influences. The two members, Caroline Hjelt and Aino Jawo, who grew up in Stockholm, Sweden, wanted to create music "which you can both laugh and cry with at the same time". They signed to TEN Music Group in 2009. In late 2010, their song "Manners" was featured on Kitsuné Maison Compilation 10. "Manners" was later released as their debut single in 2011. Read more on Last.fm more...
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Bowerbirds / In Our Talons
This song has good flavor.
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Bowerbirds is an American folk band formed in Raleigh, NC, in 2006. They have not released anything since 2012. Comprising Philip Moore (vocals, guitar), Beth Tacular (accordion, vocals) and Mark Paulson (violin, vocals), their debut album, Hymns for a Dark Horse, was released under Burly Time Records in 2007. Their second album, Upper Air, was released July 7, 2009.[8] The band released The Clearing on March 6, 2012. With Beth Tacular’s bird song and Phil Moore’s environmentalist empathy Read more on Last.fm more...
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The National / Pink Rabbits
"You didn't see me, I was falling apart: I was a white girl in crowd of white girls in the park." Love that. If sadness was a drink, I'm pretty sure it would taste like Pink Rabbits. And I think Fiona Apple would be drinking it. Apparently, from one source, it's made from Nesquik and tequila. Cheers.
More Info from Last.FM
The National is a Brooklyn-based indie rock band formed in 1999, by friends from Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. The band's lyrics are written and sung by Matt Berninger in a distinctive, deep baritone. The rest of the band is composed of two pairs of brothers: Aaron Dessner (guitar, bass, keyboards), Bryce Dessner (guitar), Scott Devendorf (bass, guitar) and Bryan Devendorf (drums). Their self-titled debut album"The National" (Brassland 2001) was recorded and released before they had played even a single show. Read more on Last.fm more...
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Donora / Champion
Needed a pick-me-up after that. Another Champion song for you. So get off your fainting chair, put your gloves on, let's go.
More Info from Last.FM
BAND MEMBERS Casey Hanner (vocals/guitar) Jake Hanner (drums/SK-5) Jake Churton (killer bass yo) BIOGRAPHY Jake H. met Casey a few hours after she was born. He was disappointed she was a girl and cried. Eighteen years later, he got over it, and they started a band. A few years after that, they suckered another kid named Jake into playing bass. After shooting down Casey’s idea to name the band Casey and the Jakes, they became Donora. Jake H. plays the drums, triggers samples from his octapad, and sings backup. Read more on Last.fm more...
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Jeff Conley Band / For Gibby
Always got to throw in a sweet duet.
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Donovan / Catch the Wind
When I first heard this, I thought it was early Dylan. But something was off. That something was Donovan. Another one from Parenthood. Nothing earth-shattering about this song, but I really like it.
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Donovan Philips Leitch (born May 10, 1946 in Maryhill, Glasgow), better known as simply Donovan, is a Scottish singer, songwriter, and musician. Originally a '60s folk singer, as the decade progressed Donovan cultivated his own unique eclectic sound, mixing elements of folk, pop, jazz, world music and more, often with a twinge of psychedelia. His most well-known work was suffused with altruistic political overtones, making him an iconic figure of the "flower power" counter-culture of the '60s. Read more on Last.fm more...
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The Big Pink / Hit the Ground (Superman)
This was a last minute addition (to my already late mix). Since I have a champion theme going, might as well throw in a superhero.
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The Big Pink are an electro rock duo that formed in 2007 in London, England. The group consists of Robbie Furze (vocals, guitar) and Vicky Jean Smith (drums). Milo Cordell (keyboards, synths, vocals) left the band in February 2013. The duo took their name from "Big Pink", a house in upstate New York where The Band and Bob Dylan made some legendary recordings. They are best known for their 2009 single "Dominos", which peaked at #27 on the UK Singles Chart and #36 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart in the United States. Read more on Last.fm more...
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Mountain Man / Animal Tracks
"Mountain Man" is actually a trio of women who sweetly harmonize about woodsy things. Twist. A good one, I think.
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There are two artists called Mountain Man: 1) An American folk trio from Bennington, Vermont. 2) An American hardcore band from Massachusetts featuring members of I Rise and Last Lights. 1) Mountain Man is an American folk trio from Bennington, Vermont, comprising Amelia Meath, Molly Sarle, and Alex Sauser-Monnig. They often sing a cappella. There's a fragile balance between the three very different styles and personalities in the three women. Read more on Last.fm more...
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Sam Amidon / My Old Friend
This song starts out nice, but wins me over at the chorus. Heartstring song.
More Info from Last.FM
Sam Amidon (born Samuel Tear Amidon on 3 June 1981 in Brattleboro, Vermont) is an American folk artist. His parents are Peter Amidon and Mary Alice Amidon, both well-established folk musicians. Amidon is a member of the Icelandic music collective/record label Bedroom Community. Folk music runs freely throughout the New England heartland of Vermont, and Amidon's family are a strong lifeline in that movement’s heritage. Both Amidon’s parents, Peter and Mary are performers and teachers of music. Read more on Last.fm more...
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Blur / Tender
This was a major contender for the first song of the mix, but with a running time of 7:41 and a prominent spot on the "Best of Blur," I thought it might be a party foul. Disclaimer: I'm not a Blur fan. But I love this song. It doesn't do much or go many places. But what it does, it does really well, better than most. Like a true champ.
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Blur is an alternative rock band which formed in Colchester, England in 1989. The band consists of Damon Albarn (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Graham Coxon (guitar, vocals), Alex James (bass) and Dave Rowntree (drums). Blur's debut album Leisure (1991) incorporated the sounds of Madchester and Shoegazing and spawned their first UK Top 10 single, There's No Other Way. Following a stylistic change in 1992 (influenced by English guitar groups such as The Kinks Read more on Last.fm more...
