WHAT I’M LISTENING TO – AUGUST 2016

Back to our usually scheduled programming of weak content and slow jamming. Spotify playlist available here.

note: Frank Ocean isn’t on this list because windowed and/or exclusive releases are dumb.

Solving Problems by Brent Cobb

In the very first installment of this series, I put Brent Cobb’s contribution to the Southern Family compilation album, “Down Home” as the first song. I loved the downhome groove and the laid back vibe. The sonic textures on that song captured everything I love about singer/songwriter records from the 70s. 

Now, with his major label debut album Shine on a Rainy Day on the way and two songs from it already released, I’m waiting with bated breath. There’s a different kind of groove to this song that doesn’t sit back so heavily in the pocket but the sonics are still amazing. Rarely have I ever heard a song that sounds as much like the experience it is describing as this one. The listener feels like they’re eavesdropping on the conversation between two old friends. I can’t wait to hear more of this record.

Giving Up On Your Hometown by Lori McKenna

As someone who moved away from home and then moved back, this song gets under my skin a bit. But I guess given the situation it’s a good kind of uncomfortable. In some ways you can never go back to the place you remember growing up in. Roads get paved, stretches of land turn into shopping centers and restaurants, and time marches ever onward. 

Video Games by Lana Del Rey

I am a sucker for a good, lush string arrangement. What caught my ear about Lana Del Rey’s music was the cool combination of modern and vintage sounds. Hip hop drums reminiscent of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and 60s style strings and vocal processing create a sound that was aptly self-described upon release as “gangsta Nancy Sinatra”.

Summer Rain by Johnny Rivers

See above comment about a good string arrangement. I wish people still wrote simple, effective melodies like this.

Fish and Whistle by John Prine

Forgiving each other until we all turn blue then going fishing in heaven sounds like a pretty good idea to me. John Prine is a national treasure and I will forever treasure our brief encounter at Baja Burrito in Nashville.

Wine Into Water by T. Graham Brown

Blake Shelton can go on back home. This guy has The Voice (not to mention The Style, as seen above). I’ve never personally struggled with substance abuse but I know plenty of people who have. The raw emotion and openness in the lyrics are downright impressive. But for me, that’s not necessarily the mark of a great song. It has to have the great lyric along with a strong melody and this one has both abundantly.

Shake The Frost by Tyler Childers

This is a fellow Kentuckian who, in addition to being a great singer and songwriter, has also been a valiant defender of the Commonwealth on Twitter. I’m just getting around to digging into his back catalog but so far I’ve really enjoyed everything I’ve heard.

Something More Than Free by Jason Isbell

Jason Isbell is currently the best singer/songwriter working, hands down. There are some other artists that I enjoy listening to more but the intricately crafted lyrics and effortless melodies in his oeuvre are unmatched. 

This song is a blue collar affirmation that I’ve been taking to heart lately. While I’m not as sure as Isbell that I’m spending my days doing what I’m on this Earth to do, I’d like to think I’m getting closer. And it pays to be thankful for what you’ve got.

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I Could Not Ask For More by Sara Evans

Country music in the 90s was so great. It was a winning combination of rock, pop, and twang that drew on the best of all worlds. As I have already mentioned too many times in this post, I am a sucker for a good string arrangement and the atmosphere it creates. I love the original version of this song too but the added “yeahs” on this version ground it even further in the 90s and put it on this list.

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Heathens by Twenty One Pilots

Apparently this band has smashed all sorts of Billboard records this year. I heard this song in the movie Suicide Squad and thought it was pretty cool. The layering and effects on the vocal won me over. Nothing too innovative lyrically or in the instrumental bed but it totally fits the movie.

Enjoy! Maybe the next playlist will be a little more bass-heavy. No promises though. Keep your hands to yourself and your eyes turned to Heaven!

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