November 2022
Notes: So this was the first playlist I put together and I’ll be honest, when I look back at it, I can’t help but say WTF? No rhyme or reason whatsoever. It gets better I promise.
Year Range: 1967 to 2021
Genres: Classic Rock, Cuban, Electro, Country, Electro-pop, Funk, Dancehall, Reggae, Bluegrass, Salsa, Indie Rock, Hip Hop.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - “Room at the Top” - 1999, One of the greatest Tom Petty songs. Flies under the radar for some reason.
Buena Vista Social Club - “Chan Chan” - 1997, The Buena Vista Social Club is actually a collective of individually famous Cuban musicians that largely had their careers ended when Fidel Castro took over Cuba. The guitar player Ry Cooder actually went down to Cuba in 1996 for a musical project and “rediscovered” these amazing people. He then organized a live performance at Carnegie Hall in 1997, which is this album.
Cut Copy - “Take Me Over” - 2011, Dance music that merges live instruments with samples and recorded tracks. This is where me and Pitchfork come to an agreement.
Sturgill Simpson - “Keep It Between the Lines” - 2016, One of the best country musicians of our generation, if not of all time. While his music always took country music to a more psychedelic experience, this album marked the beginning of Sturgill doing Sturgill (his next album was a Anime Rock album accompanied by an Anime movie).
The Cure - “Six Different Ways” - 1985, This album was the second album recorded after some major band member shakeups - basically the lead singer, Robert Smith, was the only one left of the original members. Also these two albums marked a complete change in sound from their previous work which was Goth Rock (they used to tour with Siouxie and the Banshees), to more pop influenced rock. The first time I heard this song was the soundtrack to the 2002 movie “Rules of Attraction”.
The Bar-Kays - “Soul Finger” - 1967, This was the first single released by the Bar-Kays. The children in the chorus were kids that were loitering outside the recording studio and were paid with Coca-Cola.
Sister Nancy - “Pegion Rock” - 1982, known as the first female dancehall DJ and definitely the most influential. Her most known single “Bam Bam” has been sampled on over 80 releases, including by Jay Z “Bam” and Kanye West “Famous”.
Trampled By Turtles - “Victory” - 2010, Fun fact - this band was created because the lead singer had all of his music equipment stolen. All he had left was an acoustic guitar. He had never played bluegrass before, and recruited others who were in the same boat (the fiddle player played drums for a speed metal band).
Hector Lavoe - “Calle Luna Calle Sol” - 1973, Legendary Puerto Rican salsa singer. He sang for Willie Colon’s band and later collaborated with Fania Allstars.
Big Up (feat. Seu Jorge) - “Terra” - 2020, Brazilian dance/hip hop. This song features Seu Jorge (that guy with the acoustic guitar in The Life Aquatic)
Toro y Moi - “Say That” - I have a weird outlier affinity for dark trance-y beats. This is one of those.
Jack Stauber - “Buttercup” - 2017, Jack is a musician as well as animator and has some crazy videos on YouTube and TikTok. You might not have heard this song but you would be in the minority - it has 388 million streams on Spotify!
Big Moe (feat. Ronnetta Spencer) - “Barre Baby” - 2000, This is one of the most quintessential hip hop songs of this era of Houston Rap. And it drips just like the Syrup that influenced it. Ronnetta was 7 years old when she was featured on this song. I didn’t know this until recently, but she still records in Houston. By the way, this record went Platinum!
Hopeton Lewis - “Boom Shacka Lacka” - 1970, Hopeton made more of a name for himself in Gospel Music, but he started off on the famous Jamaican label Treasure Isle which this song was recorded for.
Shel Silverstein - “I Got Stoned and I Missed It”- 1972, Yeah, that Shel Silverstein. The one who wrote all those books that you loved in elementary school like Where the Sidewalk Ends, and A Light in the Attic. Guess what? He was a freak! He also wrote and cartooned for Playboy Magazine. The band playing the music on this album, Freakin’ at the Freaker’s Ball, was none other than Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show, for whom he wrote the hit song, “The Cover of the Rolling Stone”.
Rostam - “4Runner” - 2021, This was my favorite song of 2021 (See Nate’s favorite songs by year). Rostam was a founding member of Vampire Weekend before turning to a solo career. He produced Vampire Weekend’s first three albums and has produced for Frank Ocean, Solange, Haim, Lykke Li, and Hamilton Leithauser.
Outkast - “SpottieOttieDopaliscious” - 1998, Outkast was untouchable during this period through the 2000s. This song was on the album that I feel like was right before they broke completely out and became a household name to multiple generations.
Khazali - “Comfort” - 2021, this is another one of those dark trance-y songs. Khazali is a big time up and coming London based DJ and R&B Singer. He also is a member of the trio VRWRK.
Gilligan Moss - “Ultraparadiso” - 2021, Gilligan Moss is not a person. It is a duo - Ben + Evan. And I really don’t know much else about them.
Sam Roberts Band - “Sang Froid” - 2011, Sam Roberts found a wheelhouse, and he consistently produces great energetic and catchy music in the wheelhouse. Canadian rock, eh?