January ’18 Playlist

I keep seeing those dumb memes on social media that joke about how long January has felt. “Fifth Monday of January” or “We’re now in the third month of January” or “Who else is so delighted to see the last day of the ‘Year January'” … tell me why these feel so painfully true? An entire lifetime has come and gone since Christmas, some good, some bad. I think its realities way of kicking us in the butt after the holidays. Like, “HEY YOU, don’t you dare stop believing humans still aren’t perfect and still don’t have hardships!” Thanks reality, happy new year to you too.

Despite the dark there is always the light, and amidst the light there is always music. That’s one reassuring thing about this year so far, loads of new music is coming out. I began the month watching a 4 hour documentary about Tom Petty on Netflix, if you haven’t seen it, its called Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin’ Down a Dream. That began a little obsession which Petty for the early weeks of the month. My other on-repeats were Mahal Kita by Emmy The Great and YO! MY SAINT by Karen O and Michael Kiwanuka, both solid anthem songs. A couple weeks ago Sam and I saw The National live which then shaped the end of my month of music listenings. Oh Hey, while you’re in this neighborhood of the web you should check out Sam’s new music blog Love you till Tuesday that she started this month. It’s a compilation of incredibly rich love letters to her favorite musicians. You don’t want to miss these! She posts every Tuesday so pencil it into you’re schedule, you won’t regret it.

Enjoy the January playlist! What were your go-to songs this month?!

November (& October) Playlists

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Guys, I’ve dropped the ball for two whole months on posting my monthly playlists (don’t get me started on the rest of my Spain pictures – hopefully coming at you this month!) I am so in love with these playlists, and I’m sure I’ve said this before but they become my monthly anthems, so here they are; November and October … both on December 1st. haha Officially completing my first year of posting a playlist a month. Check these two out for when you need a break from Christmas music this month. They’re so good, in the most bias tone;)

September Playlist

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Look guys! I’m posting my monthly playlist while still in the month of when I made the playlist. I’m getting good at this. Since this monthly post is where I gush about music I have to tell you I’m going to TWO whole concerts next month, and my high school/college-concert-going heart is on fire. I feel like I’m turning into that old fart whose about to go to their hundredth Dave Matthews Band concert and still so excited, despite having no one else who understands how much you like their music.. w/ long intros… and even longer outros. (I should note I’ve never been to a Dave Matthews band concert – used for example sake haha) Couple musical highlights from September: the first song from the Tegan & Sara The Con X : Covers was released and of course it was Call It Off (by CHVCHES) … if any song could make me cry within the first sentence its this one. Next month they’re releasing the whole album with covers by artists like Ryan Adams, Bleachers and….. you guys, Cyndi Lauper does a song! Yeeeee! Moving on to Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton album that was released this month too. They haven’t released a full album since 2006, so yesyesyesyesyes. Anyway, its real real good.

Have a Relaxing Weekend & enjoy the playlist!!

August Playlist

Photo by Jason Howell via Unsplash

I’m late on this one… AGAIN! All songs were genuinely added and listened to throughout the month of August. Just because I didn’t post it til now doesn’t mean the songs are any less great. haha It was a busy month to say the least. From preparing for Spain, to then going to Spain (which im only half way through editing and posting those photos) I didn’t want to break the streak of posting a playlist a month. I started this monthly playlist thing almost a year ago in October I think it was, so I can’t stop now, plus its one of the most enjoyable parts of my month. One of my favs of the month was King of a One Horse Town by Dan Auerbach .. he was a new discovery this summer. Have you guys heard any of the reworks of Yusuf/Cat Stevens old songs he re released in August? I’m loving the new sound of his classic Blackness of the Night which was commonly known as one of the original protest songs in the 60’s, and in the article linked on the song Yusuf explains the song is as relevant now as it was in the 60’s. This reminds me that music is forever and always timeless. Definitely worth a listen!

 

July Playlist

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Another month, another set of delicious tunes I have on repeat. It’s surprising to say but I can’t stop listening to the new Benjamin Gibbard’s new song The Concept, Gibbard is typically known for the lead vocals in Death Cab for Cutie but also has a couple solo albums. I say surprising because majority of this song doesn’t have lyrics, but has this pleasant melody that builds up to this goosebump worthy guitar solo towards the end. You’ll have to take a listen to really understand:D Just as a I predicted, more great new music is coming out this summer, and in July we had stuff from Alex Ebert (of Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros), Arcade Fire & Jack Johnson!! Yippee!! Life is good, but its especially good when accompanied with superb music.. ya know, the kind of music that makes you feel like you’re that mysterious pretty girl in a music video when listening to it. haha.

What are you listening to this summer?! Go-to travel tunes??

June Playlist

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This summer of music has been so inspiring for me. I’m finding excitement, symbolism, and depth in some new (and old) songs. This might be my favorite playlist this year so far.  It is the last day of the month, but I was hoping this could be a great mix for the holiday weekend. The best time to listen to this is probably when driving in your car while the sun is disappearing behind the mountains, yet still keeping the sky an enchanting gradient of blues… though, anytime of day works too;) haha Anyway, two of my ride or die musicians/groups (Emily Haines (from Metric) & Stars) came out with new music this month.. how did I get this lucky?! I’m taking it as a birthday gift, since June was my bday month. Lots of new releases just came out or are about to come out in the next couple months, its kind of like how all the good movies come out around Christmas. This must be the Christmas time for music… I don’t know what I’m saying anymore, just listen to the music, its better with their words than I am.

Have a nice 4th of July, stay safe!

May Playlist

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Ya’ll I’m a day late on this playlist. Forgive me? The month of May got so so busy and I abandoned this ship for far too long. Music has never been an abandoned ship in my book of priorities, so I still compiled some anthem songs throughout the month. A couple of my favorite oldies covers are on this playlist “I Only Have Eyes for You” by Kevin Morby and “Be My Baby” by Bea Miller which was featured on the live Dirty Dancing television movie event this past month. Also, if you’re at all into The Shins, their new stuff has been really giving me the high school nostalgias lately. I saw the Shins live probably 7+ years ago and somehow my friends and I got front-row standing spots.. usually those spots aren’t worth it because you’re getting shoved against the gate by the sweaty animalistic crowd behind you, but for The Shins it was a perfect band to have a mellow front standing experience… until the girl next to me threw up on my shoe. Music can be nauseatingly good sometimes right?

April Playlist

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Did you guys exchange mix cds back in the day? I went to high school when that was the thing to do… at least for me and my friends. I bring this up because for the past couple weeks my auxiliary port in my car has been broken and the option to listen to Spotify on my work commute hasn’t been an option (#firstworldproblems). This has brought me to dust off my trusty ol’ high school cd case and have it in my car to rotate through each disc. Talk about walking down memory lane AND LOVING IT … I have hundreds of discs decorated with multi-color sharpie reading things like “Summer ’06 Jamzz” or “Night drive tunes”. This has had an intentional influence on this months mix. Songs I haven’t heard in 10 years but still know by heart, its funny how our brains can do that. OH, its also influenced by the shows The Leftovers & Big Little Lies which are killing it on the soundtrack front right now. I truly love this months playlist and I hope you do too. Until next month.. what were some of your old mix cd jamzzzz? haha

 

March Playlist

It’s heating WAY up here in Vegas.. I’m talkin’ swimming weather already, because of that, everything is blooming and allergies are in full swing. I’m usually a huge fall person, but I get all giddy when everything gets really colorful in desert spring time. It’s a bit of freshness before the summer heat fries us all. haha On a cooler note, its MARCH, which means another playlist of songs I’m digging. I was super happy to discover London O’Connor this month. Had his song OATMEAL on repeat for the first couple weeks of March, then added Nobody Hangs out Anymore to this playlist and can’t get the lyrics outta my head. The chorus goes, All my friends are on the net / and all my friends are in the net / and all of us are out of it / and none of us are into it. I keep repeating it in my head almost like a chant or personal mission statement. Really makes me what to unplug more often. Anyway, enjoy these March jams!

February Playlist

I left the Las Vegas Government building earlier this morning after attending another county commissioner meeting fighting to keep Red Rock a rural area. It’s exhausting to me trying to fathom why anyone would want to build a housing development remotely close to Red Rock Canyon. Let it stay RURAL AND NATURAL. I’m not sure why I’m talking about this on February’s playlist post, but I guess it’s just fresh in my mind and I’m speaking from the heart… and the heart makes me think of February. Might be because of Valentines that resides in this month and the visual reds, pinks, warmness it gives me. All that being said I truly love the playlist this month and I hope you do too.