By: Derek Moore
Greetings, LI$Teners. I’ve got an especially chill playlist to accompany the chilly weather we’re all experiencing. Here’s some music to chatter your teeth to.
- I’ve included Chet Faker on a previous LI$T, and now he’s teamed up with fellow Australian artist Flume to release an excellent collaborative EP “Lockjaw.” And “Drop the Game†is a good taste of what to expect.
- Former Woods bassist Kevin Morby shifted to the front of the stage for his solo debut Harlem River, an album written as a love letter to New York City from his Los Angeles home, and the result is satisfying to say the least.
- Alela Diane’s most recent album About Farewell came out in June 2013, but somehow it flew under my radar until now. Her comforting brand of folk is perfect for this time of year.
- Shearwater just released an album of cover songs “Fellow Travelers.” Their take on Xiu Xiu’s “I Luv the Valley OH!†was particularly captivating to me.
- Though Gems’ Medusa EP can get a little cheesy to me at points, that hasn’t stopped them from garnering some national recognition. I heard a Purity Ring influence in the production styling of “Ephemera,†and that was enough for me to go ahead and drop it into this LI$T.
- “Vertigo†by CREEP is, well, for lack of a better word, creepy. Its eeriness is exactly the appeal I found in it, so it seemed like an obvious choice to continue this LI$T’s vibe.
- “Fantastic Sam†by Gap Dream*** reminds me of MGMT’s early days. There are synths, a thick backbeat and a catchy melody in the chorus. What more can you ask for?
- I can’t remember how I came across Athens, GA based band The New Sound of Numbers, but I’m glad I did. They’re unique, kind of awkward, and a lot of fun.
- To cap this playlist, I decided to take a step in a different direction and include a track from alt-country band Beachwood Sparks’s new album Desert Skies. The title track (which is the cut I decided to include) is rather epic in form, and it’s an enjoyable listen in general.
I’ve got the next few weeks off from writing to enjoy some quality holiday time, but you can always check my profile on Spotify to keep up with what I’m listening to while I’m away. That said, I hope you all have a warm yet wintry time with your loved ones and family, since ‘tis the season for it and all. I’ll see you next year!
(***Managing Editor’s Note: Gap Dream (Gabriel Fulvimar) is also on a tribute album put together by Burger Records (where he, no shit, lives in his label’s record store). So naturally Gap Dream is on Burger’s collection of covers with contributions from The Memories to Natural Child that honor the 45th anniversary of The Velvet Underground’s “White Light/White Heat.” And Gap Dream does an excellent spacey cover of “Sister Ray.” Other notes? Gap Dream is also performing at The Black Angel‘s annual Austin Psych Fest in 2014. Trivia: The Black Angels took their name from The Velvet Underground’s song, “The Black Angel’s Death Song.” Boom. Edumusication. Now you know.***)