"Sol." by Mausi is truly the perfect way to start this mix. It's not just a summer song, I think it's about the feeling you get when you've been denied summer for a long time and then it FINALLY ARRIVES! Maybe I'm reading into it, given the historically late snowfall the Twin Cities endured. But with lyrics about the sun and a chant encouraging you to "Dance! Dance! Dance!," I like to think Mausi would agree with me. After that great start, the mix moves to Devendra Banhart's "Never Seen Such Good Things," which is a song Lizzie and I have already spent some time grooving to together (see: Record Store Day). In fact, we used it to open the radio show we co-hosted, so that's some cool history. And oh, what a great song it is. This is sort of like the calmest, most relaxed surf song you've ever heard. Devendra's croon is laid-back, the melody is catchy and the rhythm is subtle but infectious.
The next four songs all have fairly upbeat tempos, but very different tones. "Weighty Ghost" by Wintersleep is acoustic and hand-clap-inflected. "Dark to Light," from the new Telekinesis album. has a great churning rock vibe. I think it feels like the even-better sequel to "Please Ask For Help." "So-and-So's With Emeralds in the Sky" from Marshmallow Coast is as gently psych-influenced as you would guess from the song's Beatles-referencing title; in some parts it's reminiscent of early of Montreal. It made for a sweet respite after the more aggressive drive of Telekinesis. The intensity level then ramped up to a new peak with Freelance Whales' "Spitting Image." I was already really digging the energy accrued by these last three cuts, but "Spitting Image" made me start bobbing my head uncontrollably. I thought my glasses would shake off my head.
"Invasión" by The Plastics Revolution made me smile and think, "Lizzie can find songs that suit her style perfectly in at least two languages now. Impressive." This song sounded like Lizzie to me even before I watched the made-entirely-on-Instagram music video. It's springy and polished indie rock en Español.
Okay, comin' down from that positivity: "Who's Gonna Save My Soul." Gnarls Barkley. This slice of despondent brilliance has everything. As in all the best songs of the Gnarls catalog, Cee-Lo's rich vocals match perfectly with Danger Mouse's retro-futuristic beats. With dark keyboard flourishes and vaguely Spaghetti-Western chords, of course. For good measure. So when that song ended, and I was pulled out of my "Breaking Bad" flashbacks, the ethereal "Spring, Wake Me Up" by Está Vivo eased the moodiness. An atmospheric intro gives way to some chunky chords and piping singing, and a long coda winds things down in floating fashion, before Biffy Clyro gets more down-to-earth with the snarling "Many of Horror."
"Magnet" by Bombay Bicycle Club kicks off with with punk-y guitar and slightly distorted vocals. After about three-and-a-half minutes, it morphs into some kind of lounge thing, which I found very unexpected and awesome. When the song ended, I felt like it had gone by much quicker than its almost-five-minute length. Bombay Bicycle Club was a name I'd heard of, but I really didn't know what they sounded like, and "Magnet" definitely made me interested in hearing more.
"Runner" from Young Prisms was a song that instantly grabbed me. I'd heard one track from this band previously, "Floating in Blue." That song has an even stronger shoegaze element than "Runner," but both use layers of guitar to create great beauty and are topped with wonderfully languid female vocals. It's easy to see some My Bloody Valentine elements in the singer, but the use of some subtle synths and drum machine help Young Prisms create a unique sound.
A number of my friends have fond memories of listening to The Killers in the mid-2000s, but I didn't join that party until a few years ago. I've only heard a few Killers tracks but so far I like what I've heard. "Change Your Mind" had me with its chipper guitar intro, and the supple synth line just brought it home. "Female Robbery" from the debut by The Neighbourhood came next, opening with a bell chime and then some distorted shouts. This band's sound is kind of hard for me to pinpoint. It's pretty expansive, but definitely has a dark bent to it as well.
"Robots" by Dan Mangan sounds like fairly typical singer-songwriter fare at first, with some nice plucking on banjo and bass and likable raspy singing. When it gets to the pre-chorus however, things kick up a notch, and by the second chorus, Mangan has introduced an excellent horn section which soon builds to a massed chorus singing these awesome lines: "Robots need love too / They want to be loved by you." Who can resist that? I certainly can't, and I don't want to. What a way to end a mix.
Instant favorites: "Never Seen Such Good Things" (duh), "Dark to Light," "Spitting Image," "Who's Gonna Save My Soul," "Runner," "Robots." But those were just the immediate faves. I'm sure others will grow on me and take on new dimensions with repeated plays! So THANKS LIZZIE!
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