Playlist - Sunday Morning

I've written before that I really love listening to chill mixes. There are all sorts of different types of "chill" to me, some can be a bit more trippy or electronic, some where there's a ton of space in the songs that bare echoes and reflections to make the song so sparse that it's relaxing, others that have orchestras, strings, and horns that lull you sleep, and so many more. Whatever way we get there, the WHOLE point is to relax and feel calm. 

My Sunday Morning playlist is exactly what you'd imagine: It's a playlist I always listen to on Sunday Mornings as I'm brewing my cup of coffee, reading the NYTimes, and slowly starting a day off from the grind of work and all that stressful stuff. This mix is a bit more upbeat than my other chill mixes (to be published soon!) because it's not supposed to lull you to sleep or veg out, it's supposed to ease you into your day. There are SO many amazing tracks on here. I honestly LOVE every song on this mix, no joke. But Gary Clark Jr.'s live acoustic rendition of "Things Are Changin'" that starts things off should give you a good idea of the vibes I'm going for.

I'm hoping there are some tracks you've never heard, maybe U.S. Royalty's gorgeous ending track from their first album, or a little Andrew Bird for those uninitiated to his brilliance, or for the love of God PATRICK WATSON. If you don't like "Words in the Fire," we will have to part ways here. How about Rhye's voice in "The Fall," a perfect song to me. Ryan Adams undoubtedly made his way on here and Feist (one of my most beloved female singer/songwriters) will always be loved by me for her sultry voice and original tracks. And of course, I have to end with Wilco's classic and appropriately named, "One Sunday Morning." So much good stuff!

Happy Sundays from here on out!

Playlist - Stop, Drop, Electro-Pop, Vol. 3

I first posted my Stop, Drop, Electro-Pop, Vol. 4 mix which I think a few people enjoyed, so I'm back with another one! I made this playlist prior to volume four, so it won't have any newer stuff per se, but I loooove this playlist because it's so upbeat and can be played in many different settings, be it a party, a workout, or when you need some energy at work. It's got the regulars like Chvrches, Holy Ghost!, Cut Copy, St. Lucia, and Phantogram, but also a few lesser known bands, such as Lanu, Panama, Jagwar Ma, and Wild Ones.

Hopefully there are a few groups that you haven't heard. Poolside's "Do You Believe" is a song that the second you put it on, people immediately notice. It's a party starter. So start partying!

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 5

In light of Bay 2 Breakers (San Francisco's Mardi Gras) on Sunday, I will let the music speak for itself. Enjoy!

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 4

My Morning Jacket released their new album last week, and "Compound Fracture" is my favorite song on the album. My review of the album will be published tomorrow!

Best Coast also released their new album, California Nights, last week, and as they tend to do on each of their albums, I become crazily fixated on a few track. In this album's case, it's "Jealously" and "Feeling OK." Bethany Cosentino knows how to make a simply structured song sing. Her formula has pretty much stayed the same since their debut Crazy For You, but it's always worked for me. If you like these two tracks, check out my 5 Faves playlist I made a while back! 

Future Island's new track is a continuation of their last album, specifically the tracks "Spirit" and "Seasons (Waiting on You)," so you guessed it - it's a great track!  

Ryley Walker is a singer/songwriter I recently stumbled upon. "Primrose Green" should be played outside in a garden, it's sound is so delicate and warm.   

Miguel, Miguel, Miguel. This is such a sexy song. This is the version of the song without Wale because Miguel should be the only one singing on a track like this. 

SuperMensch - The Legend of Shep Gordon - A Documentary

"When I was signing an artist," Shep Gordon begins to explain in the documentary about his life as a famously successful manager (of mainly musicians), "I would sit him down, take my glasses off, look him in the eyes, and say 'you need to really listen to me and listen seriously, this is not a joke,' if I do my job perfectly, I will probably kill you." Shep went on to manage (and not maim) Alice Cooper, Blondie, Groucho Marx, and Luther Vandross, to name just a handful.

Such is the start to a documentary filled with twists and turns celebrating the life and times of the extraordinary mensch, Shep Gordon. A mensch is a Hebrew term defined as a person of integrity and honor; in spite of the massive quantities of cocaine, alcohol, and other substances that were left in the wake of Gordon's rock star lifestyle, it's clear from this documentary that people really loved him, mainly in part because he gave everything he had to others without expecting anything in return.

"It's never about what YOU want," was his quote regarding hosting legendary dinner parties with celebrities of his ilk. The celebrities interviewed included Michael Douglas, Sylvester Stallone, Steven Tyler, Emeril Lagasse, Mick Fleetwood, and Mike Myers (who directed the documentary).

Gordon graduated from college and wanted to be a probation officer. He got his certification, showed up to work with long hippie hair and promptly left after he was jumped by a bunch of juveniles. Beaten and battered, Gordon decided to try his luck in the land of angels and holed up at the Hollywood Landmark in Los Angeles.

Resting in his bed after taking a hit of acid, he hears a woman outside screaming in distress. Nobly, he runs to save her and sees a man on top of her. Gordon intervenes and then the girl punches him in the face. He promptly goes back to his room.

The next morning, he sees the girl - Janis Joplin - and the guy - Jimi Hendrix - and at this point the three of them are relatively sober and realize the mistakes that were made the evening before. And that's how Shep Gordon got into the music industry. This is one of many great stories Shep Gordon retells throughout the film.

For those who enjoy hearing wild and interesting stories about musicians and celebrities, stories of people forming bonds that were never to be broken (seeing Gordon and Alice Cooper as two old guys on a golf course is pretty hilarious), others that snapped in half, and the travails and triumphs of a man pure of heart (he cooked for the Dalai Lama for goodness sake!), this documentary is for you. It's also for people who are inspired by seeing amazingly successful people succeed not because of Machiavellian tactics but because of the goodwill and beauty of their heart.

The documentary is on Netflix and runs about 1:20. Check it out!