Desert Island XI - QUARANTINE ISLAND - Group 3 Listening Thread

[LemonMelon]

We made it, gang. The final group. The first two threads brought us triple digit replies and some very detailed commentary, so let's give our last group the same level of attention. Typically interest drops off by this point, but I think the momentum has been there from start to finish this time around.

There is no strict deadline for moving beyond this group to the ballots, but we'll talk about it in the next week or so.

Group 3


Joey788

Embrace the Contrast

We’re all an amalgamation of conflicts that we not only learn to live with, but come to accept. My playlist focuses on making peace with my personal contradictions over the last decade. It’s rage and tranquility, hope and frustration, unrequited love and letting go, or as seen in the cover image, the pull of nature and my city life upbringing. These songs have helped with my personal growth, or were there for key moments in my life. I still turn to them often and hope you all find some new favorites as well.

1. The National – “The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness” – Sleep Well Beast (3:57)
2. St. Vincent – “Cruel” – Strange Mercy (3:35)
3. PJ Harvey – “The Sky Lit Up” – Is This Desire? (1:53)
4. Mitski – “Townie” - Bury Me At Makeout Creek (3:25)
5. Sharon Van Etten – “Serpents” – Tramp (3:02)
6. Lucy Dacus – “Timefighter” – Historian (5:49)
7. Porcupine Tree – “Mellotron Scratch” – Deadwing (6:57)
8. Angel Olsen – “All Mirrors” – All Mirrors (4:42)
9. Radiohead – “Daydreaming” – A Moon Shaped Pool (6:24)
10. David Bowie – “Blackstar” – Blackstar (9:58)
11. Nine Inch Nails – “Dear World,” – Not The Actual Events (4:07)
12. Savages – “Husbands” – Silence Yourself (2:50)
13. Priests – “Pink White House” – Nothing Feels Natural (4:05)
14. TORRES – “Sprinter” – Sprinter (4:45)
15. Big Thief – “Not” – Two Hands (6:07)
16. Gustavo Santaolalla – “The Last of Us” – The Last of Us (3:04)
17. Opeth – “Isolation Years” – Ghost Reveries (3:51)
18. Porridge Radio – “Lilac” – Every Bad (5:28)
19. The Decemberists – “Rusalka, Rusalka / Wild Rushes” – I’ll Be Your Girl (8:16)
20. R.E.M. – “Discoverer” – Collapse Into Now (3:31)
21. U2 – “A Sort Of Homecoming” – The Unforgettable Fire (5:28)
22. Waxahatchee – “Silver” – Out in the Storm (3:24)
23. Courtney Barnett – “City Looks Pretty” - Tell Me How You Really Feel (4:42)
24. Arcade Fire – “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)” – The Suburbs (5:26)
25. Florence + The Machine – “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful” - How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful (5:35)
26. Jenny Lewis – “The Voyager” – The Voyager (3:31)
27. Braids – “Warm Like Summer” – Deep in the Iris (4:24)
28. Astronautalis – “Measure the Globe” – This Is Our Science (2:59)
29. Laura Stevenson – “Living Room, NY” – The Big Freeze (3:23)
30. Julien Baker – “Claws in Your Back” – Turn Out the Lights (4:39)
31. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – “Push the Sky Away” – Push the Sky Away (4:07)
32. Steven Wilson – “The Raven That Refused to Sing (and Other Stories)” –The Raven That Refused to Sing (and Other Stories) (7:57)

Total runtime: 2:31:21

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0gFZRfXbImEpdO2CBRgtKY?si=32mXIt03QHm4WeJncfSUPg


bono_212

To Live and Die In L.A.

The idea for this playlist started shortly after I moved to Los Angeles, almost exactly six years ago. There were two radio stations, in particular, that I was ecstatic to have discovered, 93.5 KDAY, which still exists and 92.3 KHHT, which left me in 2015 not long after I arrived. 93.5 and 92.3 were both 90s-centric stations, The former hip-hop, the latter R&B. Almost overnight, I fell in love with West Coast Hip Hop and the song "Ain't Nobody" by Chaka Khan.

Not very long after I moved here, I started to get this feel of songs that made me feel pretty good while I was driving, or stuck in traffic. Then there started to be these other songs that I strongly associated with driving around at night. That was the original idea for the list: Day and Night driving in Los Angeles. Over time, though, it became pretty obvious this playlist is more like a sunset to sunrise sort of adventure.

So, that's what I want you to take from this. Think of it as a Saturday afternoon into a 3:00 AM quiet drive home Sunday morning. From the perspective of someone from Indiana who's lived in the city for a pretty OK amount of time at this point, but still associates Sunset Boulevard with 80s post-punk instead of hair metal, for whatever reason...

(Only :20s kept me from this being two standard discs. I couldn't bare to cut anymore from the first part, though, so it's staying like this, OCD be damned)

I Live. I Die:
1. 2Pac - "To Live & Die In L.A." - Greatest Hits (4:33)
2. Tony! Toni! Tone! - "It Never Rains (In Southern California) - The Revival (5:04)
3. Suga Free - "Dip Da" - Street Gospel (4:33)
4. Ice Cube - "It Was A Good Day" - The Predator (4:20)
5. Warren G., Nate Dogg "Regulate" - Regulate...G Funk Era (4:09)
6. The Pharcyde - "Runnin'" - Labcabincalifornia (4:56)
7. Souls of Mischief - "93 'Til Infinity" - 93 'til Infinity (4:46)
8. Dred Scott - "Duck Ya Head" - Breakin' Combs (4:49)
9. The Lady of Rage - "Afro Puffs" - Above The Rim (4:48)
10. Snoop Dogg - "Who Am I (What's My Name)?" - Doggystyle (4:06)
11. Grace Jones - "Pull Up To The Bumper" - Private Life: The Compass Point Sessions (4:33)
12. Prince - "I Wanna Be Your Lover" - Prince (5:48)
13. Chaka Khan - "Ain't Nobody" - Epiphany: The Best of Chaka Khan, Vol. 1 (4:41)
14. Laura Branigan - "Self Control" - Self Control (4:06)
15. The Who - "Eminence Front" - It's Hard (5:39)
16. Glenn Frey - "You Belong To The City" - Above The Clouds - The Collection (5:53)
17. Jan Hammer - "Crockett's Theme" - Miami Vice: Special Edition (3:36)
TRT: 1:20:20

I Live Again:
1. Wang Chung - "To Live And Die In L.A." - To Live & Die In L.A. (4:54)
2. Fleetwood Mac - "Big Love" - Greatest Hits (3:39)
3. Siouxsie and the Banshees - "Cities In Dust" - Tinderbox (3:52)
4. Gene Loves Jezebel - "Desire (Come and Get It)" - The Best of Gene Loves Jezebel - Voodoo Dollies (3:20)
5. Sisters of Mercy - "Lucretia My Reflection" - Floodland (4:57)
6. The Plimsouls - "A Million Miles Away" - Everywhere At Once (3:35)
7. The Go-Go's - "This Town" - Beauty And The Beat (3:20)
8. X - "The World's a Mess, It's in My Kiss" - Los Angeles (4:29)
9. Josie Cotton - "He Could Be the One" - Convertible Music (2:49)
10. Missing Persons - "Destination Unknown" - Spring Session M. (3:37)
11. Talking Heads - "This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)" - Speaking in Tongues (4:56)
12. The Motels - "Only The Lonely" - All Four One (3:16)
13. Billy Idol - "Sweet Sixteen" - Whiplash Smile (4:18)
14. David & David - "Welcome To The Boomtown" - Boomtown (5:31)
15. The War On Drugs - "Red Eyes" - Lost In The Dream (4:59)
16. Bruce Springsteen - "Night" - Born To Run (3:00)
17. Tom Petter and the Heartbreakers - "American Girl" - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (3:35)
18. Bob Seger - "Hollywood Nights" - Stranger In Town (5:05)
19. Tom Waits - "(Looking For) The Heart Of Saturday Night" - The Heart Of Saturday Night (3:53)

Total runtime: 2:37:25

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3WWFOiW5uyPv6AsXghsMrM?si=jHqD5E5XT12L0iEV3Mylww


LJT

No Man is an Island

This is just an expression of how I am feeling in the current situation. There is a tension to most of the music but it is also contemplative of my role as a nurse working through these weird times we are living in, with the simple recognition that I am not an island in this situation but a collection of colleagues supporting and working together to get through it. Some tracks are bit on the nose than others (Keep the Streets Empty for Me *ahem*) and some are just there because of the general feeling they provide more through the music than lyrics. Some tracks touch on the politics of it from the Fontaines track to the Everything Everything track (yes, No Reptiles is political, I’m sure I will get to explain!). It is maybe a touch sadder than I wanted it to be but interspersed with moments of hope.

1. Félix Blume - "Funeral Procession “AMI FIDÈLE ET TENDRE” - Death in Haiti: Funeral Brass bands and Sounds from Port Au Prince (2:47)
2. Obongjayar - "Dreaming in Transit" – Which Way is Forward (4:09)
3. TV On the Radio – "DLZ" – Dear Science (3:49)
4. Leonard Cohen - "You Want It Darker" – You Want it Darker (4:44)
5. Susanna - "Death and the Miser" – Garden of Earthly Delights (4:13)
6. TORRES - "Good Grief" – Silver Tongue (5:03)
7. Fontaines D.C. - "The Lotts" – Dogrel (4:57)
8. Screaming Females – "Hopeless" – Rose Mountain (2:43)
9. This Is the Kit – "Spinney" – Wriggle Out the Restless (2:49)
10. A Hawk and A Hacksaw - "The Way the Wind Blows" – The Way the Wind Blows (4:18)
11. Frankie Rose - "The Fall" – Interstellar (3:27)
12. Wild Beasts - "Loop the Loop" – Smother (4:07)
13. Grumbling Fur - "The Ballad of Roy Batty" – Glynnaestra (3:39)
14. FKA twigs - "Two Weeks" – LP1 (4:08)
15. Agnes Obel - "Island of Doom" – Island of Doom (5:29)
16. Fever Ray - "Keep the Streets Empty for Me" – Fever Ray (5:37)
17. Austra - "I Love You More Than You Love Yourself" – Future Politics (4:59)
18. Another Sky - "The Cracks" – The Cracks (3:47)
19. Everything Everything - "No Reptiles" – Get to Heaven (4:43)
20. Brandt Brauer Frick - "Broken Pieces feat. Jamie Lidell" – Miami (4:26)
21. Nujabes - "Feather (feat. Cise Starr & Akin from CYNE)" – Modal Soul (2:55)
22. Lantlôs - "Melting Sun I: Azure Chimes" – Melting Sun (7:11)
23. Zola Jesus – "Exhumed" – Okovi (3:45)
24. Burial – "Archangel" – Untrue (4:00)
25. The Black Twig Pickers - "I Can't Stay Here by Myself" – Rough Carpenters (4:34)

Total runtime: 1:46:19

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/52FTbxiE1HYNBXsFvNvu4D?si=St15HUohRpeHY-RH3DM5Bw


cobl04

Two Become One

I wanted to do two playlists. One with just Australian music, the other with just electronic music (a very wide breadth falls under) that. Since we may never do this again, I decided to put the two together. It is one whole playlist, and the transition point is a blend of the two ideas.

1. Camp Cope - "I've Got You" - How to Socialise and Make Friends (5:24)
2. Kelso - "Oh God There's So Much Love in Me" - Always a Godmother, Never a God (3:26)
3. Jen Cloher - "Regional Echo" - Jen Cloher (5:42)
4. David Bridie - "Delegate" - Wake (5:09)
5. Ali Barter - "The Captain" - A Suitable Girl (4:03)
6. The Drones - "To Think That I Once Loved You" - Feelin Kinda Free - (6:14)
7. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - "Higgs Boson Blues" - Push the Sky Away (7:51)
8. Stella Donnelly - "Allergies" - Beware of the Dogs (2:56)
9, Something for Kate - "Twenty Years" - Echolalia (3:51)
10. Rolling Blackouts C.F. - "An Air Conditioned Man" - Hope Downs (4:52)
11. Gang of Youths - "Native Tongue" - Let Me Be Clear (4:15)
12. Kev Carmody & Paul Kelly - "From Little Things Big Things Grow" - Bloodlines (5:49)
13. Kardajala Kirridarra - "Ngurra" - Kardajala Kirridarra (3:16)
14. Yothu Yindi - "Treaty (Radio Mix)" - Tribal Voice (4:04)
15. Moodymann - "I'll Provide" - Sinner (6:05)
16. Against All Logic - "Some Kind of Game" - 2012-2017 (6:47)
17. LCD Soundsystem - "i used to" - american dream (5:32)
18. Mr. Fingers - "Can You Feel It" - Can You Feel It (5:31)
19. Bonobo - "Cirrus" - North Borders (5:52)
20. Pachanga Boys - "Time" - Girlcatcher (15:13)
21. RÜFÜS DU SOL - "Innerbloom" - Bloom (9:38)
22. Radiohead - "I Am Citizen Insane" - Com Lag (3:33)
23. The National - "Sleep Well Beast" - Sleep Well Beast (6:33)
24. Visible Cloaks - "Terrazzo (ft. Motion Graphics)" - Reassemblage (3:41)
25. Mount Kimbie - "Before I Move Off" - Crooks & Lovers (4:10)
26. John Frusciante - "Glowe" - Letur-Lefr (1:28)
27. 808 State - "Pacific 707" - 808:88:98 (3:54)
28. Black Thought - "Thank You (ft. KIRBY)" - Streams of Thought vol.1 (3:54)
29. DJ Koze - "Seeing Aliens" - Knock Knock (4:52)

total runtime: 149:29

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4w1DNALRdsSX42tiNZBOAG?si=VjStvQtfSTKhrnVqJh0g2Q


iron yuppie

Shavasana

The idea behind this playlist began as a joke. My sister and I were sitting outside talking about yoga. Her greyhound, Sal, was laying motionless in the sun in the middle of the yard. I made the comment that Sal’s entire yoga routine is Shavasana, which is the final resting pose. It stuck in my head and I started making a playlist based on the idea.

Despite the name meaning “corpse” in Sanskrit, Shavasana is intended to be a restorative, reflective state. In this playlist, I tried to create a feeling of moods and states of awareness washing over the mind as one lays in the pose.

1. Low - “Quorum” - Double Negative (3:42)
2. Tim Hecker - “Virginal II” - Virgins (5:23)
3. Jesu - “Your Path to Divinity” - Jesu (9:14)
4. Oliver Coates - “The Clouds Flew ‘Round with the Clouds” - Towards the Blessed Islands (5:38)
5. Slowdive - “Trellisaze” - Pygmalion (6:21)
6. Skee Mask - “Session Add” - Compro (6:20)
7. Visible Cloaks - “Terrazzo” - Reassemblage (3:40)
8. Satsuki Shibano - “Rayures Venitiennes” - Rendez-vous (3:24)
9. Four Tet - “Angel Echoes” - There Is Love in You (4:00)
10. John Talabot - “Destiny” - Fin (4:53)
11. Ibeyi ft Kamasi Washington - “Deathless” - Ash (3:11)
12. Mulatu Astatke - “Mulatu” - New York Addis London: The Story of Ethio Jazz 1965-1975 (5:01)
13. Fela Kuti - “Gentleman” - Gentleman (14:41)
14. Duke Pearson - “The Phantom” - The Phantom (10:19)
15. Yusef Lateef - “Like It Is” - The Blue Yusef Lateef (7:32)
16. Junius Paul - “Bowl Hit” - Ism (3:38)
17. Ben LaMar Gay - “I Ain’t Never Seent No…” - East of the Ryan (7:22)
18. Laurel Halo - “Raw Silk Uncut Wood” - Raw Silk Uncut Wood (10:00)
19. Bjork - “Unravel” - Homogenic (3:17)
20. Perfume Genius - “Die 4 You” - No Shape (3:33)
21. Wild Beasts - “A Dog’s Life” - Present Tense (3:21)
22. David Bowie - “Bring Me the Disco King” - Reality (7:45)

Total runtime: 2hr 13min

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1ncFpattxbIrZOJ837V2qL

 

[iron yuppie]

I remember a few DIs ago I used a cheesy 80s Elton John track on my list, and someone commented they never thought they would see something like that on one of these lists. That's how I feel right now about Ashley using Eminence Front. My sister and I used to be really into The Who, and we happened across a video of them playing that song. For some reason, Pete wasn't on guitar, and Roger was playing that main guitar riff, which, simple as it is, he was really struggling with. Really funny all around.

 

[iron yuppie]

Also LJT props for having Wild Beasts on your list. That is a hugely underrated band.

 

[cobl04]

Wooooohoooo!! These all look great. On paper, set to be my fav group so far. And I'm not just saying that cos I'm in it [sideways boomer laughing emoji]

A couple of pointers on my list in terms of vibes... it starts off pretty acoustic and gentle before ramping up a bit and then eventually shifts into electronica and dance. For those who aren't into that sort of thing, I'd recommend not doing a super close and focused listen. do your things. also, it's meant to be listened to one go, it's one playlist, but it's also super long, so listen to it however the fuck you want.

 

[iron yuppie]

Cobbs I was listening to American Dream the other day and had somehow forgotten how awesome "i used to" is. Love the darker vibes from Murphy on that one.

 

[cobl04]

I still really think the album overall is massively underrated. I genuinely think it's their best record, and I say that as a huge and long-time fan. I feel like a lot of "fans" didn't even really give it a proper listen.

 

[iron yuppie]

I think it's got three of LCD's very best songs in i used to, how do you sleep, and tonite. But anything will have a hard time comparing to Sound of Silver on account of its incredible consistency.

 

[gump]

I'm really excited to hear your lists, guys.

 

[Axver]

Who would've thought that there would ever be a DI featuring a) a list by me and b) a list containing "A Sort of Homecoming" and songs by both Porcupine Tree and Steven Wilson, and that the two lists are not the same.

 

[bono_212]

I still really think the album overall is massively underrated. I genuinely think it's their best record, and I say that as a huge and long-time fan. I feel like a lot of "fans" didn't even really give it a proper listen.

As not that big of a fan, I agree wholeheartedly.

 

[Hewson]

I remember a few DIs ago I used a cheesy 80s Elton John track on my list, and someone commented they never thought they would see something like that on one of these lists. That's how I feel right now about Ashley using Eminence Front. My sister and I used to be really into The Who, and we happened across a video of them playing that song. For some reason, Pete wasn't on guitar, and Roger was playing that main guitar riff, which, simple as it is, he was really struggling with. Really funny all around.

I remember that video from MTV, was filmed at a soundcheck (Toronto maybe?). I think they had Roger playing the riff cause he would have had nothing to do otherwise.

 

[phanan]

Man, the second part of Ashley’s list is all sorts of goodness.

 

[Hewson]

Man, the second part of Ashley’s list is all sorts of goodness.

Yeah that's one of the lists that initially jumped out at me.

 

[iron yuppie]

LJT: This is easily my favorite list of the competition so far. Given how prevalent indie rock and electro pop have been in the first two groups, I really appreciate that this list takes some chances with genre, instrumentation, and texture. It works exceedingly well as an extended mood piece and has the most coherent atmosphere so far. People seem to rate these lists as a tally of songs they like and don't like; I really hope people judge this more holistically, because that's the level it is functioning on.

Highlights are all over the place:

* The extended section with the Gaelic/Irish infused songs (This Is the Kit stood out to me the most)
* The transition between the Hacksaw and Frankie Rose tracks with the prominent cello (?) linking them
* The placement of the excellent Fever Ray track
* The individual movements within the Austra track
* The electro-jazz vibe of Broken Pieces

The transition at the very end between Burial and Black Twig Pickers is abrupt, but the last song does allow some light in after what was a solemn run in the back half of the playlist. So overall I was really impressed with this and have a lot of new things to check out.

 

[bono_212]

Man, the second part of Ashley’s list is all sorts of goodness.

Yeah that's one of the lists that initially jumped out at me.

Ahhh, gee, thanks

I was watching a scene from Fright Night just now (as I am wont to do) and it reminded me a little of some more I wanted to say about the second half of the list and my strong associations with it as "night time L.A."

For me, my brain mentally just assumes that all 80s movies take place in Los Angeles or the greater California area, unless they're specifically in New York or Chicago. Which means there are a lot of films I associate with the city from that time period. I also have a great fascination with the traditional 80s movie "club scene". Examples of what I'm talking about below. I think that was what I was truly trying to capture with a lot of that second half of the list. It melds into something a little more traditionally Hollywood by the end, of course, but I thought a look into my headspace might be helpful.







Hell...even Terminator has one:

 

[Hewson]

The late great Jim Carroll. Loved his stuff.

 

[bono_212]

The late great Jim Carroll. Loved his stuff.

I couldn't think of who that was, I knew I recognized him. I was going to look it up and then promptly forgot.

I even almost used the song on my list and then promptly forgot. Cause I'm the worst.

 

[Hewson]

And your list of 80's movie club scenes really isn't complete without:

 

[bono_212]

And your list of 80's movie club scenes really isn't complete without:

I FORGOT TO PUT THAT SONG ON MY LIST and I remembered last week and was sooooooo pissed. (The version by The Call)

 

[Hewson]

I couldn't think of who that was, I knew I recognized him. I was going to look it up and then promptly forgot.

I even almost used the song on my list and then promptly forgot. Cause I'm the worst.

His song "It's Too Late" might have fit your LA/Hollyweird theme better...
"It's too late to fall in love with Sharon Tate..."

 

[Hewson]

I FORGOT TO PUT THAT SONG ON MY LIST and I remembered last week and was sooooooo pissed.

 

[bono_212]

One other thing before I go be a good person and finish the group 2 lists and posting, and ask my self why I didn't write more in my paragraph:

I can't truly explain what "Hollywood Nights" means to me and I almost feel like mentioning it before anyone really listens to my list is cheating in some way, or possibly putting too much emphasis on one song, but here we are. As of a few weeks ago, I've lived in Los Angeles for six years. A mutual friend of all of ours told me to give it two years before deciding whether I like the place or not. Six years later and I'm still confused about how I feel. Sometimes I'm certain that if I could live in Chicago one week and LA the next, I'd be content. Sometimes I'm certain that I just want to get the hell out of here already and go back home. But the fact of the matter is that I work in post production and no matter where things are filmed around the United States, "Everything posts in L.A." So here I remain, for how long, I don't know. And when I listen to "Hollywood Nights" I kinda feel my heart race and my emotions well up as you build this great, doomed love affair throughout the song, and when Seger says, "He spent all night staring down at the lights on LA / Wondering if he could ever go home," that's where I get that frission feeling of something encapsulating how I feel so perfectly. I love this town, but I want to leave, but I don't. So then you get a bit of a wham into a wall and end things with "(Looking For) The Heart Of Saturday Night" which, while not exactly something that encapsulates my feelings, just about perfectly sets the tone for my mood

 

[bono_212]

His song "It's Too Late" might have fit your LA/Hollyweird theme better...
"It's too late to fall in love with Sharon Tate..."

Seeing so much of Tuff Turf is reminding me that I'm still not sure whether or not I liked that movie, haha, but it's such a wonderful time capsule.

Yes, this song is great, too. I listened to most of the soundtrack that day and ended up not being able to make a decision, and this one would've fit better.

 

[Hewson]

It really isn't great but it definitely has its value.
For someone my age it was something to see Kim Richards who was the girl from Escape to Witch Mountain and similar in a "mature" role, all growed up.
Watching that clip of Its Too Late reminds me that RD Jr. played the drummer in Carroll's band.

 

[cobl04]

I hadn't looked to closely at your tracklisting Ashley, but now that I know Hollywood Nights is in there, I've got a big smile on my face. That is such a fucking good song. And I'm very glad that it has such specific meaning for you.

 

[LJT]

LJT: This is easily my favorite list of the competition so far. Given how prevalent indie rock and electro pop have been in the first two groups, I really appreciate that this list takes some chances with genre, instrumentation, and texture. It works exceedingly well as an extended mood piece and has the most coherent atmosphere so far. People seem to rate these lists as a tally of songs they like and don't like; I really hope people judge this more holistically, because that's the level it is functioning on.

Highlights are all over the place:

* The extended section with the Gaelic/Irish infused songs (This Is the Kit stood out to me the most)
* The transition between the Hacksaw and Frankie Rose tracks with the prominent cello (?) linking them
* The placement of the excellent Fever Ray track
* The individual movements within the Austra track
* The electro-jazz vibe of Broken Pieces

The transition at the very end between Burial and Black Twig Pickers is abrupt, but the last song does allow some light in after what was a solemn run in the back half of the playlist. So overall I was really impressed with this and have a lot of new things to check out.

Glad you liked it. I think my list my be a bit divisive in terms of liking it or not but we will see. I was a bit worried of too much of an instrumental interlude with the Hacksaw and Frankie Rose section but happy it worked for you. I thought the Fever Ray track would be a bit too on the nose being called 'Keep the Streets Empty for Me'.

Also yeah I completely understand that the transition at the end might be too abrupt for some, but at least to myself that was part of the effect, and while not fully optimistic it does lighten that back end run as you say, and points to a different direction in life than doom and gloom!

If you like the sound of Broken Pieces I suggest you give the whole album Miami a run through, I think it sounds amazing, some pieces on it work better than others but it is always interesting.

Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[bono_212]

Starting off with Joey.

There's not a lot here I don't know, but boy I'm excited to listen to this list. There's a lot of songs on here I haven't thought about in ages. And even acts I don't care much for are represented, here, by songs I actually do enjoy.

Porcupine Tree always takes me back to the Superthread days here and fills me with some lovely feelings, but I haven't listened to them in ages.

I'll check back in periodically with thoughts. I'm going to do better about commenting this round, I swear it.

 

[bono_212]

As expected, work has made this a bit of a bumpy listen, but I may be home clear for the evening now.

This Angel Olsen track is fantastic, I don't remember it at all!

 

[bono_212]

Never heard of Porridge Radio, but this song is excellent!

Although, oh no, what happened at the end? Did she died?

 

[Joey788]

Never heard of Porridge Radio, but this song is excellent!

Although, oh no, what happened at the end? Did she died?

Thanks for your thoughts! Porridge Radio is my favorite musical discovery this year. Their breakthrough album, Every Bad, is fantastic and I highly recommend it.

I also just wrapped up your playlist. Here are my thoughts:

- Your playlist did a wonderful job of drawing me into your setting of a Los Angeles evening. I like how it went from this hazy, dusk vibe to the chaos of open, early evenings of possibilities and tension, then closes with this joy and revelry of a great night. I thought the middle of your playlist (end of Part 1 and start of Part 2) was the weakest part, and it would’ve been stronger overall if you dropped a few of those songs.
- I don’t listen to a lot of rap and I’m not very familiar with its history, but this first section instantly conjured up images of a humid L.A. day in my mind. There’s something both of its time and timeless about that 90s production sound for hip hop and R&B. Even though these songs are mostly new to me, they still generated a strong feeling of nostalgia. My favorites in this section were 2Pac, Ice Cube, Dred Scott (that flute sample!) and Lady of Rage. Didn’t enjoy the Pharcyde or Snoop Dogg tracks though.
- Great job transitioning from g-funk to just pure funk. The Grace Jones song had an excellent groove, and the Prince tune is a classic of course. The Chaka Khan track is also just so ingrained in my cultural memory that I like it but won’t ever reach for it on my own. I hear it often enough!
- I can’t say I enjoyed the other songs in Part 1 though. Unlike the timeless feeling I got from the 90s rap tracks, the next few numbers felt dated and/or overplayed for me. I don’t like Eminence Front – it feels like they were trying to write a Pink Floyd style tune that would’ve been on The Wall. I’ve never seen Miami Vice, and the theme song and Glenn Frey track left me cold. It sounds so overproduced to me.
- I do like how both sides of your playlist open with a song of the same title. This piece was alright, but I liked the 2Pac song better. “Big Love” didn’t do anything for me either.
- I adore “Cities in Dust” – great choice to introduce some darker undertones that you carry through with the next few songs.
- The next couple of tracks are okay, but the playlist gets back on the rails for me starting with The Go-Go’s. I feel like this album is immensely underrated and overshadowed by “We Got The Beat.” Loved the scratchy, nervous guitar work on this one that then releases for that upbeat chorus. The X song was a good follow-up too.
- “This Must Be the Place” improves any playlist. I liked how you kept that bright ballad sensation going through The Motels and that surprisingly strong Billy Idol song.
- The War on Drugs has never appealed to me, but I really liked “Red Eyes.” Maybe I need to give them another shot – or maybe it’s because of how much this tune sounds like Springsteen. So of course, it was a great segue into “Night,” one of the best songs on Born to Run.
- Despite being on classic radio and in supermarket PAs all the time, I’m not tired of “American Girl.” Still always happy to hear this one.
- The Tom Waits closer is the perfect way to wrap up a Saturday night out. It brings across that feeling of stumbling home exhausted. I don’t really know any of Tom Waits music. Where should I start?