Well, those were months. Ones that happened. And then ended. July and August: Summer’s Twin January’s, as I always say. This summer has been unending and unrelenting and, well, that’s just how it goes sometimes. We had a unicorn of a summer last year in terms of health and weather and pool use and general good times (well, two months of it, at least- my car got totaled by baseball-sized hail that rained down from the sky last August, so, you know) and this year has been pretty much the exact inverse (there have been many good times, to be clear, but good lord will a constantly sick and/or teething child and a sun that appears to get closer every single day light all of your perspective on fire). Anyhow, despite the fact I have been over summer for a good long while, July and August did provide some very good music, and that’s what this here to talk about, no? Below is what got me through. Enjoy.
Lizzo’s Tiny Desk Concert
The thing about this is that a) it never gets old and b) we could all use more of this type of deep joy in our lives.
Salt- Angie McMahon
Well, Angie McMahon’s debut album didn’t disappoint. It’s a little more subdued and reserved than the singles she released over the last few years would have you anticipate, but it still manages to pack a tremendously hefty punch in all of the quiet moments without any problem. It’s so nice to be surprised, even when your hopes were high to begin with.
“Stay High”- Brittany Howard
Just like “This Feeling” but better in every way. Gimme about a million more like this one, please.
“Anna”- The Menzingers
Not sure that “I have so much to tell ya / please come back to Philadelphia” is supposed to work as well as it does, but here I am, 100+ listens later, thinking that is genius.
good mmorning – Rayland Baxter
Really, truly was not expecting to love an EP of Rayland Baxter (an artist I’ve never gotten into) covering Mac Miller (another artist I’ve never gotten into), but goodness gracious was this EP just what I apparently wanted/needed during the middle of this unending summer. An absolutely wonderful project, through and through.
“Gone” (feat. Christine and the Queens) / “OMG”(with Carly Rae Jepsen)- Gryffin / “Charlie”- Mallrat / “Take Me To The Light” (feat Bon Iver and Kanye West)- Francis and the Lights
Four late summer jamz, just for you. Each of them a heater, through and through. Dance it out.
“Naaem”- Bon Iver
I’m not one of those people who doesn’t understand why people aren’t into the non-sad-dude-in-the-woods version of Bon Iver, but also I really dug 22, a million and this latest record seems like an extension of that, and this is the one that I keep coming back to.
basking in the glow – Oso Oso
One of the very finest records I’ve heard this year, released right at the point in the year when I needed it most and it would sound the best.
Like the River Loves the Sea – Joan Shelley
This will come as absolutely no surprise, but good lord is this new Joan Shelley record lovely in every single way.
I’ll show you stronger – pronoun
And then, out of nowhere, a record seemingly tailor-made for late-summer heat and changing light and finally, after so long, being able to open the windows from time to time.
“Southern Sky”- (Sandy) Alex G / “Green and Golden”- Luray
These two sound like suddenly cooler, slower mornings and those late-summer kaleidoscope sunsets creeping towards 8pm.
….and now, let’s talk about (A WHOLE MESS OF) playlists, shall we?
what I liked best in July 2019 / what I liked best in August 2019
Pretty straightforward- here are all the songs I liked the last few months, in convenient playlists for you to make your way through and, hopefully, discover something new to love. There was a lot of new music to love these last few months, you guys.
summertime2019 / quiet summer
One last time, here are the two summer playlists I’ve been keeping going all summer long, almost 300 songs in total.
2019summer(days) / 2019summer(drive) / 2019summer(nights)
Like the old days, I put together a some summer mixes that fit the days, nights, and long drives of summertime. It was a fun little project, and I think each of them turned out really well and flows as well as those mixes I used to spend so much time making.
10 years of fall
Just like summer, here’s a retrospective playlist of the last 10 years of fall mixes that I’ve been making. This year’s fall playlist will go live next week. This will get you ready. Enjoy.
songsfortheday 