cat power

Playlist #248

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Happy Tuesday, folks. Here in Northern Virginia, it’s freezing and icy outside, but inside it’s so warm I’m starting to sweat and I blame the Brancos. Here’s a playlist to help you make it through the snow days you’re almost assuredly going through if you live in the United States.

  1. Lucinda Williams, “How Much Did You Get For Your Soul”: Lucinda cuts right to the point with this one, a solid rocker and protest song of the old school.
  2. Khatumu, “matador”: More songs should reference bullfighting.
  3. Cat Power, “Nothing Compares 2 U”: I am a sucker for a Prince cover, or a cover of Sinead O’Connor doing a cover of Prince. I’m not picky.
  4. Drive-By Truckers, “Carl Perkins’ Cadillac”: There need to be more songs about how little bullshit Carl Perkins was willing to listen to.
  5. The Mountain Goats, “Training Montage”: Of course it’s the Mountain Goats coming up with a song that’d sound great under a training montage. And that line at the start of the chorus? “I’m doing this for revenge” is just one of my all-time favorite lines from anything.
  6. Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, “King Of Oklahoma”: It’s been a minute since I listened to this song and I somehow forgot how much I absolutely love it. I heartily recommend digging through your own old playlists and finding some hidden gems among them,.
  7. Van Morrison, “Jackie Wilson Said (I’m In HeavenWhen You Smile)”: This song sounds absolutely nothing like anything else on this album, but I love it and the other songs on that record still. That’s a talent.
  8. David Bowie, “The Next Day”: I someday hope to have even half the chutzpah David Bowie possessed so I can remix the cover to one of my most beloved albums and reuse it for a latter-day masterpiece.
  9. Michigander, “Better”: I always look forward to anything this guy does because his songs are so well-constructed and hit the right spot in my brain every time.
  10. Dan Auerbach, “Shine On Me”: Today is a day that needs sunshine. This song is audio sunshine.

Playlist #246

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Happy Monday, folks. It’s my anniversary this week, so you’ll excuse me if I don’t answer any calls or whatnot tomorrow. Yeah, that’s right, I know when my wedding anniversary is. Take that, Boomer comedians! Anyway, have a playlist.

  1. Matt Berninger, “Blue Monday”: Is this the most obvious cover of all time? Possibly. Is it still a pretty great cover? Most definitely.
  2. Peter Gabriel, “Been Undone”: New Peter Gabriel, and we’re gonna keep getting new Peter Gabriel twice a month all year? I’m here for it. i/o was excellent, and o/i already seems like it might be just as good.
  3. The Faim, “Ease My Mind”: Poppier than what I usually listen to, but still a fun little number.
  4. Bob Weir, “Only A River”: Bob Weir passed last week, meaning the remaining Grateful Dead are now one fewer. While I never really cared much for the Dead or their jam band-y meanderings, I recognize their influence and lasting importance. Weir was a good songwriter and guitarist, and this track off of a solo album he released a few years ago remains very affecting.
  5. The Magnetic Fields, “Nothing Matters When We’re Dancing”: My song with The Wife. We have a poster with the lyrics on it hanging up in the living room that she bought for me last year. She is excellent at coming up with thoughtful gifts.
  6. Mon Rovia, “Bloodline”: I dig the short, simple songs these guys create. There’s a sincerity and honesty to the music that comes through in their arrangements and excellent vocal harmonies. I want more.
  7. David Bowie, “Five Years”: Is Ziggy Stardust an album about a weird singer, or is it a prophetic warning about the end of the world? Por que no los dos?
  8. Mark Knopfler, “Cannibals”: Cannibals and dinosaurs and hurricanes, oh my!
  9. Billy Bragg & Wilco, “Remember The Mountain Bed”: Just one of the sweetest – and somehow saddest – songs I can remember hearing in the past twenty-five years or so. Absolutely perfect, no notes.
  10. Cat Power, “The Greatest”: A song about a boxer, maybe, or maybe just a song about striving. It’s great either way.

Playlist #81

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You can tell it’s gonna be a Monday when you realize you wrote down this week’s playlist in the spot for next week’s playlist in your bullet journal. But hey, here’s ten songs in a specific order for you to listen to this week.

  1. Laser the Boy, “Don’t You Know Who I Am”: Laser, lead singer/guitarist for the Doubleclicks, has come out with a new solo single! And it’s really damn good. Like, really good. I’m a little jealous.
  2. Glen Phillips, “I Am A Riot”: You could almost see the first song on the list and this one as a question and answer. That amuses me.
  3. Natalie Merchant, “Cowboy Romance”: Last night before bed, I was watching an old NPR Tiny Desk Concert featuring Ms. Merchant, and man does her voice just get me right in the feels.
  4. Fleetwood Mac, “Rhiannon”: Speaking of singers who just hit you right in the emotions…
  5. Florence + the Machine, “Shake It Off”: Is this just the week I feature women who sing really powerfully in a variety of different ways? I guess so.
  6. Mavis Staples, “Wrote A Song For Everyone”: Yup. There’s a definite trend here. And a CCR cover.
  7. Lizzo, “Good As Hell”: I swear, I didn’t do this on purpose.
  8. Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins, “Born Secular”: Honestly.
  9. David Bowie, “Modern Love”: Is it the best David Bowie song? No. Is it a great David Bowie song? I would argue it is, but I might also be in the minority on that opinion. I dunno.
  10. Cat Power, “The Greatest”: Okay, just one more for the road.

Playlist #40

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Sorry, this one won’t be going up on Spotify, nor will future playlists, because screw those guys.

  1. 40 Watt Sun, “Behind My Eyes”: I have a tendency to play every song on the guitar at about the same speed. These guys play slower than anything I will ever be capable of playing, and I kind of love it. Maybe I’ll try to write a song that goes this slow? But definitely not this long. It’s a very long song.
  2. Lana Del Rey, “Tomorrow Never Came”: Why does every female singer of a certain style sing like their mouth is full of cotton? I mean, I dig this song, don’t get me wrong, but she sounds like someone numbed her mouth for a dentist visit and she stopped halfway through to sing.
  3. Soul Asylum, “Growing Into You”: Never really listened to them back when they were big back in the early ’90s, but this is a fun song.
  4. Cat Power, “Paths of Victory”: Again with a song so very slow. But very pretty.
  5. Counting Crows, “Mrs. Potter’s Lullaby”: This one cranks the tempo up a bit. There’s something about the drum sound from this song that I dig.
  6. Creedence Clearwater Revival, “Effigy”: This is a fun song to play. I especially love hitting the low E string to get that grungy “bwam” sound out of it.
  7. The Who, “A Quick One, While He’s Away”: Sing it with me: “Cello, cello, cello, cello…”
  8. Sparklehorse, “Sick Of Goodbyes”: A band I imagine my brother might enjoy.
  9. Josh Ritter, “Right Moves”: The first Josh Ritter song I really loved, and still one of my favorites.
  10. The Head and the Heart, “Lost In My Mind”: I think we all sometimes get lost in our mind.