If I was still looking at this blog as something that should be scheduled or on schedule or whatever, I might consider this post a couple weeks behind that “s” word. I’ve been trying* to post these quarterly playlist updates a couple of weeks after the end of each quarter but well, the two week vacation I took that spanned the end of August and the beginning of September put me a bit behind.
Yeah. That’s right. I took some vacation. Two weeks! It was the longest period from work that I’d properly taken since before the pandemic. I spent as much of it as I could experiencing nature, sitting by the water, going on hikes, and just generally taking in our province’s natural beauty. It wasn’t exactly restful, per se, but it was definitely good for the soul.
Prior to that, I actually attended several evenings of an honest-to-goodness music festival at the beginning of July. It was an amazing feeling to return to a bit of normalcy, see some bands I’d seen before and some I hadn’t, and seeing people outside of my bubble, all revelling in the ecstasy that is the live music experience. I say again, I t felt great. Then, the day after the festival ended, a friend of mine who I had attended a couple of the dates with texted me to say he had tested positive for COVID. So I tested myself and thankfully came through it clean. But it was definitely a bitter reminder for me that though we may be done with the pandemic, it may not necessarily be done with us.
Otherwise, the summer flew by in a haze and blur of sameness. With all the work, eat, and sleep, I am super thankful of my continued employment, general good health, and that I am continuing to spend my life with my very best friend and love of my life. And of course, there is always the music.
This third part of this annual playlist represents the music that has followed me and kept me going through this third pandemic summer. It is yet another great 25 tunes (for parts one and two, check here and here) representative of the best that’s been released during the last three months. Highlights include:
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- Opening things up with “Rockstar”, this ripping track off the third album by Momma calls to mind 90s rockers, like maybe Babes in Toyland and L7, but most definitely Veruca Salt
- “Circumference”, a brilliant synth-pop gem by Working Men’s Club ripped right from the heart of the 80s
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- More dream pop beauty from Toronto-based indie pop quartet Tallies, a sweet explosion called “Wound up tight”
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- I’ve not been a fan of Animal Collective, nor Noah Lennox’s solo work as Panda Bear but his recent collaboration with Pete “Sonic Boom” Kember is pure sunshine, “Gettin’ to the point” is just a case in point
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- When I think of Kasabian, I typically think of blistering high energy numbers but this ballad called “The wall” off their latest record is equally full of passion
- “It’s always the quiet ones” by Suede – that’s right, they’re back and it’s majestic
- Kristian Mattson, aka The Tallest Man on Earth, covering “Pink rabbits” by The National is like a collision of some of my favourite music from a decade ago
- Finally, Yeah Yeah Yeahs teamed up with Perfume Genius for “Spitting off the edge of world”, the magnificent first single of their latest album
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Here is the entire playlist as I’ve created it:
1. “Rockstar” Momma (from the album Household name)
2. “All comes crashing” Metric (from the album Formentera)
3. “Day 21” Secret Machines (from the EP Day 21)
4. “Fables” Interpol (from the album The other side of make-believe)
5. “Circumference” Working Men’s Club (from the album Fear fear)*
6. “Vanishing point” Julien Baker (from the EP B-sides)
7. “So far for so few” The Sadies (from the album Colder streams)
8. “Eventually” Beach Bunny (from the album Emotional creature)
9. “Wound up tight” Tallies (from the album Patina)
10. “Parasite II” Kiwi Jr. (from the album Chopper)
11. “Gettin’ to the point” Panda Bear & Sonic Boom (from the album Reset)
12. “The wall” Kasabian (from the album The alchemist’s euphoria)
13. “Forever in sunset” Ezra Furman (from the album All of us in flames)
14. “A line of shots” The Afghan Whigs (from the album How do you burn?)
15. “Slowly” Preoccupations (from the album Arrangements)
16. “Roman candles” Death Cab For Cutie (from the album Asphalt meadows)
17. “Expert in a dying field” The Beths (from the album Expert in a dying field)
18. “It’s always the quiet ones” Suede (from the album Autofiction)
19. “Heart attack” Editors (from the album EBM)
20. “Pink rabbits” The Tallest Man On Earth (from the album Too late for edelweiss)
21. “First high” Nikki Lane (from the album Denim & diamonds)
22. “Backup plan” Maya Hawke (from the album Moss)
23. “Friday night” Beth Orton (from the album Weather alive)
24. “Pagan man” Pixies (from the album Doggerel)
25. “Spitting off the edge of the world (ft Perfume Genius)” Yeah Yeah Yeahs (from the album Cool it down)
Those of you who are on the Apple Music train can click here to sample the above tracks as a whole playlist.
And as always, wherever you are in the world, I hope you are safe and continue to be well. Above all, enjoy the tunes.
*Trying might be a strong word here.
If you’re interested in checking out any of the other playlists I’ve created and shared on these pages, you can peruse them here.
My (life in) music lists 