June 2013

1.  LCD Soundsystem - Daft Punk is Playing at My House
This is an older song that I fell into recently. I'm a big fan of their jam "North American Scum" and this tune has a similar feel to it.  One listen and you'll find yourself singing it for the rest of the day, it's one of those kind of songs.

2.  Jake Bugg - Lightning Bolt
The secret is starting to get out on this guy.  I saw a commercial on MTV for his album, which doesn't bode well for his 930 club show in September, to which I have procured tickets.  You may know this jam as it's from the Gatorade commercial with Michael Jordan in it.

3.  Keston Cobblers Club - Beam
Sometimes you stumble onto an extremely artsy band that does everything right, and for me KCC is that band right now.  If you like the indie stylings of Edward Sharpe or Of Monsters and Men then you should be quick to jump all over these guys. I linked to their video on YouTube because it's pretty fantastic.  Thanks to my boy Hunter for turning me onto these guys.

4.  Admiral Fallow - Beetle in the Box
This is definitely in the running to be my song of the summer, because I'm a 12 year old girl who still says things like "my song of the summer".  Completely addictive.

5.  He's My Brother, She's My Sister - The Same Old Ground
If you liked KCC or Admiral Fallow, then you'll love He's My Brother, She's My Sister.  This is the third jam in a row in the June mix with a combination of male and female lead vocals.  I'm sure this phase of guy/girl music will eventually fade out, but it definitely is the style du jour.

6.  Sam Roberts - Partition Blues
Sam is an old staple in the collection, and it's always nice to find some new tunes from him.  If you love Canadian singer-songwriters, and who doesn't, Sam will soon be a staple in your collection as well.

7.  Mumford & Sons - Babel
Break it down, bring it up, rinse and repeat = almost every M&S song.  Even knowing the formula, I  still enjoy almost all of their jams.

8.  Dropkick Murphys - Rose Tattoo
I linked to the studio version, but the one I really like is only available on iTunes and is a live version that includes Mr. Bruce Springsteen sharing the vocals.  It has that standard Irish folky backdrop with a punk sound overlay that works so well for them.

9.  Dawes - Hey Lover
Goddamn, these guys just ooze Americana.  They are one of the few bands out there unabashedly delivering strong classic rock vibes.  They make me want to wear jean shorts and set off bottle rockets.

10. Passenger - All the Little Lights
His voice has just enough of a meek timber infused with a Brittish accent to comfort my soul.

11. She and Him - I Could've Been Your Girl
Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward aren't breaking any new ground here, but if you like their older stuff this is a nice extension of their sound.  Easily digestible, alternative, toe-tapping music.

12. Josh Joplin - Blue Skies Again
Like Sam Roberts, Josh Joplin has been getting spins for years.  This is off of his new EP and it's nice to know that he's still making a go of it without much commercial success.  If you like this song I implore you to go back and check out The Future that Was and Useful Music.

13. Denver - The Way It Is
I found this one on a Paste sampler and have been holding onto it for awhile.  It has a slight country-twinged moody vibe that will work very nicely for fans of My Morning Jacket or Son Volt.

14. Ben Howard - Old Pine
I start this song 1:17 into it because the beginning is just a little too close to Pink Floyd's "Mother" for me.  This is the last Ben Howard song I have in my bucket, so now he either needs to put out some new stuff or I need to move onto other guys for a spell.

15. Willie Nelson & U2 - Slow Dancing
The wife requested this one and I obliged.  Nice collaboration between Willie and U2 on a song that, like it's title implies, was made for slow dancing.