The Mix Tape by Jeff Moss
Welcome to another instalment of The Mixtape! Each week, I’m putting together a list of five tracks that are whirling around in my little head and making it bop up and down and up and down and up and, well, you get the idea.
There’s also a Spotify playlist embedded below that will have each track added to it weekly, so you can subscribe and follow along. So, with that said, let’s get to it!
Feels Like Summer – Childish Gambino
I dunno what it has been like where you are, but here, it’s been HOT. Hot enough that it definitely feels like it should be July instead of mid-June (Don’t worry, the planet’s fine, a stable genius told me so). Anyways, when it comes to summer-feeling jams, Childish Gambino absolutely knocks this out out of the park. His “Awaken My Love!” album showed off the rappers ability to slow it down and inject some soul, and that continues here with Feels Like Summer. So, when it gets too sweaty out there for you, throw this on to cool off. Or vice versa. I’m not here to tell you what to do.
I Don’t Mind (If I’m With You) – Brian Fallon
If anyone in modern songwriting has picked up the Bruce Springsteen torch, it’s Brian Fallon (also of The Gaslight Anthem, and The Horrible Crowes). Fallon’s solo work takes all the blue-collar rock and roll of the Boss and mixes it with some classic punk attitude and forlorn emotion. This track also has a great hook and sway-along chorus that you’ll end up humming in the strangest of places. At least that’s what happens to me.
Impeach The President – The Honey Drippers
Now before you get all worked up about politics, this bouncy track from the Honey Drippers is from 1973. Could it be applied today? Sure, but that’s not the point. Politics aside, this song has a banger of a beat to it. It’s got all the 60’s soul and 70’s funk that you can cram into one track without specifically being either. If you saw the Aladdin remake with Will Smith, his rendition of Friend Like Me borrows heavily from the Impeach The President beat and once again, we’re not getting political here. After all, it’s not like impeachment rests on the shoulders of cowards. In fact, just listen to the song and enjoy it. Don’t think about the president. Ever.
Hot Water Test – Art Alexakis
I have to admit for full disclosure, I was a HUGE Everclear fan in the 90’s. I really enjoyed their hard rock/suburban punk sound, and thought their lead singer Art Alexakis was a really talented song writer. Unfortunately, as a lot of bands from that era tended to do, Everclear just kinda… disappeared. They put out some albums, had some line up changes, but really fell off the radar. Then a solo effort from Alexakis surfaced and danged if he hasn’t missed a step! This track is heavy in subject matter (it’s about Alexakis’ MS Diagnosis) but has that hard-pop bounce to it that made Everclear so much fun.
Flute Loop – Beastie Boys
I’ve been reading the Beastie Boys Book for the last… 2 years (What? I read slow) and have always been a big fan of the crew. The loss of Adam Yauch aka MCA was a loss for the world of music at large, but the Beasties body of work lives on. My favourite track of theirs (gleefully presented here) is Flute Loop, a short, bouncy jam that has the signature Beastie Boys vocal magic to it. In reading their book, it comes across that they didn’t take too much of it very seriously, but that just speaks to their talent in being able to put together great songs like this, just ‘cause it’s fun.
And there it is for another week! ! If you want to follow along, you can check out The Mixtape’s playlist on Spotify (below). I’ll be updating it with five good ones every week!
If there’s someone you think people should be listening to, or just a catchy jam that’s in your ears this week, post it in the comments and share the magic with your fellow readers!
Until next time,
-moss