Bummer Summer

Did anyone else have a bummer summer? For us at least, chaos seemed to rule the season. Things could have been so much worse but it is what it is (and what it was was a bit of a bummer). 

Through the uncertainty, music remained a high point and, with that inspiration, I put together a playlist of mostly new music, rounded it out with a few older tracks. So many excellent songs have been released over the second half of this year, it is hard to keep up. 

I chose Remi Wolf’s catchy pop-funk song “Cinderella” as the opener. The track is from her second album Big Ideas, which came out in July.  Last week SOPHIE’s posthumous single “Exhilarate,” which features Bibi Bourelly, was released. As excited as I am to hear the insanely talented producer and songwriter’s new album, it is bittersweet after her tragic accidental death in 2021. The album will be released on September 27th. For those that are not familiar with SOPHIE, in addition to her own material she has collaborated with Charli XCX, Kim Petras, Vince Staples and Madonna, amongst many others.

Following up SOPHIE is UK singer-songwriter Amber Bain who records under the name The Japanese House and her breezy track “:).” Singer-Songwriter Clairo released her third album Charm in July and my favorite track is the album opener, “Nomad.” Speaking of charm, Sabrina Carpenter’s new album Short n’ Sweet sure does have a ton. This verse from “Slim Pickins” makes laugh every listen: 

Jesus, what’s a girl to do? 

The boy doesn’t even know 

The difference between “there,” “their” and “they are” 

Yet he’s naked in my room 

Missing all the things he’s missin’ 

God knows that he isn’t livin’ large 

Taking it back to old school post-punk, Mo-Dettes released their song “White Mice” in 1979. Spanish indie band Hinds will release their fourth full-length Viva Hinds this week. “En Forma” is their first Spanish language single and I think they should do more. It is my favorite of the singles they have released so far and that includes the track featuring Beck. The next song is a throwback from the UK trio Soho, who were led by identical twin sisters.  “Hippychick” got a lot of radio play on my college radio show in the early ‘90s as it is hard to resist that “How Soon is Now” sample. 

The hip hop R&B nominee for “song of the summer” has to be Tinashe’s “Nasty.” Released in August, Quantum Baby is Tinashe’s seventh full-length album. You all know who Frida is, right? One quarter of the Swedish pop group ABBA? Phil Collins produced her first solo album and so very obviously plays drums, especially prominent on her hit single “I Know There’s Something Going On.”  Whatever about Phil, Frida and this track are both fantastic. I have been wanting to put the Jessica Pratt track “Life Is” on a playlist since her album Here in the Pitch was released in May. I think the beat pairs well with Frida. 

Finally, one big summer highlight for me was winning the lottery for tickets to see the hilarious play Oh, Mary! for their Broadway run. The playlist that they play before the show is an absolute delight. I pulled the Cass Elliot song “Don’t Let the Good Life Pass You By” and think it is the perfect song to wrap up my Bummer Summer playlist. 

With that inspiration, I am ready to welcome a new season and hoping this one has less chaos. In an election year? I know, wishful thinking. Bring it on. 

Remi Wolf - Cinderella 

SOPHIE featuring Bibi Bourelly - Exhilarate 

The Japanese House - :)

Clairo - Nomad 

Sabrina Carpenter - Slim Pickins 

Mo-Dettes - White Mice 

Hinds - En Forma 

Soho - Hippychick 

Tinashe - Nasty 

Frida - I Know There’s Something Going On 

Jessica Pratt - Life Is 

Cass Elliot - Don’t Let the Good Life Pass You By 

xo

Julie 

Big Brat Energy

 Welcome to what the media are calling “Brat Summer” thanks to Charli XCX’s universally adored new album Brat. I am fully on the Brat train and I have Charli’s track “360” playing on repeat. I was so inspired that I decided to find my own Big Brat Energy with a playlist of some of my favorite songs that give off those bratty vibes. I probably could have made an entire playlist of strictly British artists because they tend to excel at brattiness but I tried to open things up a bit. I did leave off a bunch of my favorites because I had featured them on previous playlists. Apologies to Blur, The Go-Go’s, Pavement, Pulp, etc. you would have been right at home on this playlist. 

Aside from Charli XCX, this playlist features is his royal brattiness, Prince with “Controversy” and infamous UK bad boy Robbie Williams with “Let Me Entertain You.” By the way, I highly recommend watching Robbie’s Netflix docu-series if you haven’t already. It is so good.  

Taking this bratty playlist back to the ‘60s, The Sonics were a garage band that went on to influence so many others from The Stooges to the White Stripes. I’ve included their song “Strychnine.” 

The Irish band Fontaines D.C. have a new album coming next month but their 2018 song “Boys in the Better Land” is much more bratty than their newer material so that is what I have used here. And then there is Bow Wow Wow. Any band that Malcolm McLaren is involved with you know that bratitude is involved. 

British band The Libertines ooze brattiness and it is not just because the lead singer once threw a bottle of wine at my husband’s head. Although it doesn’t exactly hurt the case either. The Ramones perfectly follow up The Libertines “I Get Along” with “Judy Is a Punk.”  

Certain late ‘70s and early ‘80s artists really give off great brat energy. Case in point, I have added feminist post-punk band Delta 5 and their classic “Mind Your Own Business” and California siblings Sparks’ song “Moustache.”

Lawrence Hayward is mostly known as the frontman for the English band, Felt. He also led a band called Denim who released their only album in the early 90s. Their song “Middle of the Road” from that record is a bratty glam rock tribute and a total earworm. 

Spank Rock’s “Bump” made it on to so many of my mid-aughts playlists. This track is sassy as hell and definitely Rated R, so you have been warned. 

I am slightly shocked that it took me this long to include a B-52’s song one of these playlists but they work so well on this one and “Legal Tender” is a favorite. 

One of the original riot grrrl bands, Bratmobile, are back and playing live shows again. Unfortunately I was out of the country when they played NYC so if you are reading this, Bratmobile, please come back!  For the playlist I chose their cover of another brat group, The Runaways’ song “Cherry Bomb.” Redd Kross are another pair of bratty brothers from California (see also Sparks). Their song “Switchblade Sister” gives us the send off from this playlist that we need. 

Let me know what you think and hit me with your favorite brats. Until then, enjoy the rest of your Brat Summer my friends! 

xo, 

Julie 

Charli XCX - 360 

Prince - Controversy

Robbie Williams - Let Me Entertain You 

The Sonics - Strychnine

Fontaines D.C. - Boys in the Better Land 

Bow Wow Wow - C30, C60, C90, Go 

The Libertines - I Get Along 

Ramones - Judy Is a Punk 

Delta 5 - Mind Your Own Business 

Sparks - Moustache 

Denim - Middle Of The Road 

Spank Rock - Bump 

The B-52’s - Legal Tender 

Bratmobile - Cherry Bomb 

Redd Kross - Switchblade Sister 

Ready for the Summer

Are you ready for the summer?

Are you ready for the good times?

Are you ready for some love and fun in the sun?

And the summer is ready for you.

Who needs a new summer playlist? This one was inspired after my husband put on Urge Overkill’s Saturation on one of those stunning spring NYC days. It hit perfectly, especially “Positive Bleeding.” Then a week later he  gifted me a vinyl copy of my favorite childhood K-tel compilation album High Energy for Mother’s Day. Amii Stewart’s cover of “Knock on Wood” is such a banger. So this playlist was born. 

Is anyone else obsessed with Challengers? The soundtrack is also good sexy fun especially “Yeah x10.” Filling out the rest of the playlist are The Cars who for some reason always remind me of summer. Blood Orange’s “Forget It,”  WILLOW whose new album is really good which completely took me by surprise. Next is Tune-Yards classic indie track “Water Fountain.” Beastie Boys album Paul’s Boutique sounds like summer in the city to me. Welsh band Super Furry Animals with “(Drawing) Rings Around the World,” Nigerian musician William Onyeabor’s track “Fantastic Man” and Bobby Hebb’s 1966 hit “Sunny.” The English Beat’s classic “Save It For Later” brings it home. There you have it.  

I hope you enjoy and happy summer! 

Urge Overkill - Positive Bleeding 

Amii Stewart - Knock on Wood 

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - Yeah x10 

The Cars - My Best Friend’s Girl 

Blood Orange - Forget It 

WILLOW - symptom of life 

Tune-Yards - Water Fountain 

Beastie Boys - Egg Man 

Super Furry Animals - (Drawing) Rings Around the World 

William Onyeabor - Fantastic Man 

Bobby Hebb - Sunny 

The English Beat - Save It For Later 

xo 

Julie