Melancholy & Fall-y

Perhaps it's because New York City feels a lot like the Pacific Northwest lately, but this year's autumn playlist is a little gloomy. XTC's brilliant "Dear God" starts things off followed by Marika Hackman's new single "No Caffeine" which I cannot stop playing. Sufjan Stevens has been on my mind since announcing last week that he has been battling Guillain-Barré Syndrome. I included Sufjan’s version of Moses Sumney’s “Make Out in My Car” into one of Sufjan’s new songs “Will Anybody Ever Love Me?" Sending positive healing energy his way through this playlist. Another new(ish) track here is “Pegasus" (featuring Phoebe Bridgers) from Arlo Park’s latest album, My Soft Machine. I took it back to the '90s with Massive Attack and Tracey Thorn’s collaboration, “Protection." Nick Drake’s classic “Place To Be” and Neko Case’s “I Wish I Was the Moon” fit the mood perfectly. Australian pop band The Quivers released their album Golden Doubt in 2021 and “You’re Not Always On My Mind” is one of my favorites. Speaking of favorites, “Lotta Love” from Nicolette Larson was one from my childhood. “Teach Me How to Fight” is off of Canadian electronic band Junior Boys’ acclaimed 2004 album Last Exit. The music biz was abuzz this week over the just released Replacements deluxe reissue of their classic album Tim (Let It Bleed Edition). So many opinions. Mine is simple - it sounds great. You can hear for yourself with Ed Stasium's new mix of that album’s closing track “Here Comes A Regular." Time to cozy up and press play and please let it stop raining here. I was not built for this.

XTC - Dear God

Marika Hackman - No Caffeine

Moses Sumney - Make Out in My Car - Sujan Stevens Version

Sufjan Stevens - Will Anybody Ever Love Me?

Arlo Parks - Pegasus (featuring Phoebe Bridgers)

Massive Attack, Tracey Thorn - Protection

Nick Drake - Place To Be

Neko Case - I Wish I Was the Moon

Quivers - You're Not Always On My Mind

Nicolette Larson - Lotta Love

Junior Boys - Teach Me How To Fight

The Replacements - Here Comes a Regular

Unpack This

We have to move apartments next week which is something we haven't had to do in sixteen years. It is A LOT. I am a pretty sentimental person which makes it extra tough. I decided to put together a playlist to mark the occasion and it is no surprise how it turned out. So many memories with many of these songs. Well, except Haim because I STILL haven't seen the Barbie movie because of our vacation, a deluge of live concerts and our impending move. I will be treating myself though as soon as this is behind me. I am keeping this short because these boxes aren't going to pack themselves. Send me strength or perhaps a bottle of Prosecco. I will take what I can get.

Orange Juice - Rip It Up

Pet Shop Boys - Home and Dry

Mary Jane Girls - In My House

Curtis Mayfield - Move On Up

The The - This Is the Day

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Julie's Place

Echo & The Bunnymen - Do It Clean

Grant Hart - Twenty-Five-Forty-One

The Lemonheads - Kitchen

Nick Lowe - I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass

Haim - Home

La Dolce Vita

Summer is officially upon us and I am thrilled to be heading overseas for the first time since the pandemic began. I am counting down the days until we depart for Italy so la dolce vita is my playlist inspiration this month. Setting the tone is "La dolce vita," an instrumental by Nino Rota from the movie soundtrack. I had planned to include Madonna's "Holiday" on this playlist before the news of her hospitalization. All I have to say is GET WELL SOON MADGE! xx Next up is the title track from electronic music pioneer Giorgio Moroder's 1977 album From Here To Eternity to prep you for those hot Italian disco nights. Nata di marzo is a late 1950s Italian comedy movie from which Japanese pop band Pizzicato Five took inspiration for their song by the same name. It just happened to be released on the soundtrack for sketch comedy troupe Kids in the Hall's movie Brain Candy. Italian composer, Daniele Luppi worked with indie band Parquet Courts on the 2017 concept album Milano, which is about 1980s-era Milan. Karen O handles lead vocals on the song “Talisa.” Mina is a legendary Italian pop star and actress. “Città quota” was recorded in 1963 and is an Italian version of Gene McDaniels’ song “It’s A Lonely Town.” Sticking with '50s/'60s Italian pop, the next track is Fred Buscaglione’s charming “Boccuccia di rosa.” While I was researching Fred Buscagilone, I read that hours before the pop star and actor’s tragic death after a car accident, he had met Mina for the first time where they discussed a possible collaboration. Oh, what could have been. While we are in Italy, we will be seeing the final night of Harry Styles wildly popular Love On tour in Reggio Emilia. My favorites, Wet Leg, are the opener. Of course I had to include a Harry track here and I chose “Satellite.” “Ciao!” is a song by the English band Lush featuring guest vocals from Jarvis Cocker. Speaking of Jarvis, I am giving you double the fun with his band, Pulp, and their song “Bar Italia”. You are welcome! Finally, the closer of all closers… the original version of “Gloria” by Umberto Tozzi and it rules. I hope you enjoy and have a wonderful summer!

Fin.

Nino Rota - La dolce vita

Madonna - Holiday

Giorgio Moroder - From Here To Eternity

Pizzicato Five - Nata Di Marzo

Daniele Luppi, Parquet Courts, Karen Oh - Talisa

Mina - Città vuota

Fred Buscaglione - Boccuccia di rosa

Harry Styles - Satellite

Lush - Ciao!

Pulp - Bar Italia

Umberto Tozzi - Gloria