Note: This month’s playlist includes some light reviews. Songs are reviewed individually in rock, by genre in pop, and not at all for hip-hop. Like it? Hate it? Think one way is better? Let me know what you think.

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST LINK

Favorite Song This Month: Don’t You Cry For Me – Cobi

• Some of the best vocals I’ve heard in the last month. Cobi has that Aussie-Rock feel, with a Matt Corby-like range and melodic choruses. At 2:38, the song kicks it into a new gear and finishes off with some truely impressive solo vocals.

Rock/Alternative/Indie

State I’m In – Brandyn Burnette

• State I’m In is a welcome foray into the rock-ier side of AltR&B where Brandyn Burnette usually hangs out. It retains his melodic-fast paced verses, but incorporates low electric guitar rhythm with a much more pronounced and natural percussion.

The Garden – Zach Heckendorf

All the Right Places – Zach Heckendorf

• Heckendorf’s new album, Speed Checked by Aircraft, is immediately reminiscent of old DMB. Soft, pop-rock with jazz and bluegrass influences permeates the album. Imagine a Dave Matthews-Phillip Phillips combination.

Swim – Valley

• Think Young the Giant + Vance Joy and throw in hypnotic guitar choruses. Valley is a new favorite for their unique take on a classic sound.

Rain Dance – Edit – Whilk & Miskey

• Listen to this song all the way through, in the car or with great headphones. It’s full of anticipation, waiting on the escalation hinted at by Nima throughout the first two thirds of the song.

Pop/Electronic/AlternativeR&B

• Pop this week includes new sounds from Sody (a favorite that combines techno/trap with hard, harmonious lyrics), Brandon Burnette, and Wrabel (vocals like Isaac Slade from The Fray, rhythym like Matt Kearney). Top it off with a fantastic soundtrack piece off of Suicide Squad from Twenty One Pilots.

Underneath – Brandon Burnette

Wasted Youth – Sody

Heathens – Twenty One Pilots

11 Blocks – Wrabel

Sing to You – John Splithoff

Hip-Hop/R&B

Phantom (Redux) – Shirt

blkjuptr – Smino

Sucker for Pain – Lil Wayne, Imagine Dragons

Nobody Speak – DJ Shadow

Handheld GPS

Lyrics – Skepta

Country

Breakers Roar – Sturgill Simpson

• Simpson is a seriously unique country artist, in that he pulls in some of the most experimental sounds in music while retaining a very old-country feel. He’s proud of where country has come from, but he’s not shy about changing the sound. Give it a listen and let me know what you think.

 

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