Spotify List from Patterson Hood
On the eve of leaving for my first small leg of touring behind my new solo album, I made this playlist for us to all listen to on our journey.
It is mostly made up of recent releases, although there is one exception, but it surely is exceptional.
1. Michael Kiwanuka – Worry Walks Beside Me (from ep Home Again)
Kicked it off with this wonderful song that I was only recently turned on to (by my friend Rob from Richmond). Before he played me this song, he warned me that it would become a favorite song and as usual he was right.
Mr. Kiwanuka grew up in Muswell Hill (just like the Brothers’ Davies) and is one of the new artists I’m most excited about.
2. The War On Drugs – Come To The City (from Slave Ambient)
One of my very favorite new bands, and my favorite band name in a long while.
I play this track in dedication to my EZB, as it always makes me think of him (due to the line: “I been drinking up all the sweet tea / it was made just for me”)
No one loves sweet tea more than EZB. (We could call him Sweet Tea B.)
3. Wye Oak – Dogs Eyes (from Civilian)
This two piece from Baltimore has been blowing folks away with their live show, but alas I couldn’t get a sitter the night they came to The 40 Watt so I’ve had to content myself with this kick ass slice of vinyl from last year.
4. Jay Farrar and New Multitudes (Farrar/Parker/Yames and Johnson – Old LA (from New Multitudes)
In honor of Woody Guthrie’s 100th birthday this past week, I had to include this song from the New Multitudes album.
Lyrics by Woody / music by one of the four collaborators on the project.
On this one, Jay Farrar co-writes maybe the best song I’ve ever heard about LA (and that’s some heady company).
It’s also my favorite Farrar track since Traces.
Happy Birthday Mr. Guthrie
5. Father John Misty – Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings (from Fear Fun)
Speaking of LA songs, this album might have the other top 5. This one is especially great and has become almost an obsession to me of late.
Fear Fun is definitely the front runner for my album of the year so far.
6. Kelly Hogan – We Can’t Have Nice Things (from I Like To Keep Myself in Pain)
I’ve been a fan of Ms. Hogan since I first heard The Jody Grind in 1991.
The first time I ever saw her live (at The High Hat Club in Athens in the fall of 1995, I was the sound guy) it was revelatory.
We have since become very good friends and recently collaborated on a song on my new album that may be my favorite thing I’ve ever recorded.
This is the second track from her fantastic new album (Music by Andrew Bird / Lyrics by Jack Pendarvis, who is one of my favorite writers). It’s a song worthy of the expression it came from.
7. Futurebirds – Wild Heart (from ep Via Flamina)
One of the best of the many great up and coming bands from Athens.
This band is a force to reckon with as a live band, they are willing to get out there and slug it out and I can’t wait to hear their newly completed new album.
This song, from last years’ ep, is a rousing version of the Stevie Nicks smash; that like so much of what’s great about them, sounds like it fell out of the sky.
8. Atlas Sound – Angel Is Broken (from Parallax)
My favorite band in Atlanta is Deerhunter (one of my favorite new bands, period) and this is from Bradford’s side project Atlas Sound, which I also love.
One of the artists I’d most like to collaborate with.
9. Hope For Agoldensummer – Daniel Bloom (from Life Inside The Body)
Another of my very favorite bands from these parts. I’ve been a huge fan of HFAGS since I saw the sisters perform (with their parents) at The 2003 Flagpole Music Awards.
They opened a couple of The Dirt Underneath shows and Claire Campbell has been performing with The Downtown Rumblers from time to time.
The New Yorker was correct in singling out this amazing song a couple of months ago.
10. Richmond Fontaine – The Inventory (from The High Country)
My favorite book I read last year (other than Patti Smith’s Just Kids) was Lean On Pete by Willy Vlautin, who is the unbelievably literate lead singer / songwriter for Richmond Fontaine.
I’ve dabbled in some spoken sections to various songs from time to time, but this guy takes it to a totally different level.
This song haunts me.
11. Alabama Shakes – Heartbreaker (from Boys and Girls)
Hard to believe, it was less than a year ago when I stumbled in on this band (thanks to a tip off from Aquarium Drunkard) playing at a record store in my hometown.
I’ve never seen a band grab peoples attention in my life like this band has and they haven’t even scratched the surface on what they can and will do.
Holy Shit, They’re Good.
12. The Low Anthem – Boeing 737 (from Smart Flesh)
My favorite song of 2011 was this collage of juxtaposed imagery (of Phillipe Petite and September 11th) by this tremendous band from Providence RI.
I saw them three times last year (once involving a hike, a train journey and $100+ cab ride. It was worth it and then some).
13. Megafaun – Everything (from Megafaun)
Speaking of hooks, this one just keeps on hooking.
From it’s calm laid back entrance, it’s enchanting second verse (that voice!) the killer chorus,
then the greatest bridge of the last quarter century comes from somewhere left of Mars (by way of Chicago, the band and the city).
Repeat chorus (twice) and call it a day.
The best closing song of any album in several years (although Father John Misty’s “Every Man Needs A Companion is nipping at their heels).
14. Sharon Van Etten – We Are Fine (from Tramp)
When I saw that Ms. Van Etten was touring with The War on Drugs, I made seeing them a priority, but alas was on tour myself (played Seattle a few days before them) so it will have to wait.
Hopefully not for too long.
15. Centro-matic – Only In My Double Mind (from Candidate Waltz)
Everyone knows that Centro-matic is my favorite band. Period. This song is but one of several hundred reasons why.
I will get to tour with Will Johnson in Europe this coming November.
16. Craig Finn – Jackson (from Clear Heart Full Eyes)
The day I mastered my new album, Greg Calbi (who I consider the best mastering engineer on the planet) played me this cut and we both marveled at how cool it was.
Finn’s solo album complements his stellar Hold Steady output, yet also stands up on its own.
I spent election day 2008 with The Hold Steady (in State College PA) and will spend this next election day in Barcelona with Craig Finn and Will Johnson.
17. Gillian Welch – Hard Times (from The Harrow and the Harvest)
This song could have been written during the last Great Depression, but it happened to be written during this one.
It doesn’t get any finer than this performance.
18. Kurt Vile – Peeping Tomboy (from Smoke Rings For My Halo)
” I been searching / I don’t know what for / I came across some girl / She was a tom boy / and I was a peeping tom / on that scene / I was a peeping tom / you know what I mean”
While I was working on my album, I probably played this album more than any other. I can say this because I’m pretty sure my record doesn’t sound anything like it. Yet I bet it would somehow be different if I hadn’t.
19. The Cave Singers – Falls (from No Witch)
I flipped over this album and we asked them to tour with us but it didn’t work out. Luckily I got to see them anyway when they played at The Caledonia in Athens and they were great.
Hopefully we will get to play some shows with them when their next album comes out.
20. Glossary – When We Were Wicked (from Long Live All Of Us)
This Murfreesboro TN band was great a decade ago and they keep getting better.
Their new album is the best yet (and I didn’t think they’d top the last one).
DBT will get to play with them in August in Asheville and I’m really looking forward to it.
21. Father John Misty – Now I’m Learning to Love The War (from Fear Fun)
The first artist to repeat on my little list, as I said, I’ve been a little obsessed. I can’t even begin to express how great I think this song is. Really love the production too.
22. Big Star – Kangaroo (from Big Star’s Third)
Congratulations, you found the old song, but as Paul Westerburg says, “I never travel far without a little Big Star” and he never spoke truer words.
And this IS a road trip.
The Downtown Rumblers have been covering a couple of BS songs, but not this one.
The last conversation I ever got to have with Jim Dickinson was about his cowbell part on this record.
Maybe my favorite ten seconds of any record ever made. (“Doing the cool jerk.”)
23. Tom Waits – Hell Broke Luce (from Bad As Me)
I had finally gotten over this album and damned if Mr. Waits didn’t end up on Letterman and Fallon in the same week and I’ve been playing it like a new release ever since.
24. Alabama Shakes – Be Mine (from Boys and Girls)
Worth another repeat, I saw them play this on Jimmy Fallon a few weeks ago and it was one of the best TV performances I’ve seen since Neil Young’s “Rocking in the Free World” on SNL 1989.
Alabama Shakes will be opening for Neil and Crazy Horse this summer and Damnit, I’m going to have to miss it. Heartbreaker.
25. Kelly Hogan – Daddy’s Little Girl (from I Like To Keep Myself in Pain)
Kelly and Mavis Staples are my two favorite living / still vital, female singers on the planet.
I only separate the females to give us boys a chance.
M. Ward wrote this gem for Ms. Hogan to sing in character as Frank Sinatra.
Swarmy, a little creepy, sexy and a killer twist at the end.
Like one of the Chairman’s martinis.
26. Bobby Womack (featuring Lana Del Ray) – Dayglo Reflection (from The Bravest Man in the Universe)
We’re going to wrap this up with my favorite living male soul singer.
Congrats on beating your cancer.
His first new album in over a decade is killer and getting to meet him (and see him perform at Jools Holland a couple of years ago) was one of my highlights of the decade so far.
Drive Safe!
