The Playlist – February 2014

Music is a little like food and clothes. These are areas where it’s probably worthwhile for one to explore & expand their tastes. The Playlist is assembled each month by Dappered’s very own music correspondent, Tim Johnstone. Tim is a former Virgin Records Label Rep & current award winning Program Director at KRVB, which was awarded the FMQB AAA station of the year markets 50+. You can also catch his work on Fridays when he assembles the Weekend Dossier. 

 

Bleachers – “I Wanna Get Better”

I didn’t realize it was possible to award song-of-the-summer status in late February but apparently it just might be. Jack Antonoff from Fun. introduces his side project and everyone loses their shit.

 

Royal Blood – “Little Monster”

They’re back. And this time they promise a full length. About. Damn. Time. Also, no, Dappered doesn’t have any connection to this band. They’re just really liked around here. Meanwhie, it doesn’t look like this track is available for purchase quite yet.

 

Pharrell Williams – “Happy”

Yes, this is everywhere. And yes, he might just win an Oscar for it. But, what do you guys think of this particular song? Because I want to like it. I really do. But…

 

Silversun Pickups – “Cannibal”

This L.A. band prepares a vinyl 7 inch singles box set collection with this terrific new track. Twelve years on, the band has left behind the Smashing Pumpkins comparisons that (fairly or otherwise) marked their earlier work. Good stuff.

 

Lo-Fang – “When We’re Fire”

Matthew Hemerlein is a classically trained musician who travelled America and the world over the past three years. Those travels led to this headphones friendly album Blue Film which has already become one of my go to albums for 2014. This is not your grandfather’s electronic music.

 

Chevelle – “Take Out The Gunman”

RAWK. Remember when rock could just, be something of the moment, and that wasn’t a bad thing? No? Just me? Hmm. OK.

 

Disclosure Featuring Mary J Blige – “F For You”

Dance music’s latest clubs-to-riches story teams up with the divine miss Blige for a floor-filling foot stomper.

 

Kelis – “Jerk Ribs”

TV On The Radio’s Dave Sitek has produced Kelis’ upcoming full-length Food. This should be all sorts of hot summer fun. I appreciate that Kelis can move her way through genres with her fierce voice and aura, which really comes through more than most vocalists who try these things. It’s getting hot in here.

 

Kaiser Chiefs – “Coming Home”

Damn if I don’t like everything about this. The song is charming in that typical Britpop way. The video is clever and well executed. And while this lacks the energy level of their near perfect debut, it does find the band having aged better than I could have hoped. This is another song that doesn’t appear to be available for purchase just yet?

 

THE CLASSIC: Public Enemy – “Bring The Noise”

Once upon a time, hip hop sounded like this. Make no mistake, Chuck D is still revered.

For previous editions of The Playlist, see the growing archive here.