Max's Music Mondays // 12.7.20
LJ, Story Slaughter, and a little run through my spotify wrapped
Dear friends,
Welcome to the longest MMM yet, so I’m gonna keep this part short. This week we’ve got two stunners, as always, plus some choice picks from my Spotify Wrapped :) I hope everyone enjoys these tunes and has a great week!
Summa Luv - LJ
Some days I think my computer must hate me. I make it play so many songs, and neither of us like most of them… But, ya dig and ya dig and ya dig and then you hit LJ's soundcloud and
*hands in the air emojis!* Embedded gifs? Ok we’re really cooking with gas on this whole substack thing huh? The music I’m hunting for these days is stuff like this. Stuff that seems to fall out of thin air but is so interesting and so well done. The guitar tone is wild, with that doubled/lowered/distorted sound adding to this dirty sound. LJ’s vocals melding perfectly, a yearning tone wearing a jacket of effects. A lot of texture in this chorus, a cheeky vibraslap, the whole thing sounding like it was recorded in front of a fire. The verse offers LJ a fresh canvas for a beautiful melody. You can feel the soul as he descends and those effects more tangible when he stays reaching for higher notes. Dear drums, welcome to the song, truly a pleasure to hear you. Kicking off the second chorus with power. LJ stays centered, as the drums round out the bottom of the track, some warped/pitched vocals rustling around the edges. It all feels a bit harsh, a bit urgent, but still holds the groove comfortably. The fire place vibe offering balance. A 12 second chorus packing a dang punch. The second verse is more playful, LJ optimistic about this potential love. An independent verse, only made recognizable as the chorus returns. As it turns over and over, we start to add harmonies and other background vocals, as if those edge voices are slowly breaking free and letting loose. It’s an impressive feat, rewarding you with a new sound on each listen. The whole song has such a distinct tone, fuzzy and wavy, tastefully blowing out the speakers, and doing it with a generous hug.
Ranch Water - Story Slaughter.
We love a rhyming song title/artist combo! There’s something curious about the intro of this one - that whistle echoing out, the perfect guitar loop/tone - it seems to blend the lines between what’s live and what’s sampled, what’s real and what’s not. That loose grasp on reality and what it means remains a theme and question throughout. Story Slaughter reckoning with a bit of self-doubt, a bit lost, trying to figure out what she really wants. The production, especially as the drums hit, give it a moving pop sound but Story Slaughter’s voice holds us steady with such a western flair. The steel guitar chords hitting then rippling off into the distance. The chorus drives through, so dark and heavy, eerie with that whistle layered on top. Our narrator searching for something in nothing at the bar, thinking about those friends back home that seem to have it all figured out. There’s such an emptiness and pain in that moment, and the production swells beautifully to fill and soothe the space. The second verse gets even more brutal, letting those doubts lead to more doubts, questioning about why they’re pursuing the life they are. SS really letting the twang pour through as she quotes her mom, a delightful touch. The “Is it everything” pre-chorus gets these shadowy vocals curling up from underneath, the inhale right before the chorus is so fucking haunting wow. Never thought a song that name checks Topo Chico could be so dark. A little moment of relief in the bridge, warping vocals and twisting that acoustic guitar. By this final chorus it’s all a bit more chaotic and a bit hazier and leaves us with no clear resolution. But I sure hope Story Slaughter finds one, because this song is a tune and I look forward to more of them soon.
Breaking down my Spotify Wrapped 2020 - indulge me for a minute, pls.
Yeah I absolutely did write a sentence about every one of these songs (Shakespeare vibes. Full list available upon request), but as I tread into the 60’s and 70’s it became clear there’s a few distinct categories, so I’ve consolidated for all of our sakes. Here are the loose categories and one song I love from each.
My favorite artists who’s records I played endlessly. HAIM (12 songs), Remi Wolf (10), Kathleen (6), Harry Styles (5), Vampire Weekend (4), Maggie Rogers (4), Charli XCX (2), Caroline Polachek (2), ZURI (1).
Nearly half the playlist… Not a definitive list but these are the artists whose full projects I leaned on constantly. Set it and forget it. I’m inspired by each of them in different ways (many of which will be explored at The Maxies, don’t worry). Not sure what this year would’ve sounded like without them and I’m grateful I could spin them endlessly.
Song of Choice - Remi Wolf, Monte Carlo. Every song ingrained deep in my damn head, Remi Wolf is everything I could want in music. This song is so goofy and weird and fucked up and yet still accessible and an undeniable smash hit. I remember the Zane Lowe premiere clearly, hearing it for the first time, it blew my mind then and blows my mind now.
My favorite artists from LA. Boylife, Runnner, Skullcrusher, A.O. Gerber, Temme Scott, Allie Crow Buckley, Soft Streak, and Ayoni.
Lucky for me I get to work with all of these artists. Their spots on this list a testament to how much they’ve meant to me over the past two years. It’s so inspiring and fulfilling to see them continue to grow. Their music is all incredible, and to have any personal connection to them has just brought each song closer to my heart. In a year that I would’ve spent seeing them live, I really cherished their recorded music.
Song of Choice - Runnner, Ur Name on a Grain of Rice. This shit speaks to my SOUL. All of Runnner’s songs articulate those most vulnerable fears and insecurities in ways I could only aspire to. This one is no exception as the band builds to such a stunning peak. “And I should call but i'm afraid / Of what you're gonna say / Notice all the ways I've changed / And all the ways I've stayed the same” come on now!
My favorite new artists (new to me or to the world). Becca Mancari, Buscabulla, lavender, Deb Never, Christian Leave, Priya Ragu, Esabalu, Otta, Gabriel Sayer, Terrell Hines, Kaina, Hunjiya.
I spend so much time looking for new music and it has always been worth it. Each of these artists just appear and instantly become so ingrained in my life. To find joy, connection, insight, whatever it might be, so instantly? From a stranger? It’s a heartwarming, optimistic feeling.
Song of Choice - Buscabulla, NTE. This category is always special to me. My search for something new just a permanent itch to scratch. And when this record found its way into my life I was overwhelmed. A beautiful project unlike anything else I’ve heard this year. Gorgeous vocals pairing with a remarkable band, I just fell head over heels for it. And a music video to match.
Familiar Favorites. Mk.gee, Dijon, Caroline Rose, Jim-E Stack, Kacy Hill, Francis and the Lights, Still Woozy, AK Paul, Dominic Fike, Illuminati Hotties, Georgia, James Blake, Perfume Genius, Nao, Lianne La Havas, Flume, Toro y Moi, MUNA, Christine and the Queens, Caribou, Clairo, and Roy Blair.
The old reliables, a reason to get excited whenever any of them release new work. A wide array of stuff that helps paint the picture that is ~my taste~. So many special releases in this bunch too *eyes watering emoji*
Song of Choice - Nao ft. Lianne La Havas, Woman. I’m a sucker for anything Nao releases, that voice is one of a kind. But this was the shove I needed to dive deep into La Havas’s album, which I’ve rinsed non-stop these past few months. Grateful for the tune and the path it sent me down.
In case you missed it - List szn is here and I’m once again overwhelmed with everything I missed this year NPR (songs), Stereogum (albums) and Stereogum (EPs). Dua‘s Tiny Desk is absolutely wild. Some beautiful releases - the Jim-E Stack remix of Perfume Genius really hitting hard this week <3
Thanks for indulging me,
Max
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