The Notwist

From their fantastic VERTIGO DAYS (2021) — this track jumped out and grabbed me first and has been hopping from playlist to playlist. Now that you know the stars ain’t fixed / The roads ain’t straight / Now that the sky can fall on us The melancholy electronica evolves into something unusual and beautiful in the second half. Hard to believe this is same German hardcore band from ‘89.

Vampire Weekend

Feels like a Sunday morning post-sermon benediction — this track that closes one of the best albums of the last decade. When this record came out in 2013, Flannery was only 6 and so this tiny song will forever remind me of her. ❤️ You take your time, young lion

Salem

The best mix tapes cover the highs and lows of living — and this witch-house track brings things way back down with the artist SALEM. The vocal is a disarming, off-kilter electronic moan. Over and over we hear Do you think you’re better off alone? The answer sure feels like no, because the yearnings in these dark soundscapes feel beautiful and connected to humanity. This stunning track is currently on my new playlist for a new screenplay I’m writing called ABOVE THE TREES.

Loney Dear

It’s hard not to give yourself over to this once it begins; a relentless, melodic confession that builds to a kind of triumph of devotion and self-doubt. Never gonna let you down / But I’ll always I’ll always let you down Emil Svanängen is responsible for every sound on this record and his falsetto just kills me.

Satoshi Ashikawa

I have a fresh mix of ambient, classical and electronic music playing as I write this new screenplay every morning. This breathtaking track is from an early pioneer of Japanese ambient music — an 80’s movement that believed sound and music need a physical space to exist. The result are recordings that feel cinematic and specific. Songs that crave physical context — like a place, a character, a story.

Au Revoir Simone

I woke up early this morning thinking about Twin Peaks, which is not unusual for me, and heard the opening drums to this surreal song. I don’t want to lose myself — It’s a whisper — It’s a funny thing. A good omen on this first day of the week.

The Mountain Goats

This has always felt like a Sunday morning song to me. Before dawn, our hero rides with the windows down to the racetrack to watch his abuser from a distance. He notices those little weeds coming up through the cracked asphalt. The way Darnielle repeats At Last in verse three is beautiful and chilling.

2nd Grade

A little song that feels big early this morning — infatuation in first person from April through July. Emotions defined by an eight song playlist, Up in my room / I hid all June / My favorite song was Sixteen Blue. Going with the demo, but the full band version rips. I played this beautiful, addictive record more than any other in ‘21.

This Mortal Coil

So dated, yet perfection for ‘83 — I love re-watching this. Elizabeth Fraser has no idea of what’s ahead — the entire story…but mostly, that her little 4AD B-Side cover of Tim Buckley’s song would be the one people remember and revere.

David Bazan

A track (and video) for fathers with daughters everywhere — this one is slaying me over coffee this morning. I have so many superlative feelings of appreciation and confidence for my daughter. How quickly this daydream shatters when I allow myself to fear for her future relationships.

David Long & Shane O’Neill

The gorgeous title track is from their terrific 2021 release. It’s a true record — the kind you’d play front to back if you had the vinyl. Born from remote, pandemic sessions — these longtime friends (legends) struck solid gold together.

Radiohead

My favorite song by the band who needs no introduction — the kind of track headphones were made for — how disastrously misguided was I in ‘92 to think CREEP would give them one-hit-wonder status? 🤦🏻‍♂️ 30 years and 9 albums later — each unique/terrific — they are the seminal band of our time.

The Afghan Whigs

GENTLEMEN knocked us all out in ‘93 — a dark and explicit song cycle at the peak of grunge. Twenty years later we get this beauty from IN SPADES.

MCENROE

I’ve been turned on to some great indie bands from Spain over the years. McEnroe is one of my favorites. This song is soothing/mesmerizing — feels like a love song for a Sunday with the beautiful male/female trade-off vocals that translate: I will row / always toward you / no matter / if the force is yours or mine ♥️