"Some Days I Don't": The Inbox Jukebox for August 15, 2022

Dehd, by Atiba Jefferson

Our Freshly Spilt Milk playlist includes new music from Danger Mouse & Black Thought, M.I.A., Dehd, and Tony Molina, as well as transforming covers by Amythyst Kiah, Farah, and Boyfriend.

Freshly Spilt Milk returns with another new music playlist. I liked the idea of an inbox jukebox and a new playlist each week this year, but I ran into two obstacles: 1) It takes longer than I expected, and 2) Some weeks I have to wade through too much nonsense to find the good stuff. I couldn’t make myself do the work for a playlist that I wouldn’t want to hear again. When these playlists work though—and this one does—they make me very happy.

My high points? The return of hardcore punk-turned-power pop minimalist Tony Molina, the all-woman ‘70s punk of Vixen77, the teenage journal of “High School in Jakarta,” and the predictably impressive pairing of Danger Mouse and Black Thought. The three covers—Tori Amos’ “Sugar,” R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion,” and No Doubt’s “Just a Girl”—are transformed in entertaining ways, and I’m bummed that Chicago’s indie rock trio Dehd doesn’t have New Orleans among its extensive list of tour dates in support of its new album, TITLE, because its “Bad Love” is the song I can’t get out of my head right now. From the driving, cymbals-free drumming to singer Emily Kempf’s adrenaline stutter, it’s really what I want from rock ’n’ roll. It’s also worth going to the band’s website, which features bad love voicemails left for the band.

I try not to overthink playlists and tend to sequence quickly, then move things around if they’re obviously wrong. In this case, I think I lucked out because the ending feels like an ending. The way Charleston, South Carolina’s Whitehall build “Garden Song” takes the playlist to a place where it’s clearly done and the ride is over.

The videos, by the way, are not of songs on the playlist. They’re bonuses from artists who have tracks I particularly like in the mix.

1. “Bad Love” - Dehd - from Blue Skies, out now. Dehd is on tour in Europe and the US this fall.

2. “Sugar” - Amythyst Kiah - from the Pensive Pop EP, streaming now. Kiah is on tour for the rest of the year in Europe and the US.

3. “No Doz” - WAAX - from At Least I’m Free, out now.

4. “High School in Jakarta” - Niki - from Nicole, out now. Niki is on tour in the US in September and October. She’ll have a new short film, But I’m Letting Go on Amazon Music and Prime Video starting August 18.

5. “Just a Girl” - Boyfriend - from Sugar & Spice, due out September 9. She’ll be on tour in the US in September and October.

6. “Losing My Religion” - Farah - from the Italians Do It Better compilation After Dark 4, out now.

7. “Strangers” (feat. A$AP Rocky) - Danger Mouse & Black Thought - from Cheat Codes, out now.

8. “Popular” - M.I.A. - from Mata, coming soon.

9. “Mi Encendedor” (Chan Remix) - Flaco El Jandro - The unrevised version of “Mi Encendedor” is on Nada de Pido, out now.

10. “Taken Back” - Rich Ruth - from I Survived, It’s Over, out now.

11. “Burn Everyone” - Tony Molina - from In the Fade, out now.

12. “Sad Ibiza Song” (feat. Desire) - Wolfram - from the Italians Do It Better compilation After Dark 4, out now.

13. “Misty Forest” (feat. Acid Tongue) - Magon - the track is out now.

14. “Some Days” - Vixen77 - from Easy Access, due out October 14.

15. “Here I Go” - PJ Western - from Here I Go, due out September 16.

16. “Garden Song” - Whitehall - from their Garden Song EP. They’ll be on tour with the Goo Goo Dolls in October and November.