Veterans and Vanguards
This Week's Soundtrack spotlights John Cale, Sly & The Family Stone, and the elite of New Orleans pianists, alongside new releases and debuts in EDM and hip-hop.
This Week's Soundtrack spotlights John Cale, Sly & The Family Stone, and the elite of New Orleans pianists, alongside new releases and debuts in EDM and hip-hop.
[Updated] This Week's Soundtrack on Spotify
1. “Michigan and the BQE” - Mikaela Davis: A sweet folksy song from her just released Feels Like Forever. Davis plays the House of Blues Parish, as one of the opening acts, on Wednesday.
2. “The Devil” - Nadine Shah: From her new record Your Dum and Mad, reviewed by Pitchfork here.
3. “Drifter” - Roadkill Ghost Choir: The Florida group take their homegrown yet sweeping highway sound on the road, playing Gasa Gasa on Monday.
4. “Mumbling Girl” - Filligar: Another band composed mostly of brothers, this time from Chicago. Filligar was recently asked by the U.S. Deptarment of State to act as cultural ambassadors in Eastern Europe as part of the Arts Envoy tour. They play House of Blues' Parish on Wednesday.
5. “Brainfreeze” - Fuck Buttons: This U.K. electronic duo just released a new record Slow Focus. Is there an award somewhere for excellence in name choice?
6. “Tiger Tank” - Speedy Ortiz: More than one review calls out the band's likeness to Pavement, and an aesthetic revival of '90s indie rock in their sound. Lead singer Sadie Dupuis is also earning her MFA in writing, and this track from their new album Major Arcana shows off her dexterity with words.
7. “Gun” - John Cale: Cale was a founding member of The Velvet Underground, and talks in depth about the band and his production with Marc Maron on a recent WTF podcast.
8. “Half Past France” - John Cale: From his '73 release Paris 1919, featuring many members of the band Little Feat.
9. “Mothra” - John Cale: From his most recent release Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood. And thus Fuck Buttons get runner up.
10. “Kveikur” - Sigur Ros: The Icelandic ethereal rock band come to New Orleans to play Champions Square in October.
11. “Pyramid Kosmos” - The Octopus Project: This Austin band plays One Eyed Jacks on Tuesday.
12. “It's Hard to Be Good (Bonus Track)” - MiMOSA: From the second installation in the Future Trill series, where Bay Area EDM producer explores styles he wouldn't otherwise venture into (i.e. house).
13. “Noon and I'm Still Asleep-Live” - Bodes and Elefantes: New music from Sao Paolo electronic music producers.
14. “Meteorango Kid” - Psilosamples: More Brazilian techno ...
15. “Awa Na Re Remix” - Bonde De Role: ... which inspired a desire to hear African techno.
16. “4 Legs and A Biscuit” - Kevin Gates: This New Orleans rapper, who got on the map as K. Gates with “Black & Gold (Who Dat!)” just released his new album Stranger Than Fiction. [See the comment section for an update.]
17. “My Gorilla Is My Butler - Instrumental” - Sly & The Family Stone: This is a previously unreleased track, now showing up on a recent reissue of their album There's a Riot Goin' On.
18. “Just Like a Baby” - Sly & The Family Stone: Also from Riot.
19. “Come Rain or Come Shine” - James Booker: A great track from New Orleans' piano legend.
20. “Opulence” - Tom McDermott: Another cherished New Orleans pianist, McDermott caught the attention of composer/musician Van Dyke Parks (of Brian Wilson fame). Bamboula, due to be released in September, is Parks' curating McDermott's music.
21. “Wedding in Madagascar (Faranaina)” - Van Dyke Parks: From his most recent release Songs Cycled.
22. “Boogie Woogie Prayer” - Joe Krown: Krown also resides on the roster of hugely talented pianists in New Orleans.
23. “Break Up” - Jerry Lee Lewis: This track is inspired by J.D. Davis' book Unconquered, which tells the story of cousins Lewis, Jimmy Swaggart, and Mickey Gilley.
24. “Taters & Gravy & Chicken Fried Steak” - Kenny Bill Stinson: Last weekend, the Louisiana Soundtrack Experience stopped at Lewis' hometown of Ferriday, where Kenny Bill Stinson played a Killer-heavy set.
25. “Plague” - The Eastern Sea: They play Gasa Gasa tonight, and were interviewed by My Spilt Milk when they came through town last year.
