Whiskey & Bananas Mixtape Series

Our playlist this month comes freshly-squeezed from our longtime digital partner, turned latest acquisition, Juice Interactive — featuring Tommy James & The Shondells, Earl Hooker, Digable Planets & more

OKRP's group of 2017 summer interns curated this month's playlist, a meditation on youth and possibility. Check out what the next generation of advertising sounds like! 8teen — Khalid This song — and Khalid in general — knows how to transport you to having no responsibilities, to driving through your hometown with your friends and all the windows down, music blasting. To wondering what love was like, or worrying about coming home to a parent’s punishment. Take Khalid’s alternative R&B genius for a spin, you won’t regret it.  — Anna Alonso Waiting in Vain — Bob Marley “Waiting in Vain” catches the classic Bob Marley vibe that so many other reggae artists try to repeat. Bob glides over the classic reggae beat and riffs, singing as he waits in vain for some love.  — Jake Lesnik Momma’s Boy — Chromeo A quirky pop classic about a momma’s boy who is in search for the ideal woman. The upbeat melody of the song contrasts well with the dark comedic lyrics to weave an interesting tale about the search for love.  — Tristian Montgomery Adieu — Tchami This song in general for me will absolutely never get old, I can listen to it five times in a row. It has that melodic chill vibe that hits home for me, but also gets you moving when the drop comes around. I know if you are into EDM, this is a trademark song for what it is all about. Let it work on you and you’ll begin to respect it.   — Creighton Hudak iT — Christine and the Queens With a beat that will cause every vein in your body to dance, “iT” by Christine and the Queens should be your go-to track whenever you need a moment to sway around the kitchen or take a cruise under the city lights. Regardless of your gender, I guarantee that after playing this track you’ll be screaming, “I’m a man now” at the top of your lungs.  — Zur Thibodeaux Flowers in Your Hair — The Lumineers “Flowers in Your Hair” is super short, but jam-packed with meaningful lyrics. This song talks about getting older and paints a great picture. “Flowers in Your Hair” is super laid-back and easy to listen to for almost every occasion.  — Lauren Mitchell River Lea — Adele I remember being at DTW airport (Detroit) in December of 2015, waiting for my flight home, listening to “25” on repeat. I appreciated Adele’s ability to generate a feeling of “love lost” in me even though I haven’t necessarily lost a love. The album, as is expected of Adele, weaves a narrative of regret and rebirth. “River Lea” is where the former starts to transition into the latter. It is all about Adele coming to terms with her bad habits, the fact that they are difficult to challenge, and apologizing for the impact they may have had on her partner. The river is a representation of the habits that ruined her relationship. It has made her who she is, but has also carried her down a path she can’t continue on, emphasized in a part of the chorus, saying “I can’t go back to the river.” She is leaving behind the person she was so that she can move on to the next phase of her life.  — Guy Madjar Why Georgia — John Mayer Mayer’s lyrics, “quarter-life crisis” and “of a still verdictless life” indicate a feeling of being lost — however, when paired with a pop melody and soft falsetto, the listener gets a warm, hopeful vibe that makes this an easy listen. This one brings me to summer road trips with mom and miles and miles of karaoke.  — Grace Paul Sunshine — Atmosphere This is a feel good hip-hop song with understandable lyrics, and warm sounds to match. I choose this song so listeners can be exposed to hip-hop that tells a story while still providing a festive vibe.  — John McCormick All the Pretty Girls — Kaleo Kaleo is an up-and-coming group from Iceland with an “indie pop,” Bon Iver essence. I love listening to “All the Pretty Girls” when I want to unwind because of its tranquil and sincere sound. On my 18-hour car ride home from Miami of Ohio to Colorado, I listened to it probably 100+ times. It simply never gets old.  — Natalie Cofield

Our 40th volume of Whiskey & Bananas playlist is curated by Dena Blevins, Starbucks Creative Director. These tracks are as energizing as a shot of espresso. Way Back — Amber Mark I love this song, it just makes me happy, the positivity of getting back to where you want to be — makes you feel like anything is possible. I Can’t Go For That — the bird and the bee Such a cool cover of the Daryl Hall & John Oates classic. Better Give You Up — FKJ (French Kiwi Juice) We’ve had a revolving door of French exchange students at our house over the years and this was one of the great artists they exposed me to. Somthing’s Missing — The Internet My son Alec introduced me to this band, and I immediately loved their slow, cool vibes. Vampire — Mai Lan As a Sookie Stackhouse / “True Blood” fan, anything with “Vampire” in it gets my attention. This song is catchy and quirky — and the artwork on the single release is gorgeous. That’s Not My Name — The Ting Tings This album was in rotation in our creative studio at Starbucks years ago. A bunch of us from the studio went and saw their show at the Showbox in Seattle, and it was incredible. The female vocalist Katie White was a bundle of sexy energy clad in shorts and knee-high striped athletic socks. She’s pissed in this song and is letting you know about it. Makeba — Jain Jain is a French singer-songwriter that grew up traveling the world and you clearly hear those global influences in her work. Another find from our French exchange students. What You Don’t Do — Lianne La Havas (Tom Misch Remix) I love the instrumentals they wove into this remake and her vocals are sultry and smooth. Wish I Didn’t Miss You — Angie Stone I’ve always loved classic R&B — this takes me there. There is such a yearning, alluring feel to her vocals — you can feel the pain in her voice. Everyday — Lucy Pearl Love the positivity of this song — Dawn Robinson’s vocals are inspiring and uplifting. And a hidden classic inspired by Dena’s earliest years as a music fan…

Ad legend Keith Reinhard, who is also the father of our co-founder & CCO Matt, curated this month's playlist of jazz classics, complemented by Matisse visuals. Leave Me Alone — Johnny Griffin When people ask what jazz is all about, I always quote the great Chicago-born tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin who said: “Jazz is created by and for people who have decided to feel good, regardless of conditions.” His Chicago “tough tenor” sound on this recording makes me feel good regardless of what else is going on. I hope you feel the same. Intermission Riff — Stan Kenton Stan Kenton was coming onto the jazz scene about the time I was graduating from high school. Back then his sound was considered very avant-garde. I like a lot about Kenton’s music, but especially his five-trombone section that growls in close harmony on this recording. These same trombones inspired a jazz vocal quartet at Butler University in my home state of Indiana. They became famous as The Four Freshmen, with a unique sound achieved by vocalizing Kenton’s trombone charts. Take the “A” Train — Duke Ellington I live very close to a subway station in Manhattan, and every time I pass by it or descend into it, Duke Ellington’s theme song starts playing in my mental hum box. The song was written by his composing companion Billy Strayhorn when the young composer was invited to visit Duke at his apartment in Sugar Hill, Harlem. “How do I get there?” asked Billy. “Take the A Train to Sugar Hill,” said Duke. “It’s the quickest way to Harlem.” This recording is by the Ellington orchestra, conducted by Duke’s son Mercer, and featuring an impeccable tenor sax solo by Branford Marsalis. Moten Swing — Count Basie When Benny Moten played this song with his Kansas City Orchestra back in the thirties, his orchestra included Count Basie on the piano. Since then, Moten Swing has become most associated with Basie. I love the way the brass section surprises us by shouting out, in sharp contrast to Basie on piano who, as one reviewer put it, “plays little notes but gives them lots of meaning.” Moral of the story: You don’t have to be loud to be meaningful. Stompin’ at the Savoy — Benny Goodman When listening to jazz, I like to think of the different instruments and sections as being engaged in a conversation. Jazz people refer to this as “call and response.” One section “calls,” the other “responds.” This song is a great example of such dialogue. First the horn section calls “pah pah,” then the reed section responds, “bah da de da da dah.” A few bars later the call and response is reversed with the reed section calling and the horns responding. Soaring above this delightful conversation, Benny Goodman lifts our spirits with his clarinet solos. Goodman was another jazz great born in Chicago. The son of poor Jewish immigrants, he grew up to form, during an era of racial segregation, the first racially integrated jazz group. Watermelon Man — Poncho Sanchez Talk about Feelin’ Good! How can you feel any other way when you listen to Poncho Sanchez, the Mexican-American conguero (conga player) play Herbie Hancock’s composition about a watermelon vendor? Hancock, yet another Chicago-born jazz legend, composed the tune based on the men who drove their melon wagons over Chicago’s cobblestone streets and sang out about their juicy wares. Now that you know the story, you can almost hear the words “Hey, Wa-ter-mel-on man” in the five-note melodic figure that repeats through the song. Thanks to Poncho Sanchez and other Latin band leaders, this song became a bridge between Afro-Cuban and Afro-American music. Drum Boogie — Gene Krupa  My high school buddy, Don Neuen, and I were both percussionists in our high school band and orchestra. We both admired the great drummer Gene Krupa, who was born and raised on Chicago’s South Side, and who became a handsome teenage idol. We wanted to look like him and play like him, neither of which ever happened. My friend Don, however, did become a distinguished musician as a faculty member of the Eastman School of Music and later, director of choral music at UCLA. Lacking Don’s (or Gene Krupa’s) talent, I went on to be just a music lover. But when I hear Krupa on the drum breaks in songs like “Drum Boogie,” it brings back those high school days when I was trying to master drum rudiments like flamadiddles and paradiddles. At least I member their onomatopoeic names. Boplicity — Miles Davis Jazz people often talk about the color of notes. You can even do a Google search to find color wheels assigning different colors to different notes. I’m not that sophisticated. But I respond to what Miles Davis and his nonet (nine-person group) are doing in this recording — experimenting with a less aggressive style of playing, and what is described as warm tonal colors, even though the album title is about the birth of cool. On the subject of color, I’ve always liked what Miles Davis himself said about the relationship between music and paintings: “A painting is music you can see. Music is a painting you can hear.” Big Butter and Egg Man — Wynton Marsalis Wynton Marsalis is an internationally acclaimed musician, composer, bandleader, educator and a leading advocate of American culture. I’m also proud to say he is my friend. We met in 1992 in São Paulo, Brazil and we’ve been friends ever since. Wynton is a multi-Grammy winner and the first jazz musician ever to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. I love his trumpet solo on this recording of a song that takes its title from a 1920’s slang term for a big spender — a traveling businessman who spent big bucks in nightclubs. Presumably the voice of the trumpet is the voice of a woman who would like to connect with a Big Butter and Egg Man. Wynton is very wise. I once asked him how he feels if people don’t like a brave new composition. His response: “You can’t just be weird man, people gotta dig it.” What great advice for all of us. I hope you dig Wynton on this track along with his father Ellis who is on piano. Four on Six — Wes Montgomery Wes Montgomery is one of the most influential guitarists ever in jazz. A product of my home state, Wes was born in Indianapolis, the middle and most celebrated brother of a family of musicians. He recorded with brothers Buddy, a vibraphonist, and Monk, who played the electric bass. I like the fact that, as a guitarist, Montgomery is said to have introduced many people to jazz — people who knew they liked guitar but didn’t know they liked jazz. Indiana — The Modern Jazz Quartet First recorded in 1917 by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, “Indiana” (aka “(Back Home Again in) Indiana”) soon became a jazz standard. For years, Louis Armstrong and his All-Stars would open each public appearance with this number. As a native Hoosier, it always brings back good memories of my growing up days. This recording is a good example of one of the basic elements of jazz — improvisation or spontaneous composition. The tenor sax plays the familiar melody, followed by a series of soloists improvising on the basic tune structure. In the last :30 of the track, the vibraphonist brings us “Back Home Again” to Indiana and the original tune. Cottontail — Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra I’ve been privileged to serve on the Board of Jazz at Lincoln Center for lots of years and so I’ve been able to see and hear the best of the genre up close and personal. Under the masterful direction of Wynton Marsalis, the organization’s managing and artistic director, every member of this 16-piece orchestra could be a headliner on their own. Each musician is a composer, arranger and performer. In this closing track of my jazz playlist, the orchestra is joined by the famous tenor sax player, Illinois Jacquet. The recording is live and I hope you’ll join in the applause.

We asked our friend Ron Lazzeretti, writer, director, musician and ad man, to curate this month’s playlist, presented by “Whiskey & Bananas.” Almost Like The Blues — Leonard Cohen There’s not much Leonard Cohen music that I don’t like, but I like his last few records best of all. It’s like when his life was nearing its end, he collected all the wisdom he’d gathered and put it all together for an awe-inspiring grand finale. In A Parade — Paul Simon I took a trip to the emergency room last year. Everything turned out fine, but the insanity of that scene…the vulnerability. I love Paul Simon because, like Cohen, he writes from the perspective of where he is in life. There’s nothing sadder than an artist trying desperately to still be what they no longer are. Not just because it’s pathetic. But because it prevents them from becoming that next thing. And no one seems to know that better than Paul Simon. Or the guy coming up next… Things Have Changed — Bob Dylan I share a birthday with Bob Dylan. So every year on my birthday, I listen to all Dylan, all day. Which is why I guess it’s natural that I think of him when I reflect on age and where I am in my life. Lonely Ride — Jodi Walker This track comes from Chicago singer-songwriter Jodi Walker. It’s from her record “Broken Bubble.” I love the fact that a track titled “(It’s A) Lonely Ride” plays like a sing-along. A Little Tattoo — Ron Lazzeretti & Naomi Ashley OKRP suggested I include a song of mine, which honestly, felt weird. Until I thought of one that featured singer-songwriter Naomi Ashley. Her last two records, “Another Year Or So” and “Trying To Fly” are particularly wonderful. I wrote this for her and we ultimately recorded it as a duet. It’s a song about an aching yearning, a sign, and the haunting feeling that you’re on the wrong track. It’s Not Too Late — T-Bone Burnett Here comes some of that hope I promised. Virtually every aspect of this T-Bone Burnett gem speaks to an unmistakable air of darkness, degradation and decay. But that title, that refrain tells us that, formidable as our plight may be, it ain’t over yet. The Boat Song (We’re Getting Loaded) — Ike Reilly Assassination Libertyville, Illinois’ own Ike Reilly is one of my favorite writers and performers. I co-created a web series called The Graveyard Show and all the music in that series is Ike’s. Like Dylan, his songs all seem oddly topical. They seem that way because they’re timeless. Down To The Bottom — Brian Anderson Like Jodi Walker and Naomi Ashley, I met Brian out of the legendary roadhouse, Fitzgerald’s, in Berwyn, Illinois. There’s a wonderful music community in and around that strip of Roosevelt Road that some call The Veltway. Brian is one of my heroes from that crowd and this song about where to find the truth is one of his best. Love Resplendent — Jenny Bienemann Yet another artist from that scene. Jenny just released a record called “Every Soul Grows To The Light.” Absolutely beautiful. And this song about the redemptive power of love is sweet and reassuring without being saccharine and naïve. Celebrate — Anderson .Paak My favorite part of this wonderful, Sly and the Family Stone-style pick-me-up is when a troublesome reminder of the past is recalled, threatening to run the song’s good feelings off the rails. Until another voice interrupts, saving the day with, “Let it go, let it go, let it go.” Which is my new mantra.

This month's guest "Whiskey & Bananas" playlist is curated by John Nau of Beacon Street Studios in Venice, CA, one of OKRP's go-to musical production partners. Enjoy this groovy selection of 1970s California-vibed tracks. Help Me — Joni Mitchell A love song written by the master, Joni, featuring her impeccable voice and beautiful lyricism — one of the most underrated guitarists of her generation. Beginning Again — Brian Auger I bought the record Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express — Live Oblivion Vol. 1 at a used record shop just because of the cover. I went home and put on side one, song one…what the ??? My ears popped off my head. I loved the vibe, the style and chords, and if that wasn’t enough, Brian lays into a smoking jazz solo on the Fender Rhodes (he’s more known for his organ playing). The architect of what would later be called “Acid Jazz”…this guy can play! Killer jazz keyboard solos over Motown soul-inspired grooves. Cherry — J.J. Cale This guy is so cool! The king of laid-back! Always under the radar and often imitated…e.g. Eric Clapton. “Cherry” is just one of the great tracks from J.J.’s album Troubadour. Stay While the Night is Young — Savoy Brown Kim Simmonds went through many iterations of the band, this version being one of his best. A jazz influence creeps into the music on this set and newly added vocalist Chris Youlden’s blue-eyed soul baritone voice brings it.  Sandy’s Blues [Live] — Oscar Peterson Trio From the record Exclusively For My Friends. My friend’s dad gave me a tape of this in high school. Upon listening to the intro to “Sandy’s Blues,” I realized I had a decision to make — quit immediately or listen and practice. I chose the latter. Oscar never disappoints. Watch him on YouTube…sooo good! It’s For You — Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays This track and record, As Falls Wichita, so Falls Wichita Falls, has always given me a certain feeling of melancholy that slowly turns to joy. I love this record. It’s a sonic exposé of the pastorale American heartland. Any Major Dude Will Tell You — Steely Dan JEEZ! Where are these guys coming from?? Well…a fusion of classic rhythm & blues, jazz harmony and rock n roll. The sardonic lyrics against the smooth intellectual musical backdrop (the jazz-infused chord changes) create some breathtaking iconoclastic pop music. No imitators here. I Think I’ll Call It Morning — Gil Scott-Heron Gil Scott was making music in the 60’s and early 70’s that helped tell the story of the civil rights movement and political and social injustices in America. For every poem or song that dealt with the plight of the inner city or a corrupt government, a little gem would pop on, a song of hope and beauty, this being one of them.  Gil Scott was an original! A writer of books and a seeker of the truth through his music. Hard to compare him with anybody else. With a distinctive voice and style he’s considered one the forefathers of rap music. I Was Doing All Right — Dexter Gordon The POET! Born in L.A., crushed it in NYC, lived in Denmark. A towering figure in jazz (literally). Total command of the tenor saxophone, deep rich tone, laid back and hard swinging, plus a dash of humor — in the sense that if you listen to enough of his solos, you’ll notice he loves to incorporate quotes from other songs (such as “If I Only Had a Brain”). Incident at Neshabur — Santana From the record Abraxas. I always loved the instrumentals, and Greg Rollie’s organ playing is one of my main early influences. 1970 was an exciting time for music, the lines were blurred — Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew, which hit a few months earlier, helped open the door for this jazz/Latin/rock mashup! This stuff was playing on mainstream radio.

Check out our guest playlist by OKRP's director of Groupon spots, Luis Peña, who curated hard-rocking and introspective tracks for adventure and the open road. Black Grease — The Black Angels Oh how I love The Black Angels. I almost made the whole mix with just their songs. This is what west Texas sounds like to me. Hustle And Cuss — Dead Weather The sexy duo of Jack White and Alison Mosshart going at it with tension brimming at the seams. We’re starting to break the speed limit. When The Levee Breaks — Led Zeppelin I love air drumming to this masterpiece. Can’t help myself. Full-on smashing the steering wheel to Bonham’s thunder. T.I.B.W.F.— Budos Band I get lost in this song. It’s like a soundtrack to a 60’s horror film about gogo dancers. I love it. Wish You Were Here — Lee Fields & The Expressions My first car was a Chevy Malibu and it only had an AM radio station. And the only station I listened to was KYOK — Soul. Driving and soul go hand and hand to me. You Don’t Love Me-No No No — Dawn Penn I went through a big reggae phase. Actually, I reckon I’m still in it. Dawn Perry’s vocals and the rhythmic bass line gets my head moving every time. Optimistic — Radiohead Ah, Radiohead. You could save the world with your music. I backpacked all throughout Central America in my mid-twenties listening to OK Computer. This is off Kid A. I love how this song builds and builds tension and then releases. Ball of Confusion — Leon Bridges I heard this song the other day and was struck on how current it is today. Leon Bridges does a masterful cover of it. And that bass line is ridiculous. Commit A Crime — Mr. Airplane Man Mr. Airplane Man is the duo of Margaret Garrett and Tara McManus — drums and guitar. Simple and stripped-down grungy blues. That guitar riff makes me want to do terrible things to a Challenger Hellcat. Miss Ohio — Craig Cardiff Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings are on my desert island record list. But this cover of their song by Craig Cardiff is amazing. Gorgeous jazz piano ramblings. “I wanna do right, but not right now.”

We're celebrating the release of Eddie O’Keefe’s film "Shangri-La Suite" with tracks picked by the director and film’s stars - Emily Browning, Luke Grimes & Avan Jogia. One Night — Elvis Presley Bringing it back to the classic early days of Elvis — not the latter-day one that the film’s main characters would set out to kill in 1974.  I Want You — Bob Dylan A love song from Bob Dylan’s 1966 classic double album “Blonde on Blonde.”  Last Kiss — Frank J Wilson and the Cavaliers The prototypical 1950s tragic teenage pop song. I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times — The Beach Boys This Beach Boys classic resonates no matter what times you were born in.  I Found A Reason (Demo) — The Velvet Underground A Dylan-esque alternate version of the track from The Velvet Underground’s final album in 1970.  Little Bit of Rain — Karen Dalton A great lost gem from Cherokee folk singer and guitarist Karen Dalton in the early 60s Greenwich Village scene. Half-Breed — Cher The film’s Native American characters are mirrored in Cher’s 1970s hit about the troubles faced by being part-Native and part-white in the USA. California Dreamin’ — The Mamas and The Papas What’s a film about 1970s America without California and The Mamas and The Papas?  Nights in White Satin — Moody Blues A staple of the “Shangri-La Suite” era. Cool Summer — Bob Lind Bob Lind is a deep-cut classic of the early 60s folk movement.  Girl From The North Country — Link Wray Electric guitar pioneer Link Wray covers Bob Dylan to upbeat and devastating effect. (Read Eddie’s in-depth discussion of this track at Aquarium Drunkard.) Hurt — Timi Yuro A soulful heartbreak classic. Not to be confused with the latter-day Johnny Cash song. (Also check out Eddie’s take on this song and three different versions of it at Aquarium Drunkard.)

Ghost Walk — The Budos Band  A variety of influences from jazz, funk, Afro-beat, soul and more permeate the Budos Band, an instrumental group on Daptones Records who records in Brooklyn. Hollywood Swinging — Kool & The Gang  Get down with the glory days of funk — 1973, to be exact.  Le Marin — Babet  You know we love our French-language grooves.  Get Out Of My Life Woman — Lee Dorsey  Check out this lost 60s classic from R&B pioneer Lee Dorsey.  Bombay — El Guincho  Whether it’s winter in Chicago or summer in Miami, this bright beat will pick you up and get you going.  Memory — The Lemons  Chicago’s own The Lemons write the catchiest little ditties around, in the classic style of 50s bubblegum pop with a modern twist.   Help Yourself — Tom Jones  It’s impossible not to love Tom Jones, the eternal guilty pleasure.  Grandma’s Hands — Bill Withers  Check out this deep cut from classic 70s soul singer Bill Withers.  Thought U Wuz Nice (Instrumental) — Phife Dawg  Pouring one out for Phife Dawg, a member of A Tribe Called Quest, who we lost to the Great Musical Icon Death Wave of 2016.  Stand By Me — Cassius Clay That Cassius Clay? Aka Muhammad Ali, the Greatest of All Time? Why yes, he did record an album, in 1963. Another great lost to 2016.

Last I Heard — Flesh Panthers Flesh Panthers are an excellent secret of Chicago’s rock n roll scene, who have played shows with our boys The Orwells. You should definitely check out their fantastic 2016 album “Willow’s Weep,” which this track is from.  Ain’t It Funky Now — Jimmy McGriff You know we love the funky 1970s deep cuts — Jimmy McGriff is no exception.  La Fat Fur — Connan Mockasin & Devonté Hynes We were already big fans of Devonté Hynes’ project Blood Orange, and we love this unique collaboration he did with New Zealand-born psychedelic pop artist Connan Mockasin.  Fig in Leather — Devendra Banhart Venezualan-American Devendra Banhart makes some of the most unique genre-blending indie music today. We love this upbeat track from his latest album.   No Tears to Cry — Paul Weller The former leader of The Jam, one of Great Britain’s premier rock acts in the 70s and 80s, comes back with his own grandiose rock n roll.  Summer Madness S.A. — Karriem Riggins Talented multi-instrumentalist and producer Karriem Riggins effortlessly blends jazz, hip-hop and more in his unique work.  Words to My Song — Dry Bread Dig this dark and funky deep cut from Cyril “Dry Bread” Ferguson.  Breathing Underwater — The Barbaras The Barbaras are a fantastic lost surf-punk gem from Memphis, who worked to record their music with influential rocker Jay Reatard before his untimely death in 2010, with the result that only one album of tracks (discovered posthumously in his archives) was ever released.  Endless Talk — Wild Flag Wild Flag was a short-lived rock supergroup made up of members of Sleater-Kinney and others, led by Carrie Brownstein (if you don’t know her from music, you know her from Portlandia!) If I Had a Hammer — Billy Preston Legendary organist and Beatles collaborator covers this American classic (originally by Pete Seeger) in a groovy instrumental way.

Buddy — The Orwells It’s been too long since the world at large got to hear The Orwells’ new tunes — they’re back, buddy.  Hourglass — Rodrigo Amarante Brazilian singer-songwriter Rodrigo Amarante opened for Angel Olsen here in Chicago recently, playing haunting music in multiple languages.  The Palisades — Childish Gambino feat. Christian Rich We’re a big fan of the multi-talented Childish Gambino, aka actor and comedian Donald Glover.  Heaven and Hell — William Onyeabor “His name is William Onyeabor, he’s from the 70s” — so goes a line in “Not What I Needed” by another Whiskey & Bananas artist, Car Seat Headrest. This pioneering Nigerian funk-synth master creates haunting, groovy melodies. Baby When I Close My Eyes — Sweet Spirit Austin, Texas-based Sweet Spirit brings a sweeping, grandiose rock sound along the lines of acts like Florence + The Machine.   To Binge — Gorillaz feat. Little Dragon Gorillaz, and another Whiskey & Bananas favorite Little Dragon, are masters of blending genres like pop and hip-hop to create entirely new sounds. We can’t get enough.  Going Up the Country — Kitty, Daisy & Lewis When you first hear this song, you could swear it was some classic recording from the 50s. But nope — it was made in 2009 by a group of British teenage siblings. Who woulda thought?  Right On — Boogaloo Joe Jones Get your retro jazz fix with Boogaloo Joe Jones.  Walk a Mile — Holly Golightly We remembered Holly Golightly from not just Breakfast at Tiffany’s, but as a guest vocalist at the end of The White Stripes’ 2003 album “Elephant” — with an impressive collection of solo work.  Quiet Whiskey — Wynonie Harris Whiskey — you just never know what it’s gonna do. We love this upbeat classic for obvious reasons.

Lonely Jones — Post Animal We’re big fans of Chicago’s Post Animal, who opened for The Orwells during a weekend of local shows, features actor Joe Keery of Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” and creates cool blends of pop and psych-tinged indie rock.  Am I Wrong — Anderson Paak (feat. ScHoolboy Q) Our Chief Creative Officer Matt Reinhard is a huge fan of Anderson Paak — we think you will be too if you haven’t heard him yet!  New Song — Warpaint The ladies of Warpaint are back with an aptly titled “New Song,” and we’re pretty psyched to hear the rest of the new album.   Watcha Workin It Fa — New Breed Brass Band (feat. 5th Ward Weebie) Matt caught this great jazz-funk band playing on the street in New Orleans (where he also took this month’s playlist cover photo) and we can’t get enough.  Gimme Some Truth — John Lennon One of John Lennon’s slightly lesser-known political songs that still sounds all too familiar this election cycle.  I Know You Got Soul — Eric B. & Rakim We’re throwing it back to the late 80s with this early hip-hop classic from Eric B. & Rakim. Ladies Don’t Play Guitar — Tennis We’re excited to see indie pop-rock duo Tennis continuing to evolve their unique sound with new music.  La belle et le bad boy — Mc Solaar It wouldn’t be Whiskey & Bananas without a cool song that’s entirely en français.  Annie — Neon Indian Denton, Texas-originating Neon Indian’s catchy, danceable electronic indie pop is hard to get out of your head — but why would you want to? The Less I Know The Better — Tame Impala   Tame Impala’s excellent album “Currents” came out last summer, but we’re still jamming hard.

Feeling Free — Nicole Willis & the Soul Investigators We’re loving this retro R&B/soul group of American-born Nicole Willis, based in Helsinki, Finland.  Half Moon — Janis Joplin Can’t go wrong with some lost Janis classics.  Naked Eye — Luscious Jackson Hard to believe it’s been 20 years since this alt-rock gem landed.  Shut Up Kiss Me — Angel Olsen We’ve featured Angel Olsen on a Whiskey & Bananas playlist a while back, but she’s too amazing not to include her new music here — we couldn’t be more excited about her new album coming out in the fall.  End Of The World — Anika An off-kilter, Nico-esque reimagingining of the Skeeter Davis classic. Sail Away Ladies — Odetta No one did it better than the legendary Odetta.  The Girl from Detroit City — Suzi Quatro 70s glam rock wunderkind & “Happy Days” actress Suzi Quatro reflects on her Detroit roots.  Heartbreak — Spike & the Sweet Spots This cover of a Shannon & The Clams original by local Chicago retro rock n rollers Spike & the Sweet Spots harkens back to a different era with stunning vocals.  Lady Scarface — Lydia Lunch One of the original NYC punk pioneers, Lydia Lunch goes cabaret in this hidden gem.  Spare Me Fetzer’s Blues — Caitlin Rose Young Nashville singer Caitlin Rose captures some of the best vibes that country music can offer.

Moth to the Flame — Chairlift Get into the holiday weekend mood with this upbeat indie pop song.  Let’s Dance — Ramones The Ramones take on the 60s dance classic. Lipslap — Kero Kero Bonito This Japanese pop-inspired project from London is on fire — can’t wait to check them out in Chicago this fall.  I’ll Be Loving You — The King Khan & BBQ Show The retro rock n roll duo The King Khan & BBQ Show makes you feel like dancing and that it’s 1958 again.  Betty — Pom Poms Talk about retro — this new pop project from LA is bringing the classic vibes hard, and we’re digging it.  Dia Ja Manche — Dionisio Maio Legend has it, in 1968 a ship carrying keyboards and synthesizers disappeared en route from Baltimore to South America, and reappeared on a small island in Africa covered in cosmic space particles, changing the course of African dance music. It’s pretty groovy. (https://analogafrica.bandcamp.com/album/space-echo-the-mystery-behind-the-cosmic-sound-of-cabo-verde-finally-revealed)  I Couldn’t Spell !!*@! — Sam the Sham & The Pharoahs Even copywriters know sometimes there aren’t enough words for when someone breaks your heart — and this deep cut from 60s pop-rock group puts it to song.  Bang Bang — Betty Chung Hong Kong singer Betty Chung covered this Nancy Sinatra classic in Mandarin in the 60s. Far Away Eyes — The Rolling Stones Run a few red lights (not really) in honor of this Stones semi-deep cut, a mainstay of quiet classic rock radio afternoons.  U.F.O. — Jim Sullivan If the cosmic African synths of Dionisio Maio’s earlier track didn’t carry you away, let Jim Sullivan’s “U.F.O.” Keep listening for the 4th of July holiday track…

Move On Up — Curtis Mayfield Kicking things off with this uplifting soul classic.  Straight Up And Down — The Brian Jonestown Massacre Hard to say no to retro British Invasion-style rock from one of the top indie bands of the past 20 years.  Long Time Now — The Ethiopians Reggae ska always puts a smile on our face, how about you? Don’t Want to Say Good-Bye — Cut Worms Despite the retro sound, Cut Worms is a fresh project from formerly Chicago-based musician Max Clarke, now of Brooklyn. Definitely one to watch. The Seed (2.0) — The Roots, Cody Chesnutt A catchy modern rap-funk-soul classic from the legendary Roots.  Ram On — Paul McCartney An early gem from Paul’s first solo years.  Let ’em Say — Lizzo, Caroline Smith Minneapolis-based artists Lizzo and Caroline Smith collaborated on this upbeat modern soul-pop track that was recently featured in the season 3 premiere of “Broad City.” Money — The Flying Lizards A classic in the advertising game.  100 Million — Charlie Hilton Portland-based Charlie Hilton recently opened for our Chicago favorites Whitney, playing gorgeously hypnotic indie folk-rock.  Dancing Time — The Funkees Nigerian afro-rock group The Funkees are a hidden gem from the late 1960s.

Land Lobster — The Bingers Chicago’s own retro-inspired garage rockers The Bingers have been landing their tunes in everything lately, from James Franco films to ads for Veuve Clicquot and HUF skateboard apparel.  Bones — Michael Kiwanuka British soul musician Michael Kiwanuka channels decades of soul, rock and R&B inspiration into his music.  All Your Yeahs — Beach House We’re looking forward to seeing indie dream pop band Beach House back in Chicago for the Pitchfork Music Festival this summer.  Kachina Doll — Teenage Cool Kids Before Parquet Courts came around, there was bandleader Andrew Savage’s Denton, Texas-originating Teenage Cool Kids, with similarly excellent Americana post-punk rock.  Time Away from Home — Summer Salt These mellow retro-pop/indie rockers are from Austin, Texas and recently played a show in Chicago with The Walters (friends of The Orwells).  Hey Bulldog — The Beatles This wonderfully underplayed rocking gem from the “Yellow Submarine” soundtrack is always a treat to stumble upon.  The Slider — Ty Segall King of California punk fuzz Ty Segall recently released an album of all T. Rex covers that rock incredibly hard.  Heart Don’t Know — Jimmy Whispers Jimmy Whispers is one of the Chicago indie scene’s most interesting musicians and exciting performers today, recently making a splash in Europe.  Deep Web — Magic Potion It’s always fun to stumble across great European indie music like Magic Potion from Stockholm, Sweden.  El Loco Cha Cha Cha — René Touzet Those familiar chords at the beginning were in fact the inspiration for “Louie Louie” in the 50s.

Gardenia — Iggy Pop The king of punk is still alive and well, with this new album produced by Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age. Davey Crockett — Hinds Hinds were an absolute standout of SXSW — four young women from Madrid playing extremely catchy rock n roll (tirelessly, across 15+ showcases during the week). They’re poised to blow up huge. Make Me Wanna Die — White Reaper White Reaper are a group of wildly energetic punk rockers from Kentucky who played in Chicago at a DIY show with The Orwells last summer and had the Chicago rock scene hanging at every show in Austin. The Greatest — KING This all-female indie R&B group played at Stereogum’s SXSW party prior to some Chicago groups, with a hypnotic style echoing the best of the 80s and 90s. Vroom Vroom — Charli XCX The rising queen of indie Brit pop has reimagined her style to be more sparse and edgy with this eclectic pop track. Aquellos Ojos — Mujeres Can’t get enough of this timeless rock n roll sound in Spanish. Won’t You Just Wish Me Luck — Croy and the Boys Get those tissues handy — this up-and-coming country group from Austin brings that classic heartwrenching country style to 2016. I Will Miss The Jasmine — Shannon and the Clams West Coast-based Shannon and the Clams wholeheartedly embody modern-retro rock n roll style. Home — BJ the Chicago Kid This hot new rapper speaks about the problems and love of home — our city, Chicago. Something Soon — Car Seat Headrest The indie rock scene of Chicago and Austin was buzzing about Car Seat Headrest’s dark and compelling sound across their SXSW showcases.

Le Coeur Au Bout Des Doigts – Jacqueline Taieb Who can resist retro French songs? We can’t! Suckcess – Michael Rault Michael Rault is an up-and-coming, retro-style garage rocker from Canada who played a few great shows in Chicago recently. Windowpane – Mild High Club This Chicago/Los Angeles group creates groovy, trippy tunes that make it feel like the 70s all over again. School – Frankie Cosmos The daughter of actors Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates, Greta Kline aka Frankie Cosmos is making quite a splash in the indie world with her lo-fi music. Synth Song – The Symposium Elmhurst, Illinois natives The Symposium are making the music we wanted The Strokes to keep making after their first couple albums. Master Splinter – Heaters This Grand Rapids, Michigan-based group creates a haunting, modern take on 60s psych and rock n roll. Get Ready – Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band A great jazz-based take on the Temptations classic. Ace of Spades – Link Wray It seems like the guitar icon and rock pioneer never made a bad song. Catamaran – Allah-Las The Allah-Las instantly transport you to a far-off indie rock beach. Psychotic Reaction – Count Five A 60s garage rock classic.

When It Comes To You – Dead Ghosts The garage rock revolution continues with this great group from Vancouver, Canada. 100 Days, 100 Nights – Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings exist in a timeless space of great music. Most Wanted – Cults Cults’ incredibly catchy indie pop would be flooding the airwaves in our ideal world. So Destroyed – Prince Rama Is it world music? Rock? Pop? Psychedelic? This song is all of that and more. Lady Luck – Richard Swift Richard Swift combines retro soul style with a modern touch. She Ain’t Mine – Yoko and the Oh No’s Yoko and the Oh No’s are a rising young Chicago rock band that blends the glam showmanship of frontman Max Goldstein with down-home blues and rock grooves. Keep an eye on these kids, they’re going somewhere! No Woman – Whitney Whitney is a new Chicago band to watch, made up of former members of indie darlings Smith Westerns and Unknown Mortal Orchestra, with a modern country-soul sound. Ashes to Ashes – Alan Jenkins Dig this far-out instrumental cover of the David Bowie space classic – which we chose just prior to his recent passing. Goodbye to one of the greats. I Am Trying to Break Your Heart – JC Brooks and The Uptown Sound A Chicago band covering another Chicago band, but with a twist. Cinnamon – Cullen Omori The first single from the former Smith Westerns frontman’s new solo project.

Coming Home – Leon Bridges Leon Bridges is making big waves as a new retro-soul singer in the tradition of Otis Redding and Sam Cooke. One Summer Night – Ariel Pink Indie multi-instrumentalist Ariel Pink brings a variety of eclectic retro influences to his avant-garde pop projects. Hold Me Tight – Johnny Nash The first international Jamaican-style rocksteady hit song in 1968. Young Men of Promise – Yellowbirds Yellowbirds is our latest indie pop obsession – great classic pop melodies with modern electronic touches. Chinese Translation – M. Ward If you only know M. Ward as Zooey Deschanel’s partner in She & Him, be sure to check out his amazing catalogue of modern Americana indie folk rock. Dead Wrong – Hanni El Khatib A former creative director for a skateboarding company, Hanni El Khatib’s West Coast, modern blues rock style is right up our alley. Cassie (Won’t You Be My Doll) – Part Time Just try to get this 80s-tinged song out of your head. Everywhere I’m Local – Har Mar Superstar Har Mar Superstar’s neo-R&B gets under your skin and stays there. Ritual Union – Little Dragon Multi-cultural, multi-genre Swedish indie group Little Dragon is behind some of the most innovative music today. Women of a Certain Age – Arcade Fire This great reggae-influenced track from the world’s biggest indie band is from a new EP of their “Reflektor” sessions material.

Good Advice – The Growlers Southern California-based band The Growlers are a current garage rock sensation with retro 60s vibes that blend psychedelia, folk and more. Sutphin Boulevard – Blood Orange British indie musician Dev Hynes is an acclaimed songwriter for the likes of Solange and Sky Ferreira, and collaborates with a range of artists for his multi-genre project Blood Orange. H-Bomb – Night Beats Seattle-based, psychedelic garage group Night Beats are the perfect driving companion for dark nights and winding roads. Natural Life – Cool Ghouls A current band based in San Francisco, Cool Ghouls are proof the spirit of 60s rock is still alive and well. Mental Case – SKATERS We love the latest single from the excellent New York indie rockers SKATERS. Teenage Idol – Ricky Nelson Ricky Nelson singing about life on the road in the early 60s as a touring musician, something our boys The Orwells are learning about now. Animals – The Ghost of A Saber Tooth Tiger Remind you of The Beatles in their psychedelic era? There’s a reason – that voice belongs to Sean Lennon. Bam Bam – Sister Nancy A reggae classic from the early 80s, brought back to the mainstream on the TV show “Girls.” Thinkin Bout You – Frank Ocean Critically acclaimed rapper and songwriter Frank Ocean is definitely a musician to watch in the coming years. Trick Pony (Boys Noize Remix) – Charlotte Gainsbourg Charlotte Gainsbourg’s been singing since she was little with her father Serge Gainsbourg, and even as she’s become an acclaimed indie actress, her music never disappoints.

Maxwell Lewis Harrison – Joe Bordenaro Joe Bordenaro is a young up-and-coming rock n roller from the Chicago suburbs, the latest teenager coming into the roster of the current Chicago rock revolution. Everyday – Diane Coffee Foxygen drummer Shaun Fleming’s “psychedelic Motown” solo project is a ton of modern glam pop-rock fun. Ca Plane – American Breakfast American Breakfast is a current local Chicago rock n roll sensation blending a gritty 60s-style garage sound with lead vocals by a French woman – what more do you need? Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood – Lana Del Rey The queen of dark indie pop continues exploring her retro influences with a cover of The Animals’ classic. Wonder Woman – LION BABE A hot new neo-soul duo, LION BABE’s singer is the daughter of Vanessa Williams and the group is on the verge of blowing up with a full debut album soon. Over You (Live 1969 San Francisco) – The Velvet Underground A sweet live version of one of Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground’s quieter ballads that never found its way onto their studio albums. What – BRONCHO Another Midwestern rock n roll band, hailing from Oklahoma, BRONCHO helps to prove that most of the best garage rock today is emanating from the middle of the US. Enemy Destruct – Thee Oh Sees California garage-punk legends Thee Oh Sees are a sonic assault – the good kind. These Boots are Made For Walkin’ – Parquet Courts Parquet Courts are one of today’s best indie rock bands and take on this Nancy Sinatra classic with modern punk swagger (and a horn section). Is That All About Money? – Mountain Bike Mountain Bike is a current garage rock band from Brussels, Belgium with songs mostly in English and great energy.

Over Under Sideways Down – The Yardbirds Rated #23 on Rolling Stone’s list of greatest guitar songs. Why? Two words – Jeff Beck. Optimo – Liquid Liquid If you were in NYC in 1993, this is what dance punk with a Brazilian backbeat sounded like. Jello and Juggernauts – Unknown Mortal Orchestra Jello and Juggernauts, meet Whiskey and Bananas. Anunciacao – Caetano Veloso Hard to believe it was melodic songs like these that led to the legendary Tropicalia musicians political exile from Brazil. But in the late ‘60’s, it did. Shake & Tremble – Django Django Scottish beach pop that kind of sounds like the band’s name, all Django-Django-y. Growin’ Up – David Bowie The Thin White Duke covers The Boss. After Sunrise – Sergio Mendes and Brazil ‘77 La, la, la, la, la…Whiskey & Bananas is feeling very Brazilian this month. U.S. Blues – Grateful Dead “Red and white, blue suede shoes, I’m Uncle Sam…how do you do?” We love it when the Dead get all patriotic. Put Your Hands On Me - Joss Stone If Amy Winehouse is the Beatles, then Joss Stone is the Rolling Stones. Let the debate rage on. Lonely Sea – The Beach Boys A dark and depressing deep cut from the early BB catalog. Brian on lead vocals.

That’s Love – Oddisee This rap/soul crossover jam dips into Santana-centric funk while lyrically touching the soul. Get ready, we think Oddisee is about to blow up. Mercy, Mercy – Don Covay RIP to the great Don Covay who blessed us with this tune in 1964. Somebody by the name of Jimi Hendrix plays lead guitar here. Dos Cobras – Clear Plastic Masks Slowly builds from nowhere with a cymbal crash into a keyboard driven jam of twisted funk. Turn it up! Randy Scouse Git – The Monkees The Monkees get criticized for not writing their own songs and playing their own instruments. The Monkees wrote this song and play their own instruments on it. Miles – Barry Adamson This is an ode to Miles Davis from Adamson’s album Oedipus Schmoedipus, featuring the reggae rhythm section of Sly and Robbie. Eko – Fela Kuti It’s Fela, no other description needed. Amor – Julio Iglesias From the man who invented the term “International Superstar”. Current Carry – Vetiver Easy like a…like a Sunday morning. Yep, that’s what this feels like. Livin’ For Your Lover – Chris Isaak Rockabilly from the Bay Area off his freshman album, side 1 cut 3. Dig. Early In the Morning – Gap Band Best listened to in the AM with a cup of coffee in your hand.

In honor of Turtle Wax launching their new campaign- “Protect The Body. Free The Soul.”- we’ve curated this podcast to serve as the perfect driving companion, guaranteed to enhance even the most mundane of driving occasions. Comencemos (Let’s Start) – Jungle Fire Latin funk that integrates horns, a driving bass-line and a constant ambush of bongos. Comencemos! The Skies Above – The Equals Eddy “Electric Avenue” Grant was the leader of this group, and this is one of his more arresting, freaked out songs. B-Side of the 1968 single, “I Get So Excited.” Ghetto Love – Spinnerette Spinnerette is headed by Brody Dalle, a pillar of punk rock in the 90’s who then slipped into synth-pop for a while. This track came from the sole record the group produced. Gasoline Alley – Dave Grusin Heard in the 1969 racing movie “Winning”, this song was one of the groovy staples on the soundtrack. Nothin’ in the World Can Stop Me Worryin’ Bout That Girl – The Kinks One of the more undiscovered Kinks classics, the song didn’t get played a lot when it came out, but resurged when Wes Anderson used it for the pool scene in “Rushmore”. All Night Long – The Mavericks This is the first song off the Mavericks new 2015 album “Mono”, and is a sexy salsa tune that has influences of Latin pop, rock and the unique sound that this band brings. Down In Mexico – The Coasters As this unmistakable 1957 tune proves, nobody ever combined doo-wop, R&B and a sense of humor quite like The Coasters did. Shrinking Violet – Kinny Off the 2009 album, “Can’t Kill A Dame With Soul”, a soulful, dirty groove anthem. Viol – Gesaffelstein After listening to over three-hundred tracks, we finally selected this driving beat from French DJ, Gesaffelstein as the theme for the new Turtle Wax campaign. Free your soul, baby! Wolverton Mountain – Claude King Coming from the collaborative efforts of King and Merle Kilgore, this 1962 hit is pure country corn. Potential suitors of Clifton Clowers’ daughter, beware!

“A guy walks into a bar and requests a copy of the playlist that he’s hearing. Each playlist that I’ve curated for the Avalon Hotel in Beverly Hills has easily over 1,000 songs on it, plus they’re only on the hotel’s iPod. There isn’t some master on my computer at home. How the hell do you share something like that? Beats the hell outta me. So then he asks if I could do a playlist for his works’ website. Sure, I can do that. Only ten songs? WTF?! Difficult. I knew I wanted to have The Woman In Love cover on there, but also knew that I couldn’t do a COVERS PLAYLIST, because someone already beat me to the punch. The song I was digging the most at the time was PLANETARY PASSION, so I knew I wanted that on there. Those were my building blocks. I figured that the new Aqualung song would be a great way to start it off, and now just had to link the tunes. This is what I did.” Jason Karcut, Avalon Hotel & On the Rocks Vol. 3 Guest DJ On The Rocks Vol. 3 Eggshells (Feat. Lianne La Havas) – Aqualung Pilgrim (MS MR Remix) – MØ Your Love (Feat. N* Grandjean) – The Avener Heartbreak Reputation (Drop Out Orchestra Remix) – Dublin Aunts Planetary Passion (Feat. Culturgen) – Bondeye Live Those Days Tonight – Friendly Fires World Don’t Shine - Southern Ohio – honeyhoney No Diggity – Chet Faker Woman In Love – The Bluetones

Always the Same - Donny Hathaway This combination of gospel and jazz is what soul is all about. Picking Wild Mountain Berries - Kurt Wagner and Cortney Tidwell The guy from Lambchop teams ups with the sweet-singing Cortney Tidwell for some old-school country fun. Figure it Out - Royal Blood Believe it or not, that wall of sound you’re hearing is coming from nothing but drums, a bass guitar and a ton of attitude. San Francisco - Johnny Hallyday The Summer of Love anthem sung by the man known as “The French Elvis”. Made perfect sense to us, too. Love Theme From Spartacus - Yuseef Lateef Released in 1961, this soft jazz hit was one of the many iconic numbers to come from the multi-talented artist. Runaway Boys - Stray Cats These Long Island bad buys were part of the original MTV generation – with piled-high pompadours and a new wave rockabilly sound. Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand) - Irma Thomas This 1964 release plays a pivotal part in an episode of the brilliant BBC series, “Black Mirror”. We heard it there and knew it had to be included in our next W&B playlist. Elvis’ Flaming Star – Pond Three band members from Tame Impala, this off their fifth album - an impressive blend of psychedelic and modern rock. I Want You - Universal Togetherness Band Straight out of Chicago’s Columbia College, this group’s sound encompassed funk, soul, blues, jazz, and rock in the late 1970’s. Look What They’ve Done To My Song, Ma - The New Seekers Before this Australian group taught the world to sing or bought them a Coke they recorded this forgotten gem.

Shoop - Salt-N-Pepa One of many hits from the first all female rap group who met while working at Sears. Life Of Sin- Sturgill Simpson Simpson took an eight-year music break to work in a rail yard. Outlaw country is back. Let There Be Drums - Sandy Nelson As James Brown once said, “give the drummer some!” Let’s do that. Drive By Buddy - Black Lips One of the wildest bands to ever come from the Peach State. Sounds like the Stones with a psychedelic twist. Forgiven/Forgotten - Angel Olsen Off Olsen’s first full album, Burn Your Fire For No Witness (2014). Beautiful blend of indie and folk. Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’- Loretta Lynn One of almost seventy Lynn tracks that helped her rule the charts in the 60s & 70s. All-time classic from an all-time country great. You Give Me Something - Jamiroquai Hard name to spell, easy music to listen to. Channels the 70s with a mix of funk, soul and house rhythm. Antipatriarca - Ana Tijoux Latin pop from this French-Chilean artist. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy - Cannonball Adderley Mercy, the horns on this soulful track will knock you back to ‘66. Double Vision - Foreigner This track came out in 1978. The band is touring in 2014. That’s five decades. Five.

Alone Again Or - Love The opening track (and one of only two not written by Arthur Lee) from Love’s opus, “Forever Changes.” The mariachi horns put it over the top. The Fife Piper – The Dynatones A little soul flute courtesy of the Hanna-Barbera record label. Yes, the Flintstones’ Hanna-Barbera. Boys Are Fine – Smith Westerns From Chicago’s own - girls know what boys want and clearly, boys will be boys. Like A Ship – Pastor T.L. Barrett and the Youth For Christ Choir From 1971 - A holy grail of gospel soul from the Southside of Chicago. Son De La Loma – Trio Matamoros A letter put to song from son to mother. The fact that this recording is over sixty years old only makes it more haunting. The Trip - Donovan This hippy, dippy, trippy Donovan tune could be interpreted different ways - drugs or a nightclub in LA called The Trip, depending on how your mind works. Change Of The Guard – Steely Dan Cut 4, side 2 of ‘Can’t Buy A Thrill’ that got lost in a stream of hits from side 1. Fugue State – The Funk Ark Brand new Jazz/Afrobeat from the D.C. based seven-piece ensemble. Who knew the nation’s capitol could be so funky? Baby Don’t Go – Sonny & Cher Follow up to ‘I Got You Babe’ – that Sonny Bono sure knew how to write a pop song. Teenage Kicks - Undertones Northern Irish punk from ‘77. Nobody does punk like the Irish do punk.

Nothing But A Heartache – The Flirtations 1968 Southern California soul. Feel – Ty Segal Bay Area pop perfection. Wolf Teeth – JD McPherson What do you get when you mix Fats Domino, Led Zeppelin, The Pixies and Little Richard? What Is Hip? – The Juju Orchestra Connonball Adderly once said, “Hippness is not a state of mind, it’s a fact of life.” The Juju Orchestra agrees. And so do we. (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding – Nick Lowe Original pub rock, from the guy who wrote it. (Sorry, Elvis.) Screws Get Loose – Those Darlins Nashville, TN never sounded so good. Be Thankful For What You Got – William De Vaughan The backstory - "A Cadillac Don't Come Easy" eventually re-written to become "Be Thankful for What You Got". Work Song – Tito Puente and His Orchestra Bill Murray’s character in Stripes was infatuated with Tito Puente – here’s one reason why. Long Way To Go – Alice Cooper You just gotta love this to death. Add Some Music To Your Day – The Beach Boys Leave it to the world’s most harmonious group to say it straight - everything is better with music.

Born In The 50’s - The Police More specifically, October 2, 1951. Sting’s Baby Boom anthem. Beggin’ - Madcon Popularized by The Four Seasons in ’67 and then covered in ’07 by this Norwegian hip-hop band. Moody Trudy - Giorgio Moroder Inspiration…clearly The Beach Boys. Animal Of One - The Fresh & Onlys Two lane highway, middle of nowhere, top down and something bad is going to happen. Go Now - Bessie Banks Bessie Banks vs. The Moody Blues…we side with this version - way more soulful. Ponta De Laca Africano (Umbabaraúma) - Jorge Ben Just wait for the breakdown at about 1:31 - pure Brazilian soul. We Did It Again - Soft Machine Middle track, side two of their debut album in ’68 - written by Kevin Ayers. DWYCK - Gang Starr Do what you can, kid. Okie From Muskogee - Merle Haggard Late ‘60’s commentary on Middle-America from The Man from Bakersfield. Love Came Tumblin’ Down - The Monks Ahead of its time in ’65; we hear comparisons to what Vampire Weekend is doing today.

Wild One (Real Wild Child) - Jet Harris “i tear wings off of flies…” Bad boy stuff, 1962 style. Eu Sambo Mesmo - Gilberto Gil Summer samba sounds from a master. Season (Waiting On You) - Future Islands Four albums in and they finally hit it with this one. And boy…Samuel Herring can dance. I Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind - Art Freeman 1966 R&B single from the Fame vaults. Ain’t A Damn Thing Changed - Morris Day Yes…the same Morris Day. Make It Known - Foxygen We broke our “under 4 minute rule for this” modern opus. Never heard ‘ooh la la’ used like this in a song. Got No Money - FIDLAR “I spent my money on a fifty dollar Volvo” says it all. Do It - Neil Diamond And then Nike put the ‘’Just” in front. Perfidia - Trio Los Panchos From the internationally famous Latin trio. Puede que cavar? Yo si puedo. This Town - Frank Sinatra Words and music courtesy Lee Hazlewood. Phrasing…pure Frank.

I recently started blogging at http://astein94.wordpress.com about my favorite 80's music. I feel that I am an expert on 80's music, as I worked at retail record stores and a record label throughout the 80's. Having attended high school and college throughout most of the 80’s, this music is very near and dear to me. The selections here are a mix of 60’s, 70's, 80's and 90's songs covered by rock bands. The songs are a lot of fun; both unexpected and very faithful cover versions. I hope you enjoy them. Just Like Heaven - Dinosaur Jr. Hurt - Johnny Cash Happy Together - Filter Easy - Faith No More I Will Survive - Cake Baker Street - Foo Fighters Careless Whisper - Seether Do You Really Want to Hurt Me - Violent Femmes Under Pressure - My Chemical Romance Show Me the Way - Dinosaur Jr.

Cinco de Mayo – War  Once you hear the lyrics,  you’ll realize that this is not about the Battle of Puebla in 1862.   A Summer Thing – Cayucas  Indie pop from Santa Monica.   Salad Days – Mac DeMarco This Canadian rocker’s been called “rude, crude and obnoxious,” but he sounds like pussycat on this track.    (Give Me Back My) Bunty Bunty – The Bombay Royale Don’t be surprised if this band made it’s way into a Quentin Tarantino soundtrack.   The Jitterbug Waltz – Fats Waller The Fat Man at his creative best, this 1942 lullaby brought a little lighthearted respite to a nation at War.     I Got Stoned And I Missed It – Shel Silverstein  What else would you expect from the guy who wrote “A Boy Named Sue” and “Cover of The Rolling Stone?”    Sing A Simple Song – Sly & The Family Stone B-side to ‘Everyday People’ – could have been the A-side.   Highway Down – Black Bananas  Electric rock funk from Jennifer Herrema’s new outfit Black Bananas. Not like the Royal Trux at all.   So It Goes – Nick Lowe  Traditional pub rock from the master of pop – also the first single released on Stiff Records.   California Dreamin' – Bobby Womack R.I.P. Bobby Womack.

New York Groove – Ace Frehley Kiss lead guitarist, Ace Frehley rocked hard in ’78 with this solo gem. Ain’t Got No Home – Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry The ‘croak’ voice that happens at 1:27 is how he got his nickname – no auto tune here. Grape Peel (How I Feel) – Buffalo Killers From their album Heavy Reverie – meaty pop from Cincinnati, Oh-hi-o. Come Away – ESG From ’83 – we think James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem) owes a lot to ESG. The Beat Generation – Beat Farmers Mid 80’s Cow punk from San Diego. King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown – Augustus Pablo Rub-a-dub-dub. Free Walk – Melt Yourself Down Jazz funk pays a huge homage to Fela. Voodoo Lady – Ween It’s only been two years, but we wish these guys would get back together. All At Once – Ty Karim Dusty and raw, from the original “Los Angeles Soul Goddess.” Sit Down You’re Rockin’ The Boat – Sammy Davis Jr. Made famous in ‘Guys and Dolls’ – made more famous by the Candy Man.

My colleagues at OKRP have turned the musical reigns over to me this week. As a strategist, I’m inclined to use this playlist as some form cultural commentary; something like "this playlist is a parable of how labels and delineations like 'genre' are becoming less relevant to millennial tastes and musical preferences.” While that may be true, the truth is that for one reason or another, these are tracks that I feel. And because of that, I think they’re worth sharing. - Nate Civilian – Wye Oak  A two-person indie rock band named after a 460 year old tree.   Wait So Long – Trampled by Turtles  Accessible bluegrass.   Just A Kid – Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles Off the album HEAT. The band changed their name in November of last year to the way-less-cool “Field Trip.” Their music still rocks.   Love Interruption – Jack White  As love songs go, this is up there with The Rolling Stones’ “Dead Flowers.” Complex, conflicted, determined.   Mila’s Dream – Parov Stelar  Like whispering the secret password and parting the curtain into the “real” party.   Golden Age – Woodkid This guy used to direct music videos for Katy Perry and Taylor Swift. This title track off his debut album is shamelessly big, thoughtful and rich. Good career move, guy.    Bill Murray – Phantogram  Email marketers would appreciate the title of this track. Great subject line. Optimize open rates by 10%.   Strange Love – Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles  Track two from this group. Can’t get enough. Still hate their new name.   Scenic World – Beirut   Like if David Byrne spent a couple decades in Eastern Europe.     Red Eyes – The War on Drugs  Both a smooth and jerky track that begs a second listen (and third, and fourth…).

Emajer– Tinariwen From the album “Emmaar” meaning “heat on the breeze” - music from northern Mali. Whistle Song – The New Mastersounds British soul funk silliness Easy Easy – King Krule From Londoner Archy Marshall’s debut LP as King Krule Strawberry Letter 23 – The Brothers Johnson Originally penned by Shuggie Otis, about a girlfriend who wrote letters on strawberry scented paper Clean Up Your Own Back Yard – Elvis Presley A “message” song from the King Playing For Keeps – Elle King The theme song to VH1’s Mob Wives Chicago Johnny and Mary – Robert Palmer Still as infectious today as it was in 1980 All Around My Hat – Steeleye Span Song from ’75 with all off the elements to make a great song – separated lovers, interrupted weddings, and the inconsolable rejected lover. That’ll put a smile on your face. Tennessee Bird Walk – Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan With lyrics like ‘bald headed birds walking southward in their dirty underwear’ – they don’t write ‘em like that anymore Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance – Frank Zappa A reggae-fied version of the original Mothers Of Invention classic

Southern Girls – Cheap Trick Pure expression of raw rock and roll. This version with Steve Albini behind the board. Haxel Princess – Cherry Glazerr If you listen to SOCAL radio, then you’ll get the name - power punk trio from LA. How Gee – Black Machine Call it breakbeat or jazzdance, this track from ’92 is still infectious! Sahrah – Mehrpouya Iranian pop music from the early 70’s with Persian, Indian and Mexican influences. World music way ahead of its time. Crazy Horses – The Osmonds Heavy rock from the last family you’d expect to get heavy rock from. Think Donny Osmond was wearing Deep Purple socks for this one. Spread Your Soul – El Michels Affair Just chill. Istanbul (Not Constantinople) – The Four Lads This song from ’53 sounds a lot like Irving Berlin’s ‘Puttin’ On The Ritz’ in ’29 but really a response to Paul Whiteman and his song ‘C-O-S-T-A-N-T-I-N-O-P-L-E’ from ‘28 . Cold Stare – Dead Ghosts Don’t most dead ghosts give cold stares? Garage pop from Vancouver. Hard Luck Woman – The Hold Steady The Replacements did it with Black Diamond and now their Minnesota brethren are doing this killer KISS song. Chico And The Man (Main Theme)– José Feliciano Bringing back memories between the years ’74-’78, the run of the hit TV show. Long live Freddie Prinze!

Hobo Rocket – Pond I Wonder If I Care As Much – The Everly Brothers Hot Knife – Fiona Apple Rock Creek Park – The Blackbyrds Gone Completely – Disappears Momentum – The Cook Trio Go Down Moses – Louis Armstrong Lariat – Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks Help I’m Alive – Metric What Kind Of A Fool Do You Think I Am – Tams

Tramp – Lowell Fulson Whistle – Sporto Kantes A Minha Menina – Os Mutantes Bitter Rivals – Sleigh Bells Cattle Call – Eddie Arnold Devil Again – Thee Oh Sees Groovin’ – Willie Mitchell Let It All Hang Out – The Hombres A Merry Jingle – The Greedies Tepache Jam – Terrestre

Transcribed Hi-Fi – Radio Announcer The way it used to sound. The Sad One – Eddie Lang Mule Skinner Blues – The Fendermen In The Wilderness – Those Darlins Furia – Furia Blue Pepper (Far East of the Blues) – Duke Ellington Sunshine Day – Osibisa Frontier Psychologist – The Avalanches Some Of Shelley’s Blues - Michael Nesmith Cherry Red – The Groundhogs Can’t Seem To Make You Mine – The Seeds

1. Record Shop – Jerry Lewis 2. Prisencolinensinainciusol - Adriano Celentano 3. Genesis – Justice 4. 20th Century Boy – The Replacements 5. Laundry – Antipop Consortium 6. The Horror – Sweet Knievel 7. Mississippi Goddam – Nina Simone 8. Why Can’t I Touch It? – Buzzcocks 9. Kibe Kibe - The Mombasa Vikings 10. Belle – Al Green 11. Connected – Stereo MC’s

1. I Wanna Dance (But I Don't Know How) - Skaters 2. Back And Forth – The Bright Light Social Hour 3. Ready To Go – Guards 4. Harper Lee – Little Green Cars 5. San Francisco – The Mowgli's 6. Last Of The Summer Wine – Palma Violets 7. Inhaler – Foals 8. Messiah—Dirty South Remix - Monsta 9. Sail to the Sun – Wavves 10. Where The Kids Are – Blondfire 11. Other Voices (Basement Version) - The Orwells

1. 52 girls (Album Version) - The B-52's 2. Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings - Father John Misty 3. Would That Not Be Nice - Divine Fits 4. King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown - Augustus Pablo 5. Shakin' All Over - Johnny Kidd and the Pirates 6. Lightning Bolt - Jake Bugg 7. Can You Get To That - Funkadelic 8. Royals - Lorde 9. Come E' Profondo ll Mare - Lucio Dalla 10. We Are The People - Empire of the sun

1. Do I Make Myself Clear – Etta James 2. Get Lucky – Daft Punk 3. Under The Flowers – The Orwells 4. Elephant – Tame Impala 5. Eye Know – De La Soul 6. Mizrab – Gabor Szabo 7. Paris Summer – Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood 8. Electric Feel – MGMT 9. Hot Stuff – Border Sound 10. Running – Baby Huey