It’s the second week of my music diary, and to be really honest, I thought coming up with ten new tracks would be hard. Not so much. Within minutes of posting last week’s, I had already made up half of my playlist and it has been so stimulating for my music hungry brain. Yes, I am a little concerned about the upcoming week, but what I’ve found is that I’m planning to go to more gigs, looking into more artists and realising that my passion for music is never ending, so I really don’t think it will be too hard at all.
I have been a little cheeky and featured two songs from the same album, but they are both so beautiful and I couldn’t leave either of them out. The album is Pleasure, the latest release from Feist, who I had previously only appreciated from the soundtrack of 500 Days of Summer. Why I have never listened to more of her albums before I don’t know, and really, I would put the whole album on this playlist if I could. However, when it comes down to it, there are two songs that stand out to me. First there is ‘I Wish I Didn’t Miss You’, a track that gets you right in the heart. In particular, the line “Because how could I live if you’re still alive?” really touched me, not necessarily because I relate to it, but simply because the delivery of it is so powerful and breathtaking. The second track from this album is ‘Any Party’,which I absolutely relate to on so many levels. I may as well have written the bloody thing. It’s not focused on any particular element in my life, but just how I am in general when it comes to relationships. I can be very dedicated, and if there is someone I care about deeply I will always make time to see them, so the line “You know I’d leave any party for you” really hits home, especially followed up with “cos no party’s as sweet as our party of two”. It’s sappy and gross, but it’s true. Sorry about it.
Other tracks on this playlist are from bands that I have written about for Vulture Hound, such as Tashaki Miyaki, Fazerdaze, Bruno Major and Meadowlark. These are just a few of the artists I have continued to listen to after reviewing, and it’s things like this that make me love writing about music. It introduces me to new bands that I may not have even heard of before, and some of them are my new favourites. Reviewing the Tashaki Miyaki album was a dream (read about it here), and I’ve recently read this little interview in DIY with Bruno Major that has pretty much made me a mega fan, and I am super excited to see him in London next month.
Also appearing on this playlist are a couple of my favourite people. First up is Jack Steadman of Bombay Bicycle Club, with his solo project, Mr Jukes. I’ve loved Bombay for such a long time now and a big part of that is Steadman’s voice, so it was pretty easy to get on with his new work. It’s a little more chill, and simply so blissful. Next is a very recent favourite. Last week I mentioned my love for Foxing. This week is all about the singer’s solo project Smidley. Where Foxing are very emotionally strung, Smidley is much more fun. It’s a stark contrast but I just love both sides so much. When I listened to ‘Fuck This’ I found myself singing it over and over again with such glee. It is certainly something that comes into mind when work gets a little too much; an instant feel good track and somewhat of a mini anthem for me.
The final two tracks come from artists I just happened to stumble upon. Cass McCombs came up on my Spotify Discover Weekly (something I think is going to help me big time as the weeks progress) and I just fell in love immediately. Enough said. I was also sent a review copy of the upcoming Cigarettes After Sex album the other day and it is just so to my taste that I couldn’t believe my luck. I wasn’t even asked to review it, I just found it in my inbox, but maybe I’ll write a little something about it soon. The self titled album is out next month and if you’re a fan of Beach House, the rulers of all things dream pop, you are absolutely going to love it.
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Come back next week for more music finds and hit me up at Twitter (@samaanthamae) for any recommendations.
x
SAMANTHA MAE 
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