Downbeat.fm Vol. 1 Track 7 - July 2020
I feel like every month this newsletter starts out the same - disbelief with how far we are into this year while simultaneously not knowing how we got here.
By this point this year I should have seen (at least - I can't remember the whole list) Tennis, Brian Fallon, Soccer Mommy, Spanish Love Songs, King Buzzo, Wavves, Pup, Best Coast, and who knows how many bands that I could have seen with s SXSW music wrist band. I love going to shows. Moving to Austin was so awesome because there are so many music venues with shows every night. The first year we lived here I saw at least one show a month - all at small indie clubs that are sadly starting to close their doors forever because of this pandemic. That really bums me out. I hope they are able to reopen in some form and most importantly, remain independent.
Want to help these indie venues? Well, you can. Write to your representatives. Save Our Stages makes this very easy.
I hope you're safe, I hope you're staying home, practicing social distancing when you have to go out, and as always, wearing a mask and washing your hands.
Also in this issue, you'll notice a new design! I'm using a different platform for this newsletter now, and hopefully, you like this change and the changes to come!
Now, on to the music.
July's Playlist
This month's playlist features Soccer Mommy, Sevendust, My Morning Jacket, Curtis Harding, and much more.
Listen to this month's playlist on:
Featured Songs
Drive by Soccer Mommy - (Apple Music / Spotify)
I've been a fan of Soccer Mommy for a while, and the more I listen to her the more I love her music. Her cover of The Cars' "Drive" is so very good.
Till the End by Curtis Harding - (Apple Music / Spotify)
This song has a great 70s throwback sound but is still incredibly modern.
The Day I Tried to Live - (Apple Music / Spotify)
Sevendust is a band that I somehow forget about and I don't know how or why. Their album Animosity is so incredibly good, and I think Lajon Witherspoon one of the best voices in rock and roll. Their cover of Soundgarden's "The Day I Tried to Live" is so good and is a great honor to Chris Cornell.
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Other Listening & Quick Links
I'm a huge Rilo Kiley and Jenny Lewis fan and just recently they announced that their debut album will be available for the first time on vinyl and streaming services. I scooped this pre-order up immediately. Also a bit of Rilo Kiley trivia that I didn't know, Dave Foley helped fund the recording of this album after seeing them perform at a club in LA.
I love the emo revitalization that has been happening over the past handful of years - which you may be able to tell by some tracks on these playlists. Here's a Spotify playlist of "emo minimalism" songs from this Mel Magazine article.
The New Jersey Pop Punk Archives created a short Soundcloud playlist of some New Jersey punk bands covering some of their favorite songs from other New Jersey punk bands.
Depending on the song and the band doing the cover, The AV Club's Undercover series can be really good. Here is a fun cover of A-Ha's "Take on Me" by Lake Shore Drive. It's got a little funk, a little soul, a little Latin/Caribbean with an awesome trumpet sound throughout - which if you know me, you know I love horns in rock music.
