Swindletone
Nueva Musica
Music is Life
Decades navigating music, learning songs, instruments, playing shows, making records and curating collections earns me experience that I want to share. I'm here to make people happy. You will find lists, guides and stories to keep your brain engaged or, better yet, turn it off.
New Music Playlists on Spotify. Use the month and year to open with Spotify.
Grammy nominated music. Queens of the Stone Age is the best rock band on the planet, for my money. At least this month. A new album from The Smile though after NPR showed us how big their boner is for them I don't want to hear it yet. Raw Power came into my life again as it does every few months. I listen to Funhouse to begin the weekend often. More often than I see coyotes which is a delightful shame.
I must have been entranced by all the Grammy music because I never added more than a Steve Reich collection that I can't recall getting around to.
This is a typical playlist for me. Tons of new and old music from all genres and decades. From classical to grunge and everything in between. I found some new In Utero mixes to compare. Yeah, I'm that guy. I sit in front of my speakers or with big headphones on and A/B mixes. In this case I A/B/C'd Steve Albini's mix, the original commercial mix and a remaster. Every mix is great. I can't say I favor one over the other. Perhaps Albini's since it's the most pure. The MC5 came back into my life again. Definitely weekend music. What's weekend music? See the music guide below. The MC5 were instrumental during some formative music years of mine. I was in a band that covered "Ramblin' Rose." I think it's a shame that the censored version of "Kick Out the Jams" streams on Spotify so I went to Factory Records and bought it on vinyl. In two decades since I first heard it I never owned it. I love the album. Always will. I enjoyed an interview with Wayne Kramer from NPR. He passed recently. What a force of nature.
April Notes:
Rest in Peace, Malcolm Holcombe. I learned of his death this month though he passed in March. I posted a video of Instagram @swindletone about learning of his passing. Record Store Day is coming. Pretty stoked about that.
May notes: The month started with an intense focus on John Coltrane's A Love Supreme that led to creating a Coltrane playlist of some of my favorite stuff. The trouble with jazz guys is it's hard to know where to start. If you're new to jazz you can start with my "Coltraned" playlist. The end has one of my favorite jazz records, Milestones, which features John Coltrane as a side-man for Miles Davis' band. I'm not sure who did it first but these days meditation music is big. I credit John Coltrane with tapping into and turning people on to music as a religion with A Love Supreme. It's a jazz heavy month for me transitioning from Coltrane to Charles Lloyd and now Bill Frisell who has my favorite album of the month so far, Orchestras (Live) that features Thomas Morgan on bass and a full, yep, orchestra. My last order for the fiscal year here has some gems. Nothing I can think of off the top of my head but I'm interested in the new Slash record. I read that it's blues heavy. Jim Campilongo comes out of left field with She Love the Coney Island Freak Show and steals the show for May. I'm looking forward to hearing Ben Harper's new record that he says is "anti production" meaning he was going for a vibe rather than trying to please anyone. I'm into that. -G 5.23.24
The link to the latest playlist is above (Tap June 2024 Playlist). It is my joy to share music and discover new music. This month I took a road trip so I made a playlist for that. I drove from my house to the South Yosemite entrance in Wawona listening to a John Hurt recording session from the 60s. Road trip music is important. There's a Hunter Thompson quote that reads, “Music has always been a matter of Energy to me, a question of Fuel. Sentimental people call it Inspiration, but what they really mean is Fuel. I have always needed Fuel. I am a serious consumer. On some nights I still believe that a car with the gas needle on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio.” Not too much new music since I'm on a break from ordering for the library. I'm hooked on Miles Davis live, right now. I made a playlist of live recordings from both Miles Davis and James Brown. There's nothing quite like them. I listened to Justin Timberlake after I caught my friend vibin' to him in his mud covered truck. The latest Billie Eilish is killer. Bad Brains hit me hard again. Willie Nelson's latest is great too. I finally got hooked by The Grateful Dead. After reading some Hunter Biden clickbait I revisited Fleet Foxes. You see? Music is discovered in ways that are unimaginable. I didn't get to a lot of music on my June Bloom playlist but there's still time. Enjoy!
Well, last month was pretty intense for new music. That is, new music to me. Some music is brand new. Some is semi-new. All of the music on the playlist is new to my ears. The playlist includes the new Black Crowes record which was probably my favorite from last month. I also created a playlist called Classical Mode that is good if you need a place to start exploring classical. These are some of my favorite pieces. The Rolling Stones are hitting me hard right now. I'm listening to some of their live albums. What a treat! Much, much more is on the playlist. There is too much to remember so check the playlist to hear what I hear.
-
Sorry I don't post YouTube, Apple, Amazon or playlists outside of Spotify. My guess is if you really want to hear it you will find it. One day I will try to curate playlists across all streaming platforms.
Guide to Listening [Updated 4.4.24]
Listen.
That's all you have to do. You can drive, fold laundry, sing along or whatever you want. There's no right way to do it.
Go for it.
If you can, listen while completely still. Sit, stand or lay and close your eyes. When the music is over get back to your life. Make some new decisions or do something that the music allowed you to conceive. How can anyone sit still after listening to metal? I start to hunt jackals and lift weights like Lars Ulrich.
Try vinyl. It sounds and feels better especially the low-end. Can't afford it? Me neither. I'm kind of addicted to it. I go to the record store and drop like $100 bucks at a time. It's bad.
I can't listen to Neil Young, Cuban music, Ennio Morricone, or The Four Tops without the urge to write and play music. I don't like to be inspired but man, they get me.
Listen to as much music you can. Try the radio. It's still good. I live in Costa Mesa and the best stations on the dial are 90.3, Radio Suerte and 97.9, La Raza. I prefer Spanish speaking stations. I listen to 91.5, classical KUSC, almost daily. It sooths me. When you do things to classical music, like garden, stare at clouds or drive fast, it makes it more epic.
Try different genres. Try them all. They're like books. You never know what author is going to hook you. You never know what's going to speak to you so stay open. I had some music professors in college before I changed majors who opened up my mind. I distinctly remember multiple professors passing that lesson on to me.
Never disrespect a genre because one day you'll be in a restaurant when some random music will hit you and it will change your life.
Get some good, over-ear headphones or a good stereo. Don't break the bank. Airpods are okay but a sweet chair in a dedicated listening spot, good receiver and speakers are the best. Not all of us can afford that so again, see the beginning of this guide. Just listen.
If all you have is your phone you can still turn on some music and dance.
Play, sing or dance along if the music hits you. It feeds the soul.
I try to listen to new music during the work-week. I stole this trick from Henry Rollins. On weekends I listen to my favorite music, new music that sticks and vinyl.
The Beatles will hook you but Led Zeppelin is better.
Last, there are no rules. Make your own. Better yet don't follow any.
Turn it on, turn it up and freak out.
Let's Stay Together
Send your music offerings directly to me. Follow me @swindletone.
You may also join my mailing list. Did you miss that? Click here to join.