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Jun 14, 2019 Under the Radar’s Weekly Playlist By Charles Steinberg

When you can put together a playlist like this all from newly released music, it tells you something about the times we’re living in as music lovers. It’s really encouraging, actually.

1. “Degrees” - Stef Chura. Midnight. Stef Chura has muscle behind her songwriting and she’s definitely flexing here. Her label Saddle Creek is flexing these days too. See Ada Lea below.

2. “Hey, Ma” - Bon Iver. Hey, Ma. Justin Vernon’s line-toeing between poignant and triumphant is something to behold, and to cherish. No one like him right now.

3. “Conversation Piece” - Julien Baker. Red Door / Conversation Piece. Everytime I listen to Julien Baker, I just want to hug her.

4. “Ketones [Klavier Ambient]” - Model Man. Ketones EP. Let this one take you wherever it will. Paddle out for a while and surf on it like a board. When I hear tracks like this, I’m like “Yeah, man. I see you.”

5. “Seven” - Baroness. Gold & Grey. I owe this find to this week’s NPR All Songs Considered podcast and I knew nothing of Baroness, who has apparently been around since ‘03. A splendid repeat-delay.

6. “the party” - Ada Lea. mercury / the party. Yet another great pick-up for Saddle Creek. Keep going please. I’m definitely looking out for this album release.

7. “Deviled Eggs” - Mndsgn. Snaxx. This is that loop digger shit.

8. “Young Republicans” - Lower Dens. Young Republicans. Lower Dens has this unique facility with steady, intoxicating psych-pop, elevated by Jana Hunter’s voice, which is just mint.

9. “Uprising” - Magic Sword. Legend EP Deluxe. I first heard of this mysterious, I guess you could say goth-synth band out of Boise, Idaho from the former drummer for Youth Lagoon (I miss Youth Lagoon). He told me they dressed up in cloaks and masks and just wrecked shit. Uh…yes.

10. “Viggo and Diana” - Cliff Martinez. Too Old to Die Young Soundtrack. I really cannot wait to see the scene that this piece is attached to. From Cliff Martinez’s score to Nicolas Winding Refn’s new Amazon series, he finds a far reach out of the morass with this “Vangelical” wonder.

11&12. “San Francisco [Be sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair]” Instrumental & Vocal - Emile Mosseri, Daniel Herskedal, Joe Talbot, Micheal Marshall. The Last Black Man in San Francisco Soundtrack. I think it’s pretty powerful to listen to the instrumental of this incredible interpretation of “San Francisco” followed by the vocal song. It made me cry as I was folding laundered socks and that’s all you can really ask for. Emile Moseri has orchestrated a score that stirs the soul for an unusually beautiful film.

13. “Faces” - Devon Welsh. Faces. I just picture Devon Welsh’s eyes closed with his hand in a fist, feeling every word. I’m so thankful he is still making music post-Majical Cloudz.

14. “Populonia” - Mattiel. Satis Factory. It’s funny that I thought of Tarantino soundtrack music when I heard this and turns out Mattiel Brown [what a great name] was influenced by among other things, Tarantino soundtracks…and Andre 3000. God bless her.

15. “Taqkal Tarha” - Tinariwen feat. Micah Nelson. Amadjar. Tinarewen is so fucking good and look to get even better on a guest-filled new album.

16. “Writing” - Bill Callahan. Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest. I both know, and have no idea how great Bill Callahan is, if that makes any sense. A song like this kind of sums the whole thing up though, doesn’t it?

17. “Coast” - Christopher Willits. Sunset. I love a good atmospheric ambient track and this new gem from Christopher Willits - now on my radar - has power behind it and the universe ahead of it.

18. “State Forest” - Burial. Claustro / State Forest. There is a place this guy goes, I’m not sure anyone else has been…and there is always a gorgeous dark.