the playlist: MAY 2021

1. Coldplay - "Higher Power"

2. The Chemical Brothers - "The Darkness That You Fear"

3. Brett Dennen - "See The World"

4. Piers Faccini (featuring Ben Harper & Abdelkebir Merchane) - "All Aboard"

5. Jose Gonzalez - "Visions"

6. Kings Of Convenience - "Rocky Trail"

7. Molly Tuttle (featuring Iron & Wine) - "You Don't Get Me High Anymore"

8. Pete Francis - "Sun Fuzz"

9. The Bamboos - "Ride On Time"

10. Lotus - "Citrus"

the playlist: NOV 2019

1. G. Love (featuring Keb' Mo' - "Go Crazy"

2. Michael Kiwanuka - "You Ain't The Problem"

3. Coldplay - "Arabesque"

4. Harry Styles - "Lights Up"

5. Flight Facilities (featuring Aloe Blacc) - "Better Than Ever"

6. Milky Chance - "The Game"

7. Rustic Overtones - "Black Shirt"

8. Grace Potter (featuring Lucius) - "Back To Me"

9. The Lone Bellow - "Count On Me"

10. The Avett Brothers - "Bang Bang"

the playlist: MAR 2017

1. Fleet Foxes - "Third Of May / Ōdaigahara"

2. Rob Drabkin - "Someday"

3. Satsang (featuring Nahko) - "Between"

4. Wild Adriatic - "Come Back Baby"

5. Nick Hakim - "Bet She Looks Like You"

6. Slow Dancer - "Don't Believe"

7. Future Islands - "Ran"

8. Maroon 5 (featuring Future) - "Cold"

9. Lorde - "Green Light"

10. The Chainsmokers (featuring Coldplay) - "Something Just Like This"

#reviewoftheweek / "Wish I Was Here" soundtrack

Zach Braff hasn't directed a ton of movies, but the ones that he has directed have contained killer soundtracks. Case in point: "Garden State," which helped to launch the career of Cary Brothers and bring The Shins into the spotlight in a huge way. The same is to be said for Braff's latest "Wish I Was Here," which is both a drastically different movie and it's soundtrack is a different sounding compilation. This movie and music is very different from Braff's first, imparting a very introspective and somber quality. The soundtrack features two great new tunes by Bon Iver and The Shins as well as a terrific collaboration between Coldplay and indie songstress Cat Power. In addition to the new tunes, Braff digs deep into the archives for classics from Paul Simon, Gary Jules, and Badly Drawn Boy, and even includes Bon Iver's hit "Holocene" as well. Newcomers, Hozier and The Head And The Heart also contribute to the album, with The Head And The Heart's song closing out the album and summing up the compilation in the best way. The only (albeit minor) miss of the compliation is the lack of the inclusion of "Tangled Up In Blue" by Bob Dylan, which appears in the film, but not on the album. Zach Braff knows how to curate music and this album is proof that not only is he a great actor, writer, and director, but has a great ear for music and how it contributes to a film, driving it forward and developing emotion and connection to the visuals on screen.

New Music Tuesday

New music out today worth checking out:

• Coldplay - Live 2012
• Kate Earl - Stronger
• Phillip Phillips - The World From The Side Of The Moon
• Rachael Yamagata - Heavyweight

THE 30 BEST ALBUMS OF 2011

1. Dawes - Nothing Is Wrong
2. Brett Dennen - Loverboy
3. The Head And The Heat - The Head And The Heart
4. O.A.R. - King
5. G. Love - Fixin' To Die
6. Dispatch - Dispatch EP
7. Bon Iver - Bon Iver
8. Matt Nathanson - Modern Love
9. Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors - Chasing Someday
10. Death Cab For Cutie - Codes And Keys
11. My Morning Jacket - Circuital
12. Sam Roberts Band - Collider
13. Trevor Hall - Everything Everytime Everywhere
14. Bahamas - Pink Strat
15. Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto
16. The Black Keys - El Camino
17. Mat Kearney - Young Love
18. Release The Sunbird - Come Back To Us
19. Bob Schneider - A Perfect Day
20. Needtobreathe - The Reckoning
21. William Fitzsimmons - Gold In The Shadow
22. Amos Lee - Mission Bell
23. Ryan Adams - Ashes & Fire
24. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
25. Chadwick Stokes - Simmerkane II
26. Barefoot Truth - Carry Us On
27. Mike Doughty - Yes And Also Yes
28. Zee Avi - Ghostbird
29. Jessica Lea Mayfield - Tell Me
30. James Vincent McMorrow - Early In The Morning

If you'd like to view and/or purchase albums on this and previous top 30 lists click here.

New Release Tuesday

New music out today worth checking out:

• Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto
• The Green - Ways & Means
• She & Him - A Very She & Him Christmas
• Matt Wertz - Snow Globe
  
  

CD REVIEW: Coldplay "Christmas Lights"

Coldplay has dabbled in Christmas music before, but only covering well known and classic tunes. This is their first endeavour into creating their own timeless piece of holiday magic and they have delivered something that will surely be on Christmas playlists for decades to come. Mixing holiday imagery through the lyrics with Coldplay's signature Brit rock sound, the song is as good as any original song they've released to date. Many great bands have created songs that have become instant holiday classics, and Coldplay has finally created theirs. This is a song that will be covered by many in the future, just as Coldplay covered holiday classics in the past.