Our friends in the band Cardinal Harbor suggested this playlist idea for us on Twitter last night and we thought it was great. Being that the weather is changing here in northeast Ohio from freezing cold to lava hot, we decided it’s time to start grilling out. Here’s a list of some jams we recommend you add to celebrate a sun that’s too hot, shorts that are too short, and some retro shades.
Ailbhe Reddy – “Fingertips”
-If you need some moving folk rock music, you can’t do much better that this track. It’s great for that mood of being out grilling, but also it will make you think about relationships and where you are in your life. It’s all about sensory images and it’s a really enjoyable melody with a fire voice to go with it.
Frills – “My Love”
-Yep, this is a jam. The way the guitars and vocals blend together is absolutely mezmerizing. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a rock sound quite like this, but I know I dig it. The whistle part gives it just enough a sense of “pop” that it really sticks. This is the perfect chill rock conversation piece you need in your life.
God Tiny – “Cosmos”
-My note calls this “blow your doors of classic rock” and upon another listen, I still feel that way. The guitars on this track will take you back about forty years. But more than that, the track just drips with the kind of attitude necessary for quality rock. Even the vocals will put you in mind of acts like Van Halen and even Boston. Great stuff.
Time for T – “Wax”
-If you like organs in your rock, you’ll dig this track quite a bit. Although more chill than some of the other tracks on this list, it’s still a sweet chill vibe that’s perfect for stepping out in the summer time for a bite. The vocal just feels absolutely believable. The synergy between vox and melody is really perfect – a rare feat in rock these days.
BATS – “24 Hours”
-This is a bit of a darker song and might not be your thing for a backyard BBQ, but it definitely moves with inspiration. If you hang on for the harmonics on the chorus, I think you’ll hear why I think it’s a cool cookout jam. It’s the track that will get your darker, more contemplative friends to ask… “who is this?”
The Dollar Bill Murrays – “The More You Know”
-Seriously if a meme could be a band, it would be these guys. Of course the “more you know” meme from Reading Rainbow is iconic enough. With a name playing on famous comedian Bill Murray and a rocking Queens of the Stone Age sound, how could you not like this? It’s aggressive and will get your head bobbing. The lead vocalist sounds pretty much exactly how you’d expect and indie rock singer to sound.
The Modern Times – “Keyholes and Birds”
-I don’t know what kind of music Mick Jagger would make if he was coming of age in 2017, but I’d like it would be something like this. I love everything about this sound. The guitars are great and the lead vocal is absolutely perfect. When the sound comes together, the chord progressions and harmonies sound so much like the 60s that you’ll think it’s a time warp. In some ways, it’s exactly what rock should be with a healthy dose of the 60s icons and a bit of 90s alt blended. So good.
Goodwood Atoms – “Into the Bay”
-This is one of the smoothest tracks you’ve heard all year, guaranteed. It’s like a delicious treat for your ears. There are layers of sonic goodness that bloom and flourish throughout the track. It moves with complexity like a kaleidoscope. It’s just so freaking cool. Like not Fonzi cool… like… blue and deep purple colors full of coolness and iconic energy. Totally dig this.
Johnny Dominy – “Mixed Up”
-Maybe a bit more Americana than some of the other tracks on this list, but it sounds like a backyard BBQ to me for sure. It’s a more storyteller song and it totally works. It’s about the uncertainty of trying to start a new relationship. Man, we’ve all been there. The songwriter on this one deserves a drink. It won’t make you dance, necessarily, but it’ll give you a Dawes-like contemplation about the world around you.
