| Song | Artist | Year | Pick | Genre(s) | Willis Notes | Gregg Notes |
| Earthshaped | Pickle Darling | 2025 | Willis | Bedroom Pop, Glitchy Folk | Lukas May from New Zealand, made this album by assembling individually recorded notes and sounds on the computer vs recording the performance of playing. It’s a weird way to go about making music, but turns into a unique glitchy tune that is part nursery song, part emo, but with moments of Eliot Smith angst. I tried to close my eyes and decipher the lyrics, but couldn’t. I think the song stands on its own just melodically, but is better while reading along. | A beautiful sound collage, that sounds intended for headphones and a candle-lit room. A great example of how artists today are able to use their ‘home studio’ as an instrument, unlike artists from the late 20th century. This is a double edged sword, ofc, but when done intelligently and creatively, it can be magical. There are def Elliott smith influences, which is so endearing. I can picture many outcasted, sad teenagers that would identify with Pickle Darling. |
| Airport Surroundings | Loney, Dear | 2009 | Gregg | Indie pop /Prog pop | This song has a suspenseful ending that worked itself up very cinematically. There’s only one other modern song I can think of like this, yet I can’t recall the band. The hushed intimate vocals serving the melody + subtle bassline groove / simple handclap beat require attentive listening. My first few listens in distracted environments did not yield a suitable impression. This particular song requires headphones and solitude. This is a new favorite for me, definitely listening to more from him. | Lately, while revisiting mid2000’s favorites that I’d left behind, I found some truly lost greats. So much music surrounds me these days, it takes hard work remembering ALL the little gems along the way. This song/artist was played a bit during our S*ALT projects, but never took off. To me, it was Postal Service meets Helio Sequence, with a tad bit of glitchy electro. The grandiose sound builds out of a minimal intro, eventually growing into a full blown runaway train – even bringing horns in, to great effect. Simultaneously tender and urgent. |
| Anything at All | Bachelor, Jay Som and Palehound | 2021 | Willis | Indie Rock, Dream Pop | Bachelor is a collab between Melina Duterte (Jay Som) of the Bay Area and Ellen Kempner (Palehound) from the east coast. They each have their own distinct indie singer/songwriter sound and in similar register, but their blend creates a unique chorus that chimes – this song builds instrumentally into a memorable swirling, lunging, wash of tension at the end | This is fun and interesting. I’m familiar with Palehound and Jay Som, and have even featured them on HFD, but I had no inkling that this would sound like straight ahead pop. It’s like they asked Black Keys to be their backing band, and decided to remove any pretentious hipster-isms of their solo projects. The 2:20 mark is outstanding – satisfyingly noisy and completely unexpected. That part makes the whole song! |
| Green Eyed Love | Mayer Hawthorne | 2010 | Gregg | Neo Soul /Retro fusion | I wasn’t sure what I was hearing at first. That Rhodes keyboard sound is so distinctive, used perfectly here for warmth and soul. Guitar solo pulls it into bluesy zone like Eric Clapton. My first impression was that he’s got soul musically, but wasn’t blessed with the voice to pull it off, using all falsetto in the tenor range – which can either be endearing, or tiring. But picking through his other songs, he showcases other vocal skills and the soul always shines through. This guy is cool. I see that he does a weekly livestream on YT called Wine and Vinyl, and his setup is sweet. He’s got a lot of charisma as a DJ, much respect. | A modern day Darryl Hall type: a white, blue eyed soul throwback that channels Curtis Mayfield, Smokey Robinson, and Steely Dan. The music is unashamedly retro soul, but never sounds like it’s trying too hard. Hearing the previous song, I was reminded of this forgotten little nugget I discovered during Covid. The organ is strewn across the music like foam on the ocean – allowing the groove to carry the weight. I love the tender falsetto too. |
| Shadrach (Joey Chavez Remix) | Beastie Boys | 2019 | Willis | Hip Hop, Jazzy Hip-Hop | The “Rolling Loud” hip hop festival aired on on Amazon, but previewing the acts, I just couldn’t relate to the foul language and similar beat/rap styles so popular today. There’s no subtlety or respect coming through that it feels like a creative dead end. Tho I remember similar comments about these guys when Licensed to Ill came out. I thought Paul’s Boutique was a satisfyingly diverse followup of funk/soul production with a touch of tongue-in-cheek The album version of this song was pretty good, but this remix really gives the song a new life. It pulls their rhymes forward and replaces the funk R&B vibe and dance beat with a little bit of mystique with the vribraphone and more downtempo beat. | Jeez, I NEVER HEARD this remix! I always had a love for the original, but this one is drastically better somehow. The beat reminds me of Gang Starr or Pete Rock, bringing jazz vibes to smooth over the rugged, shoutalong vocals of the Beasties. That dichotomy is stunning, becuz it works so damn well. I didn’t jump onto the Beastie’s wagon until “Check Your Head” came out, but even then, I was a ‘fan’, but at an arms length. I think I began to appreciate them more as I got older, for some reason. But this was one of the OG songs that I’d revisit (along with “So Watcha Want”). |
| A Few More Kisses To Go | Isaac Hayes | 1978 | Gregg | Soul /Pre Hip Hop | Before reading your notes, this felt like a let’s “take it down a thousand” moment following Shadrach. But I get it now that this song has core elements that have been sampled, which seemed familiar in different ways. That wandering melody (had to look it up, hammered dulcimer) is so distinctive and familiar (like Charlie’s Angels TV show cut scene) It’s definitely a bedroom mood song – swagger that is so out there, it’s almost intimidating. | One of many songs that clearly ‘inspired’ 90’s hip hop. Famously sampled in Redman’s “Tonight’s Da Night” (and countless other rap songs), most people of a certain age had no clue the original source even existed. So when we eventually heard this, it was almost mindblowing. I’d put Isaac up against ANY single artist when it comes to the invention of the 90’s Hip Hop sound that changed the narrative of rap music completely. This man oozed sexuality. Even with his overt sexual advances, he maintains a certain level of vulnerability and humility – making him seem just like me (even though he’s got 1000% more confidence than everyone else). |
| You (II) | Subat & Ark Patrol | 2025 | Willis | Electronic, Indie/Alt-Pop | We have played Ark Patrol before (Brandon Gomez from Seattle) w/Fifi Zang. This collab with Subat (on vocals here) who is an LA based musician combining modern production with classical Afghan and Indian influences. His voice flies straight and carries along a light ocean breeze above steady waves of subtle electronic pulsations naturally timed with an intimate groove that we all possess. I could put this on infinite repeat and handle anything life throws at me. | I love this. I’m familiar with Ark Patrol, but felt blindsided by the vocals, which sounded like Damon Albarn! At first it feels like a Gorillaz song, but then it morphs into a whole other thing. I had to start it over after 2 mins, just cus I needed to process what I was hearing. I hear several other artist influences here (Porches, Jose Gonzalez, Hot Chip). I love the little acoustic doodling that would seemingly have no business happening in this song. |
| Halo | Depeche Mode | 1990 | Gregg | New Wave /Electro | This is a great song that I never knew the title of until now, nor listened to the subtleties of the backing vocals hidden in there. The dark chord progression and synths are foreboding and so fits the vibe of the album. I’ve only actually preferred listening to the whole Violator album through (except I only barely tolerate Personal Jesus) for the clean production. It’s like neat rows of silicon chips and resistors on a circuit board – song after song each with it’s own mood. | I’ve always leaned towards DM deep cuts for personal listening, mostly cus I’ve heard the hits “enough”. The ‘hits’ that I tend to love are the ones that missed the mainstream, but are still considered massive by core fans. “Halo” is every bit as good as Enjoy The Silence and “Strangelove”, but simply didn’t find chart success. Halo is basically a victim of being on an album with too many classics (Personal Jesus, Policy of truth, World in my eyes, Enjoy the silence, etc), but i’d argue this is their best song of the 90’s. The lyrics are on point too: “You wear guilt, like shackles on your feet. Like a halo in reverse” |
| The Hero | The Knocks & Dragonette | 2025 | Willis | Synthpop, Slow Jam | Dragonette’s Martina Sorbara from Canada. has her own pop music that seem less distinctive than her collaborations with electronic producers. This is from a whole album collab with the Knocks Ben “B-Roc” Ruttner and James “JPatt” Patterson that has mostly upbeat danceable songs, plus this slow jam. This is a crazy amalgam of 80’s/90’s slow jams from Prince or Pebbles plus strained female vocals like Pat Benatar or Bonnie Tyler. Even the bassline and reverb, melodic pauses, are like DNA of that era, but still the production has a touch of modern haze that keeps it from being totally retro. | Funny, I don’t recall enjoying this song quite as much when it came out last year. I think I wrestled with the idea of adding it, but then passed. I’ll admit I got this one wrong. The chorus reminds me of Robyn in all the best ways. I love the production work, which headphones truly accentuate. |
| Letter of Intent | Ducktails | 2013 | Gregg | Indie Pop /Dreampop | The guy/girl vocals totally work together even though they might as well be in different cities. The female vocals are flat and emotionless which remind me of Faded Paper Figures. The guitar work stands out, A unique keyboard “guitar” solo that has all the wah of a rock guitar but understated in loudness and punch The falling off echo-beat is distinctive. The bright synths, lightly plucked guitar, and flute solos give a 90’s new wave / sophisti-pop feel, while the female vocals pull into modern era with a 30k ft altitude HFD dreamspace. | The former guitarist of Real Estate that went solo after being accused of some pretty heinous assault related things by a fan, causing his “forced” removal from the band. The charges were dropped, but he continued solo, putting out records at a prolific rate. Many of his releases are hit or miss, but when he hits, it’s flat out amazing. This song is trippy and groovy, and the female vocals really decorate the song like a string of shimmery lights. You’ll hear the beat and know why I was inclined to like this in the first place. These last 2 songs are like peas in a pod. |
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