PLAYLIST: A Beach Boys Tribute

I made this playlist a while back, and I've enjoyed it way too much not to share it. It's made up completely of modern tunes that are, to my ear anyway, in some way inspired by the Beach Boys. In some of them, it's just the percussion that does it for me, in others its the harmonies or the production techniques - some are more overt than others (The Explorer's Club and Panda Bear), but a few of the subtler ones are real stand-outs as well (the breakdown in "Quiet Houses"). This started out as a sort of novelty playlist but it's turned into one of my favorite mixes from last year - I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

mp3: The Explorer's Club - Do You Love Me?
from the album Freedom Wind (iTunes)
mp3: Death Cab for Cutie - You Can Do Better Than Me
from the album Narrow Stairs (iTunes)
mp3: Department of Eagles - No One Does It Like You
from the album In Ear Park (iTunes)
mp3: Magnet - Wish Me Well
from the album On Your Side (iTunes)
mp3: Panda Bear - Bros (edit)
from the album Person Pitch (iTunes)
mp3: Animal Collective - Derek
from the album Strawberry Jam (iTunes)
mp3: Fleet Foxes - Quiet Houses
from the album Fleet Foxes (iTunes)
mp3: Okkervil River - John Allyn Smith Sails
from the album The Stage Names (iTunes)
mp3: The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
from the album Pet Sounds (iTunes)

NEWS: If you like good music AND making a difference, this is for you

Here are three things I love:

1) Bob Dylan in general

2) Jeff Tweedy's lilting voice

3) everyone's favorite choral chamber pop group, Fleet Foxes

You may have heard that these three things were combined in glorious fashion this summer as the latter two covered a song by the former during their recent tour together. Now, they're offering an mp3 of that little bit of magic for FREE over at Wilco's website - all you have to do is pledge to vote in the up-coming election (click here to go and do it). Classy on just about every front.

And here are a couple of other Dylan covers that I happen to love. They're both a couple years old, but are still pretty great. Enjoy.

Magnet (with Gemma Hayes) - Lay Lady Lay

from the album On Your Side (Amazon/iTunes)

Madeleine Peyroux - You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go

from the album Careless Love (Amazon/iTunes)