Monthly Mix: The Playlist, September 2012

     It's always refreshing to feel the crisp breezes and to admire autumn's multi-colored backdrop. September sets the perfect stage for looking back on the wild summer

memories, but also for looking forward to what lies ahead in the fall. This month brought us a textured soundscape that includes familiar arena sounds along with a few chillwave beats to keep it fresh on those brisk nights.

     California's pop-punk heroes Green Day have launched themselves back into action on the college radio waves with the arrival of their first album in three years Uno! The first of what will eventually be a 3-part trilogy, this one offers up a heavy dose of pop. On "Kill The DJ", the band takes a trip into dance-pop territory receiving mixed results. They will hit Voodoo Festival followed by a west coast run later this season.
     One of the year's most talked about releases comes from London's The xx. The indie trio delivered Coexist which features a softer, lighter sound and blends in perfectly to our current surroundings. The second single "Chained" is a feathery cut about lovers drifting apart, and exhibits a stumbling beat until it finds its rhythm towards the end. The band will weave through Canada, the U.S., and Europe in support of the new album.
     Fresh off the heels of Battle Born, alternative rock outfit The Killers are making some noise of their own. The arena-rockers have offered up "Runaways", which finds frontman Brandon Flowers telling a story of wanting someone not to leave them. Check them out as their tour makes stops at some bigtime venues, including Madison Square Garden and Air Canada Centre.
     Autumn is one of the best times of the year, and also hands out some of the best music. This time was no different as the colorful array of sounds made for smooth accompaniment alongside the picturesque tree lines. As we officially say goodbye to the summer, we gladly throw on our jackets and head out into the cool air to enjoy the fresh scenery, not to mention the crisp music.


September 2012 Playlist


1. M83 -  Reunion

2. Minus the Bear - Steel And Blood

3. Green Day - Kill The DJ

4. Atlas Genius - Trojans

5. Passion Pit - Mirrored Sea

6. The xx - Chained

7. Yeasayer - Longevity

8. Brothertiger - Lovers

9. The Killers - Runaways

10. Freelance Whales - Spitting Image

11. Rubblebucket - (Focus) Oversaturated

12. Les Sins - Fetch

Check in every month for the latest in alternative/indie music.

Please try and support the artists on the FW Monthly Playlists!

For more, follow Steve Ferris on Twitter: @s_ferris     

Monthly Mix: The Playlist, August 2012

     August for some reason always seems like the unofficial end of summer. While the sun may have cooled off, the fresh tunes continued to stay blazing. In addition to awesome music, this month's Playlist also includes some of the year's most psychedelic and, for lack of a better word, bizarre videos.
     According to Two Door Cinema Club frontman Alex Trimble, their new album Beacon is "much more intimate, but much bigger" than the band's first release two years ago. For fans of the band, that almost sounds impossible. They delivered their new single "Sleep Alone" earlier this month, a track equipped with an action packed video. A string of European dates followed by a trip to the U.S. is how these Northern Irelanders will spend the upcoming weeks.
     Australian psych-rockers Tame Impala are also set to unveil their sophomore record in the near future. The band's Lonerism will be available to the public October 5th and features the trippy "Elephant" as its first offering. If the rest of the album sounds as good as this, we are in for a treat. Check them out as their November tour plows through some of the States' hot spots.
     The last offering of the month comes from the always experimental Animal Collective. The Baltimore group is back in action with Centipede Hz, one of the year's most anticipated releases. Often described as "music from outer space", the Collective boys did nothing on their new album to dispute that reputation. "Today's Supernatural" is the lead single and features an absurdly freakish video, which shouldn't come to anyone's surprise.
      As the last tunes of the summer come in, it's nice to absorb the sunny sounds while there still is a chance. The lazy afternoons are almost over as the calendar prepares itself for cooler breezes. August's Playlist features a solid blend of cuts that falls somewhere in between, which is a good place to be right now.


August 2012 Playlist


1. Purity Ring - Amenamy

2. The Lumineers - Ho Hey

3. Two Door Cinema Club - Sleep Alone

4. Bloc Party - Octopus

5. Cherub - Doses and Mimosas

6. Tame Impala - Elephant

7. Major Lazer - Get Free (ft. Amber Coffman)

8. Black Moth Super Rainbow - Windshield Smasher

9. Wild Nothing - Paradise

10. Animal Collective - Today's Supernatural

Check in every month for the latest in alternative/indie music.

Please try and support the artists on the FW monthly Playlists!

For more, follow Steve Ferris on Twitter: @s_ferris

Monthly Mix: The Playlist, June 2012

     According to Stephen Hawking, time travel is something of a possibility. If someone were to take a glance at the top of this month's Playlist, they might think they were in a time portal back to 1995. June treated us with mysterious happenings and Venus making a transit across the sun, which begs the question "was there something in the stars?"
     Two alternative rock heavyweights grace the top 2 spots on June's Playlist, much to our approval. The Offspring kick things off with their radio friendly "Days Go By", the first single off their new album of the same name. Not to be outdone by fellow 90's rock superstars, Billy Corgan and The Smashing Pumpkins are back in the mainstream with an impressive new record of their own Oceania. As Corgan sings on "Inkless", 'the stars are out tonight.' 
     Perhaps there isn't a more gorgeous and energetic frontwoman in music today than Grace Potter. Her rock outfit Grace Potter & The Nocturnals are fresh off the release of The Lion The Beast The Beat, a pop heavy collection of radio candy. They will be making festival stops this summer at RBC Bluesfest, Summerfest, and moe.down, so be sure to try and check them out.
    Brooklyn's Yeasayer could almost be described as "music from the future." The indie trio unveiled the first track off their upcoming album Fragrant World (August 20) called "Henreitta" earlier this month. With a jumpy beat and a synth friendly backbone, this one is sure to get multiple plays all summer long.
    It's always nice to get a healthy mix of old and new artists for the Playlist. Safe to say June lived up to our standards. With plenty of alternative rock and chillwave this mix weaves in and out of the eardrums perfectly on the warm summer nights, which would leave time-traveling hero Marty McFly saying "Whoa, this is heavy."


June 2012 Playlist

1. The Offspring - Days Go By

2. The Smashing Pumpkins - Inkless

3. Grace Potter & The Nocturnals - Never Go Back

4. Peace - Follow Baby

5. Ty Segall Band - I Bought My Eyes

6. Yeasayer - Henrietta

7. Beat Connection - The Palace Garden, 4am

8. Goldroom - Fifteen (ft. Chela)

9. Grizzly Bear - Sleeping Ute

10. Brothertiger - Like Water

11. Fiona Apple - Werewolf

12. The Temper Trap - Rabbit Hole

Check in every month for the latest in alternative/indie music.

Please support all the great artists on the FW monthly Playlists, whether it is buying a song/album or checking them out live!

For more, follow Steve Ferris on Twitter: @s_ferris

Monthly Mix: The Playlist, May 2012

     Although the summer isn't technically here yet, it sure does feel like it. This May treated us to sunshine, a fresh bloom of wildlife, and signs of new things to come. The same can be said about the musical offerings, which features an array of new sun-baked treasures.
     Canada is definitely not short on relevant music these days. Toronto's Metric exploded back onto the alt-radio waves this month with "Youth Without Youth", a glam-rocker that finds front-woman Emily Haines describing a new generation of youngsters who are neglecting their childhood innocence. As the summer nears, this message seems to be very much appropriate. Their new album Synthetica is available for download June 12.
     It's always refreshing to hear music with meaning, and this month The Gaslight Anthem delivered. The New Jersey-based punkers handed us an early summer anthem in "45", a track off their upcoming Handwritten (July 24) which features a soaring guitar riff and powerful vocals about moving on from a past relationship.
     Michael Angelekos, lead singer of electro-pop outfit Passion Pit, claims that there is more of a dichotomy between the lyrics and the music on the band's new album Gossamer (July 24). The first single "Take A Walk" is a departure from the group relying on their trademark synth grooves and gives way to Angelekos exploring themes of political nature, something we haven't seen from them before.
     As the weather continues to become more enjoyable, the new music seems to as well. We here will throw our sunglasses on, grab our mp3 players, and head to the beach to soak up the rays, and of course the fresh tunes.

May 2012 Playlist


1. Jack White - Freedom at 21

2. Metric - Youth Without Youth

3. The Gaslight Anthem - 45

4. Silversun Pickups - Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings)

5. White Arrows - Roll Forever

6. Passion Pit - Take A Walk

7. Happy Hands Club - Astrology

8. Friends - Mind Control

9. Hot Chip - Night & Day

10. St. Lucia - Closer Than This

11. Animal Collective - Honeycomb

12. B.o.B - So Good

Check in every month for the latest in alternative/indie music.

Please support all the amazing artists featured on FW's Monthly Playlists!

For more, follow Steve Ferris on Twitter: @s_ferris