Month: March 2019

Wrap up the month of March with yet another collection of dynamic and fun tracks. This particular set of songs also has plenty of energy to spare, which can be pretty great inspiration as you prepare for the weekend. The dynamic duo of Aly & AJ are back again with a new one I’d recommend checking out. It’s been fascinating to watch (and hear) the evolution of morgxn over the last year or so, and his latest single marks yet another bold leap forward. Then you can listen to another new song from Olivia O’Brien, who has really impressed me with her latest batch of singles. She’s got a debut album coming out at the end of the month and you may want to keep it on your radar. Of course there’s even more new music past the jump, including tracks from Blood Cultures, Daniella Mason, Dog Blood, Jai Wolf (ft. Dresage), LIFE, OMB Peezy (ft. Boosie Badazz), Yoke Lore, Zaia, and a special tribute to the Godfather of House Music and Chicago’s own Frankie Knuckles.

Aly & AJ – Church

morgxn – Holy Water

Olivia O’Brien – Just Friends

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It’s the middle of the week, but that doesn’t mean it’s too early for a Club Night. Great to have a new track from them leading off today’s Pick Your Poison. There’s also a pretty great new one from Drugdealer (ft. Weyes Blood), and Flume also returns with a selection from his new mixtape (ft. Reo Cragun). Those highlights aside, you can find even more music after the jump, including tracks from C Duncan, Danny Matos, Emotional Oranges, Gramatik (ft. ProbCause), Kornel Kovacs, Inspired & the Sleep, Isaac Dunbar, Reaches, and Second Still.

Club Night – Path

Drugdealer – Honey (ft. Weyes Blood)

Flume – Friends (ft. Reo Cragun)

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The Lollapalooza 2019 lineup officially dropped yesterday, and it’s a weirdly fascinating snapshot of the music industry today. Headliners include Ariana Grande, Childish Gambino, Twenty One Pilots, The Strokes, Tame Impala, Flume, The Chainsmokers, and J Balvin. The undercard is where it gets really interesting, in my opinion. Notable names include Kacey Musgraves,Janelle Monae, Hozier, Gary Clark Jr., Tenacious D, Death Cab for Cutie, H.E.R., Maggie Rogers, King Princess, Fitz & the Tantrums, Rosalia, Mitski, J.I.D, Japanese Breakfast, Sharon Van Etten, Bishop Briggs, Yaeji, Lennon Stella, Tierra Whack, and like 150 more names. 4-day passes are on sale now for $340 (+fees), along with VIP and Platinum tier tickets. Single day tickets will go on sale presumably when 4-day passes sell out. Check out the full lineup and buy your wristbands over at Lollapalooza.com.

Another artist on the Lolla lineup this year is Hayley Kiyoko, and she lends some guest vocals to a Kailee Morgue track that you can find after the jump below. As for the top tier of today’s Pick Your Poison, please do check out new songs from John Vanderslice, Negative Gemini, and pronoun. All three are pretty great. There’s plenty more great stuff after the jump too, including tracks by Black Pistol Fire, Maggie Lindemann, Ocelot, RYAN Playground, Showtek (ft. Leon Sherman), ShunGu (ft. Pink Siifu), Swimming Bell, and VASSY.

John Vanderslice – Spectral Dawn

Negative Gemini – Different Color Hair

pronoun – temporary tantrum

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While we patiently wait for the Lollapalooza 2019 lineup to finally drop, let me distract you with a fresh collection of tracks in today’s Pick Your Poison. The highlights in this set come from Bandopop (ft. Quando Rondo), Crywolf, and a Bjorn Yttling (of Peter Bjorn and John) remix of a George Michael cover from Taken By Trees (aka Victoria Bergsman, who you may know from her guest vocals on the PB&J song “Young Folks”). Great times all around. Don’t stop there though, because you’ll find even more music after the jump from Alawn & Dyson, BLU J (ft. New Haven), Empath, Lust for Youth, Novaa, Riot Ten & Stoutty (ft. Bok Nero), Social Club Misfits, Vera Hotsauce, and Wasuremono.

Bandopop – Good Die Young (ft. Quando Rondo)

Crywolf – FAWN

Taken By Trees – Carless Whisper (George Michael cover) [Bjorn Yttling Remix]

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Get a dose of Gurr to kick off this edition of Pick Your Poison. Follow it up with some Jenny Lewis in preparation for her new album. Then take a chance on Lennon Stella, who’s profile has absolutely been on the rise these last few months. Slip past the jump for even more tracks from Autograf (ft. John Splithoff), Bedouin Soundclash, diveliner, Jai Wolf, Lil Keed (ft. Offset), Lil West (ft. Tommy Genesis), QUIX & LUCA LUSH (ft. Yung Bambi), Young Bombs, and more!

Gurr – Fake News

Jenny Lewis – Wasted Youth

Lennon Stella – BITCH (takes one to know one)

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Today’s Pick Your Poison highlights are all about the collabs. There’s a new one from Beast Coast (aka Joey Bada$$ x Flatbush Zombies), who bring some extra guests with them. The 1-2-3 combo of Sia, Diplo, and Labrinth operating under the name LSD have released some interesting tracks from their forthcoming record, and you can hear another one below. Then SG Lewis teams up with Clairo for yet another song that just might be their best yet. Keep going past the jump and you’ll discover even more music from The Ballet, Blu Deliger, Deadbeat & Camara, HEZEN, Mat Zo, Roots Manuva & Doug Wimbish, SHiiVERS, Waterstrider, and more.

Beast Coast – Left Hand (ft. Joey Bada$$, Flatbush Zombies, UA, Kirk Knight, Nyck Caution, CJ Fly)

LSD (ft. Sia, Diplo, and Labrinth) – No New Friends

SG Lewis x Clairo – Throwaway

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Ladies and gentlemen, I come bearing good news! The lineup for the 2019 Pitchfork Music Festival has been announced! This year’s festival takes place from July 19-21 at Union Park in Chicago. Headliners are HAIM, The Isley Brothers (celebrating their 60th anniversary), and Robyn. Other notable names appearing at the fest include Mavis Staples, Belle & Sebastian, Stereolab, Earl Sweatshirt, Sky Ferreira, Charli XCX, Pusha T, Kurt Vile, Rico Nasty, Whitney, Snail Mail, Soccer Mommy, Low, Parquet Courts, Black Midi, and many more! Check out the full lineup, day-by-day breakdown, and buy tickets at PitchforkMusicFestival.com. It’s $175 for a standard 3-day pass, $75 for a standard single day, with a special PLUS tier that will run you $375 for a 3-day and $160 for a single day ticket. Yes, you should go! The music is great and so are the people. Cannot recommend it enough.

Some other things I can’t recommend enough? Tracks in today’s edition of Pick Your Poison. My feelings on Marshmello are mixed at best, but his collaboration with CHVRCHES is much more enjoyable than I anticipated. Similarly, Meg Myers may be a solid singer and songwriter, but I wouldn’t necessarily trust her to do justice to the Kate Bush classic “Running Up That Hill.” Yet Myers nails it on a level that many others have tried and failed in the past. Plus, there’s a new song from Patio and I just really like that band. Skate past the jump for even more music from Baker Grace, Claude Fontaine, E.Parker, Gemma, Greys, Paige Stark, Paris Youth Foundation, Shadient, and Chicago’s own Walking Bicycles.

Marshmello – Here With Me (ft. CHVRCHES)

Meg Myers – Running Up That Hill (Kate Bush cover)

Patio – New Reality

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Can we still call Andrew Bird a Chicagoan? He was born in the area and lived in the city for most of his life, but he’s also been calling Los Angeles home for the last several years. Born and raised has to count for something. If that’s the case, then all of the artists in today’s Pick Your Poison highlights have deep Chicago roots. That includes Andrew Bird of course, but also local groups Dehd and FACS (ex-Disappears). Cruise on past the jump to hear more music from less local Chicago artists, like J.PERIOD (ft. Dead Prez, Sa-Roc, & Maimouna Youssef), Kornel Kovacs, Nick Murphy (fka Chet Faker), Oberst & Buchner, Ohtis, Qasim Naqvi, Snow Ghosts, Trace Mountains, and Young & Sick.

Andrew Bird – Manifest

Dehd – Lucky

FACS – Total History

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