Flotilla was the loveliest thing to arrive in my inbox last week, and they couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. I spent Thanksgiving day listening to this album (didn’t think Mom would be as into the Lupe mixtape), and was rewarded with a sense of calm, nostalgia and overall love. They remind me a little bit of a subdued
Land of Talk (also from Montréal!), and the beginning of “Court and Sparks” sounds just like this
Death Cab song I can’t place. In reality they are doing their own thing, with an incredibly dreamy lead singer, and wonderful lyrics like, “the motor runs loud/let’s me space out/ we don’t talk” (my favorite part of any roadtrip) and “I’ll stay in my kitchen, keep an eye on the stove/ and if you lure me out my house might burn/ and I might forget I ever had a child/ and will let all of the foxes in the house run wild” (just awesome). Often their songs shift and it’s almost like transitioning to a new song, which sometimes works better than others, “Charlie, I’m Through” features a banging little disco interlude towards the end. My favorite songs (though in reality I’d probably post like five if I could) all occur back-to-back, and would be perfect for a snowy night-time drive, the ultimate bliss.
Flotilla – Court and Spark
Flotilla – Charlie, I’m Through
Flotilla – Two Boys
Boy am I thankful for
Animal Collective. I was a little weary that
Merriweather Post Pavillion would be their last foray into pleasantry, but everything I’ve heard from the
Fall Be Kind EP is serious. Bonus for being the first band legally to sample the
Grateful Dead. Anyone who is into anything by Animal Collective has to buy this album. I’m really excited to see where their sound will go next. Throw these on before your Thanksgiving is bombarded by heaps of Dominican tennis players who judge you for not drowning all of your parties in
Bachata.
Animal Collective – Graze
Animal Collective – What Would I Want Sky?
Check out Twigz if you’re a big fan of these jams.
Ever since my initial introduction to CFCF, I have just been falling more and more in love. His latest album was one of my most highly anticipated this fall. It was really difficult to choose which songs I liked the best, because the whole album really reads more as a set than a collection of individual tracks. I found myself listening to it straight through repeatedly, and I think that’s really the way it works best, as a whole. The entire ride is a series of ups and downs, moments of dancing followed by ones of introspection. For me, this album couldn’t have come at a more perfect time, it reads “autumn” through and through. Listening to it is a remarkably calming experience, one that I think everyone needs to have.
CFCF – Big Love
CFCF – Letters Home
So I’ve been listening to CFCF nonstop for the past week or so, trying to write a review of his latest album (sometimes even harder to write a rave than a neg review, oh no, is that a spoiler?). Anyhow, Chairlift immediately follows CFCF in my library, and in the buzz that was “Bruises”, I nearly ignored all other songs by them. Well now, I’ve been listening to “Planet Health” involuntarily on repeat, and now it has become a choice to listen to it again and again. What a phenomenal song, that I overlooked for nearly a year. It’s pure catchy, blissful pop. Plus the lyrics contain some fire safety tips, beauty all around!
Chairlift – Planet Health
