Tag: The Silent Years

PLAYING DETROIT: An Autumn Playlist

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It’s time to retire our summer soundtracks and dust off our pumpkin spiced selection of tunes that illicit all of the external change in season imagery and gives love to the internal shifts, too. Whether you’re tuning a new leaf or simply shedding an old one, here are a few Detroit tracks that celebrate sweater weather and the witching hour.

Anna Ash: “Haunt”

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Midwestern maven of Rocky Mountain sadness, Anna Ash delivered this brooding performance back in 2013. A little Cat Power, a touch Lucinda Williams and some wispy instrumentals and “Haunt” is pleasantly unsettling but all around totally beautiful.

The White Stripes: “Dead Leaves on the Dirty Ground”

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It feels equal parts wrong and right to include The White Stripes. Sure, everyone knows this song but does everyone remember it? Quite literally about the autumnal dance vs. a lover leaving (leafing? sorry.) is a subdued-rock heartbreak anthem but leaves enough space to not take itself so seriously.

The Silent Years: “Black Hole”

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Every time I get to compile a playlist I find some way to squeeze in one of my favorite, now defunct, indie bands from yesteryear (okay, so only like eight years ago but STILL). Sonically, “Black Hole” feels more Fall than Summer, and more transitional than stationary. A swirling existential crisis that grounds itself in its attempt to “escape inevitability” makes it a reflective prelude to winter.

Frontier Ruckus: “Nerves of the Nightmind”

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Storyteller folkies Frontier Ruckus are beautifully seasoned in exploiting singer/songwriter Matthew Milia’s broken poetry. Sufjan Stevens-esque, this soul-trip, magic hour road trip track encompasses the urgency to fulfill needs before winter, like a squirrel hiding seeds and nuts or like a bear making sure his Casper gets delivered in time for hibernation and chill. It’s sad, yes, but because its Frontier Ruckus it is filtered through hopeful resolve.

Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas: “Dead Brains”

This saccharine zombie-fied acoustic version of “Dead Brains” flirts with the hard to swallow but easy to celebrate moving onward and upward. It’s sorrowful but is without regrets. This version especially yanks on some Fall-time feels with its DIY sincerity and it’s unapologetic trekking forward, Jess and Co. make dead brains sound appealing.

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PLAYING DETROIT PLAYLIST: Detroit On The Road

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Sitting on an over-packed suitcase that refuses to shut (yes, I really did need five pairs of shoes) as I compile neurotic checklists, compulsively looking at ten day forecasts and somehow I am already missing Detroit: my beloved mother-ship. I’m hitting the road and heading west to camp in the Grand Canyon and some 27-year-old debauchery in Vegas as some ill planned rite of passage in honor of my birthday. I’m going it solo, but not without bringing a little bit of Detroit along for the ride to keep me company.

Iggy Pop and The Stooges – “The Passenger”

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My mom likes to boast that my first concert was Iggy Pop. She was seven months pregnant and claims that Iggy waved to her belly (that’s me, you guys)! This, to me, is the pivotal road trip song to end all road trip songs. As a Detroit legend and my personal savior of all things badass, it only seems appropriate to bring a little bit of Iggy with me to Sin City.

Danny Brown – “Grown Up”

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Okay. So I’m already imagining me rolling out of the Hertz car rental in my 2015 Ford Focus with this song blasting. If you’re from Detroit, Danny Brown is a household name and using his lyrics as punctuation is the norm. “Growing Up” is (quite literally) fitting for this birthday adventure.

Human Eye – “I Feel Mean”

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Since moving to Detroit, nothing compares to the ferocity of seeing Detroit punk band Human Eye live. This song is ruthless, raw and unrelenting. “I Feel Mean” is unpredictable and messy in the way punk is messy, but with enough control to make it insanely catchy. Frontman Timmy Vulgar is an icon and is undoubtedly doing it right. I’m eager to let this song bounce against some desert rocks (as I think about smashing an ex boyfriend’s window…or something).

The Silent Years – “Someone to Keep Us Warm”

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I was a ripe 18-19 when I was introduced to the Silent Years. I still lived with my parents but I latched onto seeing every Silent Years show I could. They were sincere and the songs had beautifully designed rising and falling, which suited my love of cathartic build ups and bands with lots of members. They were Detroit’s answer to Arcade Fire. This song was the first I heard of theirs and it still ignites something, which seems perfectly suited for my cold canyon nights ahead.

800beloved – “Go”

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Okay. So I really love 800beloved. As a friend and fan, I couldn’t think of a better song to chain smoke in my rental car to as the desert landscape bursts through my windows while talking to myself as both passenger and driver. While adding this to my playlist I am reminded of my long history with this song and the album “Bouquet.” Seven years ago, I was still living at home and just had my heart broken. I was never one to do spontaneous things at that age and always favored the safe route. But then this album came along and challenged all of that. The song implies a listlessness and a burning desire to leave shit behind and that’s exactly what I’m doing.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]