[Landline playlist] Summer 2025
Ten songs for when it's too hot (or you're too sad) to even move
It’s very hot and humid here in southern Arizona right now, the time of year when one only moves if absolutely necessary. The new & old tunes in this playlist are some of the songs that have been calling out to me to be repeat-played during this exhausting monsoon season. Maybe they’ll be of use/interest/comfort to you too.
Following are some brief notes on each track, with Bandcamp links.
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all the best,
Jay
1. JB Paterson - “Another Day”
This beautiful, languorous song, like some shy smiling cousin of Ted Lucas or early Vetiver, got me on first listen when the soothing, out-of-time bridge arrived mid-song and somehow just hung there in the gloaming. That was a few weeks ago and I haven’t really stopped listening to young Mr. Paterson’s three albums since (this song is off 2022’s sublime ‘Springtime Is Coming’). Don’t know much about him other than he lives in rural Australia, outside Brisbane, and gosh, he’s got some tunes and the loveliest vibe.
2. Mohamed Alassane Karzo - “Mafelawen”
A recently surfaced treasure of a 2012 acoustic live recording (reverb, laughs, handclaps, group singing) in Niger from a Tuareg guitarist-singer-songwriter I am completely unfamiliar with, whose approach is much more universal folksong-oriented than the psychedelic trance rock dance party music we usually hear from that region. There’s some helpful background from Sahel Sounds label chief Christopher Kirkley at the bandcamp link, but I recommend listening first and reading later. An immensely moving, quiet anthem.
3. Doug Paisley - “Nothing Is Wrong”
This wry, immediately catchy number is from ‘Rough Master,’ a clutch of raw home recordings self-released a few months ago by this much admired Toronto singer-songwriter. Nothing is wrong: even the imperfection in the song’s rendition is perfect.
4. Willie Lane - “Figure in the Dune”
Mirage boogie by a humble guitar favorite of those who know stuff, stepping out on his recent album ‘Bobcat Turnaround’ with his first-ever vocals. Comfortably blurry.
5. Akron/Family - “Gone Beyond”
The famous mantra from Mahāyāna Buddhism’s Heart Sutra arranged as Led Zeppelin Bron-Yr-Aur-era riverside cosmic-folk, with bursts of those glorious Akron harmonies we all loved. I harbor some residual sadness about never getting this group of utterly committed adventurers properly featured in the pages of ‘00s Arthur Magazine; some things just don’t work out, I guess. My god, what a magnificent, unique band they were. R.I.P. Akron’s Miles Seaton, who died in a car accident in 2021.
An old (2004!) acid folk favorite from Espers’ debut album. Sunny and fried, moody and gorgeous, all in just over four minutes. Espers: another tremendously gifted band I wish we’d figured out a way to properly feature in Arthur during their heyday. Ripe for rediscovery.
7. Alexander Tucker - “Ghost On The Ledge”
A weird soother off 2018’s ‘Don’t Look Away,’ the middle entry in this Englishman’s trilogy of deeply underheard, utterly beguiling albums that might strike listeners of a certain vintage as existing in a wonderfully eerie sonic midpoint between Brian Eno’s early solo albums and Six Organs of Admittance in their ‘poppier’ aspect. Investigate! Hours—days!—of pleasure await you.
8. David Thomas and The Accordion Club (v.4.0) - “Busman's Honeymoon”
The late, peculiar and charming David Thomas (Pere Ubu), live in 1993 at the Knitting Factory in New York, on accordion, vocals and comedic patter, accompanied by guitarist Ira Kaplan (Yo La Tengo) and cellist Garo Yellin. The whole set is wonderful.
9. Michael Hurley - “1954 Chevrolet [live]”
The late, peculiar and charming Michael Hurley, in 2013 in Brussels, describes the life and fate of one of the cars of his life. One of Michael’s catchiest numbers.
10. Patsy Cline - “Lovesick Blues [Film Version]”
Seems like something Hurley would be listening to in any one of his vehicles, eh. A little yodeling always helps the unquiet mind. Hipped to this wonderful recording by writer-scholar Eddie Dean. Go Patty go!