Weekly Mix 5/15

Every Friday, I share the highlights of what I’ve been listening to over the course of the week, from old favorites to new discoveries. Playlist best enjoyed in order.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6OXak72If8aDnJHwiWNk0K?si=0eqltCSkSQGAwKQ_yVPZ8g

“Short and weird” seems to be the theme of these playlists as of late.

Whitney Houston’s fun “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” feels both appropriate for this moment and not — some of you may feel as Whitney does, longing for someone to dance with, but the song itself is designed for dancing and may just be a reminder that many of us are still stuck inside. Or perhaps it’s just perfect for a Friday night quarantine dance party, with The Proclaimers classic “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” following with another irresistible chorus and lyrics that are a reminder of how far apart we feel, or, in some cases, actually are.

We mellow out some with “Diving Woman” by Japanese Breakfast, with a cool guitar riff and breathy vocals, before ending with Quiet Riot’s famous “Cum on Feel the Noize,” a cover of the Slade classic released 10 years earlier.

For some weekend reading, with no concert announcements or reviews happening these days, some of the music magazines have been revisiting some of their old, longform content, like Spin’s look at the history of ’80s Breakfast Club anthem “Don’t You (Forget About Me).” It’s also a song with personal meaning for me — my dad was a big fan of that song and movie, and it came on the radio the day he died, I’m convinced at the exact moment it happened.