Weekly Playlist 6/19

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.

We’re starting strong with an eight-minute beast this weekend, “Gunslinger’s Glory” by The Dead South, a band aptly described as Mumford & Sons’ evil twins. Like banjo, but with a little more attitude, plus some satire and “wait, what did he just say” lyrics? You’ll love The Dead South.

It’s a bit odd going from the banjos of The Dead South to the post-punk sounds of The Smiths on “How Soon Is Now?” but the moods are similar enough that it works — the latter has a bit of a darker edge to it, and that mood continues with “Darling Nikki,” one of Prince’s more explicit songs. And a great one, at that.

Things get more fun after that and generally stay that way, starting with Fleetwood Mac’s “Second Hand News,” one of the few Rumours tracks that wasn’t a huge hit but is still outstanding. Meanwhile, one could argue that The Knack hit has been overplayed over the years, but it’s tough to deny how fun that riff is — and “Made Up Mind” by Tedeschi Trucks Band is the same, with that great intro.

At last, we end with the metal of German band Rammstein and “Radio,” a track more fun than one might expect.