Devendra Banhart

All you have to do is look at a photo to know that Devendra Banhart is a weird dude. Long hair, bushy beard- it's no surprise that his music recalls the hippie/naturalistic elements of the 60's. But we're all in a new century now, and whether he's projecting naked pictures of himself during his shows, or wearing a skirt made of penises, Devendra is constantly blazing new trails. We'll ignore all the debauchery and stick to the music though. Yahplay is a religioufamily blog, after all.

Since 2002, Devendra has released five albums. What I hope to convey with this playlist is how he is constantly evolving his sound- from his early acoustic, four-track recordings to his more polished, eclectic songs of recent albums. Therefore, this playlist is generally set up chronologically, although I do mix up the songs a little bit.

The early bedroom recordings (notice this hissing and background sounds of cars passing and birds chirping) of Oh Me Oh My... The Way The Day Goes By The Sun Is Setting Dogs Are Dreaming Lovesongs Of The Christmas Spirit are followed by the companion albums Rejoicing in the Hands and Niño Rojo. His best work(s), in my opinion, the songs from these two albums were all recorded at the same time, but released separately. In the final two albums, Cripple Crow and Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Mountain, Devendra really expands, by adding a full band and branching out to explore new genres, including funk, classic-rock, gospel, and Latin American music.

Yes, Devendra is eccentric, and yes, for the most part, his lyrics are nonsensical. I think these pose as barriers that not many people are willing to overcome when it comes to listening to his music. Yet, for those willing to make the leap, you'll find his songs are consistently meaningful and full of emotion.

1) Michigan State / Oh Me Oh My... / 2002
2) The Charles C. Leary / Oh Me Oh My... / 2002
3) This Beard is for Siobhán / Rejoicing in the Hands / 2004
4) At the Hop / Niño Rojo / 2004
5) Hey Miss Cain / Oh Me Oh My... / 2002
6) Rejoicing in the Hands / Rejoicing in the Hands / 2004
7) It's a Sight to Behold / Rejoicing in the Hands / 2004
8) We All Know / Niño Rojo / 2004
9) Little Yellow Spider / Niño Rojo / 2004
10) Insect Eyes / Rejoicing in the Hands / 2004
11) Cripple Crow / Cripple Crow / 2005
12) Sister / Niño Rojo / 2004
13) Santa Maria de Feira / Cripple Crow / 2005
14) Tonada Yanomaminista / Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon / 2007
15) Lover / Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon / 2007
16) Little Boys / Cripple Crow / 2005
17) Seahorse / Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon / 2007
18) Autumn's Child / Rejoicing in the Hands / 2004

Total time: 66:19

Galaxie 500

Things I've learned about Galaxie 500 from Wikipedia

1) The band's members were rich and/or smart kids. They all met at the Dalton School (the model for the school in Gossip Girl) and then formed the band while they were all attending Harvard.

2) Conan O'Brien lent his drum kit to the Galaxie 500 drummer for their earliest recordings. Is there anything that gigantic redhead CAN'T do?

3) Thurston Moor called Today, the band's debut album, the "guitar record of 1988." Didn't Daydream Nation come out in 1988? Don't be so modest, Thurston.

4) Galaxie 500 covered a lot of songs. Seven of the 14 songs on this playlist are cover songs!

For those unfamiliar with Galaxie 500, this playlist should serve as a terrific introduction to the band's three albums. But for heaven's sake, go out and illegally download On Fire if you've never listened to it. Those more familiar with the band might be surprised by this playlist, as it highlights the excellent guitar chops of guitarist Dean Wareham and the band's propensity to engage in extended, blissful guitar solos and jamming. Galaxie 500, much to my surprise, is a band that rocks, and this playlist focuses on those songs that reflect the heavy side of the band. It just so happens that those songs tend to be the band's best songs as well.

Enjoy!

1. Ceremony / Blue Thunder EP / 1990
2. Fourth of July / This Is Our Music / 1990
3. Parking Lot / Today / 1988
4. Crazy / Uncollected / 2004
5. Strange / On Fire / 1989
6. Listen, The Snow Is Falling / This Is Our Music / 1990
7. Final Day / Uncollected / 2004
8. Isn't It A Pity / On Fire / 1989
9. Instrumental / Today / 1988
10. Submission / Peel Sessions / 2005
11. Decomposing Trees / On Fire / 1989
12. Here She Comes Now / This Is Our Music / 1990
13. When Will You Come Home / On Fire / 1989
14. Don't Let Our Youth Go To Waste / Peel Sessions / 2005

Total Time: 64:56

Guided By Voices

Doyle took some time off from his busy law school schedule to give us this Guided By Voices playlist. Give a listen and post your comments below:

In 1983, fourth grade teacher Robert Pollard began having jam sessions with a bunch of refugees from the Dayton, Ohio bar band scene. Between 1986 and 1993, they recorded six self-released albums, most of which sat around in boxes due to Pollard's lack of confidence. But what was supposed to be their final album, Propeller, began making rounds among rock circles and soon Matador took notice. With Matador, Guided by Voices recorded Bee Thousand and instantly became the darlings of fans and industry tycoons half their age.

Guided by Voices have a discography that accounts for about 1,300 songs which basically break down like this: a 1/3 are about drinking and rock 'n roll, a 1/3 are about adolescence, and the final 1/3 are nonsensical. But despite this topical simplicity, Pollard's has a knack of borrowing from the historical Pop-Rock greats to create a distinct type of harmonious, guitar-driven ear candy.

The play list isn't anything special, and for people that are already familiar with Guided by Voices it might be a tad predictable. But still, I think this list does a decent job of encompassing everything that is wonderful about this band. First is A Salty Salute, which somehow conveys everything that I enjoy about music in a minute and a half. Next is My Kind of Soldier, an ode to that over aged guy that you see at every concert. The next twenty three songs continue to celebrate everything that is serendipitous about Rock music. I hope all of you enjoy it.

1. A Salty Salute / Alien Lanes / 1995
2. My Kind of Soldier / Earthquake Glue / 2003
3. Rhine Jive Click / Under the Bushes, Under the Stars / 1996
4. Sopor Joe / King Shit and the Golden Boys / 1995
5. Hey Hey Spaceman / Devil Between My Toes / 1987
6. Let's Go Vike / Suitcase: Failed Experiments and Trashed Aircraft / 2000
7. Trampoline / Self-Inflicted Ariel Nostalgia / 1989
8. Pendulum / Same Place the Fly Got Smashed / 1990
9. Game of Pricks / Alien Lanes / 1995
10. Hanks Little Fingers / Devil Between My Toes / 1987
11. Smothered in Hugs / Bee Thousand / 1994
12. The Hard Way / Same Place the Fly Got Smashed / 1990
13. Short on Posters / Self-Inflicted Ariel Nostalgia / 1989
14. Taco, Buffalo, Birddog and Jesus / To Trigger a Synapse / 1996
15. The Official Ironman Rally Song / Under the Bushes, Under the Stars / 1996
16. Hardcore UFOs / Bee Thousand / 1994
17. Pink Drink / Suitcase: Failed Experiments and Trashed Aircraft / 2000
18. My Valuable Hunting Knife / Alien Lanes / 1995
19. A Big Fan of the Pigpen / Bee Thousand / 1994
20. I am a Tree / Mag Earwhig! / 1997
21. Key Losers / Tonics and Twisted Chasers / 1996
22. Echos Myron / Bee Thousand / 1994
23. Beekeeper Seeks Ruth / Sunfish Holy Breakfast / 1996
24. Man Called Aerodynamics / Under the Bushes, Under the Stars / 1996
25. Alright / Alien Lanes / 1995

Total Time : 62:17

Smog/Bill Callahan - Rock 'N' Roll Saint

This playlist serves as an introduction to Smog. It doesn't contain all of his best songs, nor is it completely representative of his wide body of work. But it does give a hint at the many talents of Bill Callahan. The earliest work on this compilation is "A Hit," which reflects the lo-fi/slacker approach Smog took towards songwriting and recording on his first couple of records. These early records showcased Callahan's knock for catchy riffs and humorous lyrics, but most of the songs from this lo-fi period suffered from being overly experimental and fragmented, only hinting at the great songwriting abilities Callahan would later fully display later in his career.

Callahan released two good-but-not-great records in 1995 (Wild Love) and 1996 (Doctor Came At Dawn), but he didn't prove he was capable of producing an album full of great songs until 1997's Red Apple Falls. He followed up Red Apple Falls with Knock Knock in 1999 and Dongs of Sevotion in 2000, two pretty excellent albums that contain some of Callahan's finest songs. The playlist contains six songs from these three albums, but it could have easily featured twice as many songs from these releases.

The rest of the tracks on the playlist mostly come from Callahan's 21st-century albums, which embrace strong country and folk influences and really show Callahan refining his songwriting craft, both musically (with some stunning guitar arrangements) and lyrically (these are very adult records, in terms of their themes and modes of expression). However, two particular highlights from the playlist - Chosen One and I Break Horses - come 2002's Accumulation: None, which collected some of Callahan's B-side work. Both of these tracks were record for John Peel's radio show, and they are truly stunning transformations of the original works. They might be my favorite tracks on this playlist.

Enjoy!

1. Bathysphere / Wild Love / 1995
2. A Hit / Accumulation None / 2002
3. Held / Knock Knock / 1999
4. Chosen One / Accumulation None / 2002
5. Vessel in Vain / Supper / 2003
6. Bowery / Rock Bottom Riser EP / 2006
7. I Was A Stranger / Red Apple Falls / 1997
8. Dress Sexy At My Funeral / Dongs of Sevotion / 2000
9. Diamond Dancer / Woke on a Whaleheart / 2007
10. Drinking at the Dam / A River Ain't Too Much To Love / 2005
11. River Guard / Knock Knock / 1999
12. Blood Red Bird / Red Apple Falls / 1997
13. I Break Horses / Accumulation None / 2002
14. Strayed / Dongs of Sevotion / 2000
15. Feather By Feather / Supper / 2003

Total time: 69:35

The Magnetic Fields

During my initial listen-through of the Magnetic Fields discography I struggled to narrow down my playlist to just 37 songs, slightly less than 2 hours of music. Given Stephin Merritt’s penchant for consistently writing stellar songs, paring it down to reach the 74 minute limit was even more excruciating. I guess I knew this was going to be a difficult task, especially when it was suggested that I completely ignore 69 Love Songs, as there are so many worthy tracks on Merritt’s three-volume, passion-fueled magnum opus.

Still, I think my playlist provides for a solid foundation spanning the roughly eighteen years of Merritt’s work under the Magnetic Fields moniker. Tracks from the early albums, The Wayward Bus and Distant Plastic Trees, show off the initial forays into keyboard and drum-machine anchored indie-pop. Yet, it’s not until the next few albums (coincidentally when Merritt takes over the vocal duties), where The Magnetic Fields really come into their own sound; fusing together a synthy-rock-pop mixture with Merritt’s crooning, ironic lyrics. It’s in this stretch, especially on Get Lost, where some of the finest Magnetic Fields songs appear. And check it out! I managed to whittle down my list to include only 9 of the 69 love songs! By my count, that leaves 60 songs left for any interested parties to indulge in further exploration of this masterpiece. Finally, there’s I and Distortion, where Merritt continues to showcase his song-writing while introducing new concepts. For example, the fuzzy guitars and reverb that give Distortion its name.

In a recent interview with Other Music, Merritt mentions something to the effect that he hates playing his music live; he gets all of his enjoyment in the recording studio. I find this astonishing given how well his songs translate into a live performance. However, given his success at consistently churning out top-notch recordings, I won’t question his preferences.

Rather than stick to a chronologically based playlist, I tried to put these tracks into an order that would flow as an album in and of itself. I tried to clump the faster, upbeat songs together, but also have common instruments provide a transition from one song to the next. The playlist eventually turns to the slower, more contemplative tracks towards the end. Hope you like it.

1) Long-Forgotten Fairytale / 69 Love Songs Volume 2 / 1999
2) The Desperate Things you Made Me Do / Get Lost / 1995
3) Tokyo A Go-Go / The Wayward Bus / 1991
4) Old Orchard Beach / The Wayward Bus / 1991
5) The Way You Say Good Night / 69 Love Songs Volume 2 / 1999
6) Meaningless / 69 Love Songs Volume 3 / 1999
7) My Only Friend / 69 Love Songs Volume 2 / 1999
8) Smoke Signals / Distant Plastic Trees / 1990
9) I Wish I Had an Evil Twin / I / 2004
10) I Thought You Were My Boyfriend / I / 2004
11) I Think I Need a New Heart / 69 Love Songs Volume 1 / 1999
12) All the Umbrellas in London / Get Lost / 1995
13) Epitaph for My Heart / 69 Love Songs Volume 2 / 1999
14) Why I Cry / Get Lost / 1995
15) When You're Old and Lonely / Get Lost / 1995
16) Josephine / Distant Plastic Trees / 1990
17) 100,000 Fireflies / Distant Plastic Trees / 1990
18) All My Little Words / 69 Love Songs Volume 1 / 1999
19) Come Back from San Francisco / 69 Love Songs Volume 1 / 1999
20) Papa Was a Rodeo / 69 Love Songs Volume 2 / 1999
21) It's Only Time / I / 2004
22) Old Fools / Distortion / 2008
23) Take Ecstasy With Me / Holiday / 1994

Total Time: 73:56

U2

Of course U2 is my first post. I was raised on this stuff. Growing up, my Saturday afternoons typically consisted of marathon sessions of Genesis hockey against my brothers, and U2 was almost always our soundtrack. For me, not loving U2 would be like not loving home cooking. It's just not gonna happen. Even after "Vertigo" and "Get On Your Boots," it's not gonna happen.

There is, however, more to my feelings on U2 than simple nostalgia. U2's best albums genuinely were instant classics, but they are even more impressive today in the context of the band's discography. For a solid 20 years, U2 pushed themselves creatively, trusting their fans' palates with huge commercial gambles. More importantly, when those gambles didn't pay-off and the band fell flat on its face, U2 dusted themselves off and took even bigger leaps, rather than retreating to a tried and true formula. After the flop of Rattle & Hum, a misguided foray into rootsy, straight-forward American rock, U2 returned with the crunchy nu-glam of Achtung Baby (a cover-to-cover masterpiece). After their ambient "Passengers" project (with Brian Eno on board as a co-writer, instead of producer) proved too adventurous for radio, U2 punched back with Pop, a techno-grounded concept album about the dehumanizing effects of consumerism. Not surprisingly (in retrospect, at least), Pop wasn't exactly a hit either.

Unfortunately, the 2000's has seen U2 play it safe for the first time in their career and the results have been accordingly uninspired. Thankfully, their latest album seems to indicate that U2 might be ready to start challenging themselves and their fans again, but the songs still pale in comparison to the band's best work. As a result, no songs released later than 1995 made this list of my personal favorites.

At the very least, these 15 songs demonstrate U2's admirable trait of artistic restlessness. Aside from that though, they just make for a great listen. Hopefully some of these picks will set you guys off to dig further--each of the albums represented on this list are very much worth exploring. And if you still dislike U2 after checking out these songs, then 1) you suck and 2) I quit Yahplay forever.

1) Gloria / Under A Blood Red Sky (originally on October) / 1983 (1981)
2) The Electric Co. / Boy / 1980
3) Second / War / 1984
4) Wire / The Unforgettable Fire / 1985
5) The Unforgettable Fire / The Unforgettable Fire /1985
6) Mothers of the Disappeared / The Joshua Tree / 1987
7) Red Hill Mining Town / The Joshua Tree / 1987
8) In God's Country / The Joshua Tree / 1987
9) Ultraviolet (Light My Way) / Achtung Baby / 1991
10) Zoo Station / Achtung Baby / 1991
11) Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crash Car / Zooropa / 1993
12) Always Forever Now / Passengers- Original Soundtracks 1 / 1995
13) Zooropa / Zooropa / 1993
14) Love Is Blindness / Achtung Baby / 1991
15) Your Blue Room / Passengers- Original Soundtracks 1 / 1995

Total time: 73:49