Longtime Local Spins contributor, reviewer and WYCE ‘New Standards’ co-host Tricia Woolfenden offers up Joy Formidable, INXS, Santigold, Youth Lagoon, Tunde Olaniran and more to heat up the spring.
EDITOR’S NOTE: As part of the celebration of Local Spins’ fourth anniversary, we’ve asked some of our writers and contributors to create Top 10 playlists of favorite tunes for spring and summer — right before the music festival season really heats up. The only caveat: At least one of the picks must be a local or regional artist.
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For her list, Tricia Woolfenden, who co-hosts WYCE’s “New Standards” show on Sunday nights, offers plenty of diversity — current and classic. As she puts it, “Warm weather equals windows down, music up. Here’s a mix of dreamy, dance-y — and sometimes nostalgic — tunes to soundtrack those eagerly anticipated just-got-out-of-work-heading-to-the-beach summer drives.” And by the way, Local Spins 4th Anniversary Party takes place at 8 p.m. May 20 at Rockford Brewing, with performances by Heaters and The Honeytones, plus the tapping of Local Spinsation Ale. Get more details online here.
LOCAL SPINS SPRING/SUMMER PLAYLIST BY TRICIA WOOLFENDEN
1. “The Last Thing on My Mind,” The Joy Formidable — The band’s latest full-length release, “Hitch,” has plenty to offer, but its lead single – an ode to female empowerment – is where it’s at. Frontwoman Rhiannon “Ritzy” Bryan said in an interview, “It’s a song about freedom, about feeling alive and a part of that is about sexual liberation.” Sounds like summer! (Fair warning, the accompanying video — a cheeky tribute to the “female gaze” — is probably considered NSFW for most offices. Opt for a Spotify stream to play it extra safe.) The band performs June 9 at Founders Brewing Co.
2. “Rendezvous Girl,” Santigold — This track, from Santigold’s most recent offering, “99 cents,” is a playful take on the stereotype of the image-conscious career girl in the big city. Super poppy, totally ’80s and completely fun.
3. “Highway Patrol Stun Gun,” Youth Lagoon — An end-of-the-night, “party’s over” track — by the now-defunct project of Trevor Powers — to guide you home from the beachside bonfire.
4. “iT,” Christine and the Queens — Good luck keeping your body still when this is playing on the car stereo. Can’t count the number of times I’ve been caught jamming to this at a red light. And you know what? Don’t care.
5. “Queen,” Perfume Genius — A day may come when I burn out on this glammy, druggy anthem. Until then, this will remain my musical equivalent of a four-minute therapy session.
6. “Wait & See,” Holy Ghost! — Five years later, this synthpop classic is as hip and fun as ever. The duo Holy Ghost! performs July 17 at Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago.
7. “KYBM (Keep Your Body Moving),” Tunde Olaniran — While ostensibly a call to the dance floor, this compulsively catchy beat actually is a rallying cry for the social justice community. Flint and Detroit artist Olaniran — who wowed in a killer performance at the 2016 WYCE Jammie Awards in February — performs May 20, for the Cat Footwear Make a Scene Launch Party at Calder Plaza.
8. “Red Eyes,” War on Drugs — Taken from the artist’s critically lauded third album, “Lost in the Dream,” this popular track has a breezy, almost Springsteen-like Americana warmth that practically begs to accompany a porch-sitting, beer-drinking afternoon of watching the grass grow.
9. “Don’t Change,” INXS — Originally released in 1982, this infectious, triumphant track counted as the band’s first international single and remains as relentlessly listenable today as it ever was.
10. “Grown Man,” Fly Moon Royalty — Grand Rapids native Mike Sylvester (aka Action J) has lived and made music in Seattle for many years now, but West Michigan can still lay some claim to this producer/MC, who partners with vocalist Adra Boo as the duo Fly Moon Royalty. Loving this track: a retro, bold take on mistrust and love gone awry.
TRICIA WOOLFENDEN: The Local Spins Playlist on Spotify
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