2024, The Master Playlist... Is Here!

It's the end of the year, things are winding down. Some of you may be planning to travel in a bit, see family, celebrate the holidays in style! If you have a long commute or flight ahead of you, then let me provide you with some musical entertainment! It's that time of year again for "The Master Playlist" mixtape, 2024 addition! It's a combination of all 7 volumes of my mixes from this year, PLUS bonus tracks, listed below, which pretty much make up a volume 8. 

When I look back on all the great music from this year, I was so humbled and in awe of my friends that are out there, writing and sharing great songs. My buddy Harris with his bands Name Brand Safe and Hepburn. Sam Hoyos with Playing Dead. Clint Carney with System Syn. 

My favorite new band discoveries were Beach Weather, fellow Long Islanders gursday, Royel Otis. There were long overdue welcome returns from Poe, Sky Ferreira, Chantal Claret, Body Count, and The Cure! Blown away by new female artists like Nilufer Yanya, Alisa Xayalith (formerly of The Naked and Famous), and Lauren Mayberry (whose solo debut I like even more than her work with CHVRCHES). I kicked off the year with a deep dive into the music of Mark Lanegan! Listening to him is like drinking whiskey on a cold night! So if you start at the beginning and listen to the entire thing, you've got 12 hours of music to enjoy. 195 songs total! Hope you discover at least one new thing here. 

175. December 25th by Charlie Puth
176. Coffee by a!ka
177. Crocodile Tears by Lauren Mayberry
178. Fake Nice by Beach Weather
179. pleased to be here by gursday
180. Girl From North Country by Timothee Chalamet & Monica Barbaro
181. Middle of Love by Picture This (with Dean Lewis)
182. Let It Burn by FIG
183. Different Light by Alisa Xayalith
184. This Road (The Mirror Is A Trap) by Poe
185. Leash by Sky Ferreira
186. Dusk Till Dawn by ZAYN (featuring Sia)
187. Avalon by Alan Walker & Anne Gudrun
188. Lower Forms by System Syn
189. Burn The Tyrants by Fake Figures
190. The People's Microphone by Shellac
191. Crooked Heart by Teardrops
192. Whiplash by Architects
193. Tomorrow by The Fluid
194. White Bikes by Thursday
195. A Genesis Christmas by Wolfie's Just Fine 

2024, Vol.7: A Work In Progress

2024, Vol.7: A Work In Progress

1. Safety in Numbers by Hepburn
2. Over Each Other by Linkin Park
3. Disease by Lady Gaga
4. Drone:Nodrone by The Cure
5. High In Low Places by Beach Weather
6. Interstate Love Song by Sponge
7. Something In The Air by Lauren Mayberry
8. (Isn't It) Obvious by Alessia Cara
9. People Watching by Sam Fender
10. APT. by ROSE & Bruno Mars
11. Fix You by Dean Lewis & Daniel Seavey
12. Lion Rumpus by Mogwai
13. stupid by gursday
14. Ordinary Love by Alisa Xayalith
15. Merry Mary Marry Me by Royel Otis
16. Paperface by Weezer
17. me, without you by Evan Honer
18. Your F***n' Head Split (Instrumental) by Necro
19. How Do You Feel? by Chantal Claret
20. Champagne Supernova by Middle Kids
21. Love Will Tear Us Apart by PJ Harvey & Tim Phillips
22. Let the Flowers Grow by Peter Murphy & Boy George
23. And Nothing Is Forever by The Cure

2024, Vol. 6: With Friends Like These...

 

There's always one song or artist that usually lights the spark of inspiration for every mix I make, and becomes the foundation for what I'm about to share. In this case, it was two. The first; while on my recent visit back to New York, I was driving around with a friend that still listens to terrestrial radio. A cover version of The Cranberries "Linger" came on performed by Royel Otis, whom up until that point I'd never heard of. It immediately gave me a new-found sense of appreciation for this beautiful, beautiful song that I'd always liked, but never fully loved until hearing this reinterpretation. I knew it would have to be the opener for my next mix. 

The second inspiration came in mid-September when I reconnected with my high school buddy Harrison Schoenfarber here in LA for dinner. It dawned on me we probably hadn't seen each other for over 20 years at this point, but we grew up in the same circle of musician friends in our most formative years. I was familiar with his post-high school band Hepburn, who were pretty awesome. But I had no idea that back in 2012, he had made an album under the moniker of Name Brand Safe, with a friend he was helping go through a difficult divorce. Much in the same way that Christian James Hand had helped me make the Pike Project album as a way to cope with grief. The next day when I listened to this album, "Celebrate Your Wounds," I was blown away beyond words. I couldn't believe this guy I went to high school with had written such a beautiful album, which is now, literally, among one of my all time favorite albums. Especially the two tracks "Don't Look Back" and "Let Go," which are more relevant to me now than ever! So, thank you, Harris. Ever since our meet up, he's been cranking on a new album's worth of stuff and posting it online, and it's GREAT. And it's inspired me to finally start hashing out the next Pike Project album, whatever that might be. 

So, that's the foundation for "With Friends Like These..." which is a title that also came to me out of the ether, and felt perfect. This features new tunes by my friends in Playing Dead and Skyhill, as well as The Cure, Jane's Addiction, Mogwai, Dean Lewis, Anthony Raneri of Bayside. Covers galore with Willie Nelson playing Flaming Lips, Sponge playing Oasis! The All-American Rejects playing Harvey Danger. New discoveries like gursday, a Long Island band recommended to me by Sam Hoyas. And a Bob Moses song "Broken Belief," which I heard on an episode of THE PENGUIN of all places! 

A few older songs round this out because of their personal significance with me while putting this together; Taking Back Sunday's "Faith (When I Let You Down)" and the mighty John Parr's "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)," which could be the one break-down from Christian James Hand that I've listened to the most. I know I say this every time, but it's because I truly believe it... this is my best mix yet! 

RE: the cover image, I just googled the phrase "With Friends Like These," and it brought me to this artwork created by Michael Whelan for the Alan Dean Foster book of the same name. Synchronicity! 

Without further ado, I give you... 

2024, Vol. 6: With Friends Like These

1. Linger by Royel Otis
2. High Road by Anthony Raneri
3. We Dont Want The Same by Playing Dead
4. Let Go by Name Brand Safe
5. Supersonic by Sponge
6. Flagpole Sitta by The All-American Rejects
7. Broken Belief by Bob Moses
8. God Gets You Back by Mogwai
9. Alone by The Cure
10. Ghost Light by Skyhill (featuring Maiah Wynne)
11. Black Hole Heart by 1000 Years (featuring System Syn)
12. Empire by Dean Lewis
13. don't stop by gursday
14. Do You Realize?? by Willie Nelson
15. Boys & Girls by Alisa Xayalith
16. True Love by Janes Addiction
17. Don't Look Back by Name Brand Safe
18. Faith (When I Let You Down) by Taking Back Sunday
19. St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion) by John Parr

2024, Vol. 5: Every Night I Burn

2024, Vol. 5: Every Night I Burn

1. X-Men '97 Theme by The Newton Brothers
2. Raise The Red Flag by Marilyn Manson
3. F**k What You Heard by Body Count
4. Say My Name by Cassyette
5. Fix by BONES UK
6. War Dreams Of Itself by The Smashing Pumpkins
7. Imminent Redemption by Jane's Addiction
8. On The Block by Pye Corner Audio
9. Roses by Alisa Xayalith
10. Rest by Dean Lewis and Sasha Alex Sloan
11. Rainbow Overpass by Bright Eyes and Alex Orange Drink
12. Falling Apart by Playing Dead
13. Drown (Waves Mix) by AL1CE
14. Zero Sum by The Smile
15. Tears by Julia Wu
16. Heart-Shaped Box by Marcin
17. Crystal Breath by Kim Deal
18. Heard A Train by Mark Lanegan
19. Cherry Pie by Fazerdaze
20. As The Waters Cover The Sea by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
21. Chronos by Pye Corner Audio
22. The Emptiness Machine by LINKIN PARK
23. The Crow (In Memory Of B.L.) by Life Of Agony
24. Burn by Corvyx
25. ---- -- --- ----

2024, Vol. 4: You Just Want Attention

New mix! And I named it after a song that my friend Erika Smith introduced me to called "Attention" by Charlie Puth, because... well, it seems a lot of people these last few years really want attention!

New discoveries include Nilufer Yanya, The Beaches, Justice, Grimson. New singles from my friends in Playing Dead & AL1CE. Welcome returns from Bright Eyes, The Jesus Lizard, Phantom Planet.

I had to include a track from BudDihKuh (aka my Pike Project band mate Kyle Arneson) and former fellow Amoebite Rona Rapadas.

Oh, and I already had the Ruth B and Dean Lewis duet 28 on my previous mix, but I feel like it got lost in the shuffle, and so I'm opening this mix with that! ENJOY!

2024, Vol. 4: You Just Want Attention:

1. 28 by Ruth B & Dean Lewis
2. The Algorithm by Puscifer
3. Attention by Charlie Puth
4. Like I Say (I runaway) by Nilufer Yanya
5. Welcome To The Show by BuhDihKuh featuring Galen Aamot
6. You Cant Say No by Playing Dead
7. Bells and Whistles by Bright Eyes
8. Drive On by Phantom Planet
9. All I Ever Wanted by Dean Lewis
10. Spent The Day in Bed by Morrissey
11. Everything Is Boring by The Beaches
12. Generator by Justice
13. Into You by Daniel Davies
14. Kiss The Blood Off My Fingers by John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter & Daniel Davies
15. Me and You by AL1CE
16. Our Blood by Rona Rapadas
17. Broken Thread (Love Theme from TOUCH) by Hogni
18. Starburster by Fontaines D.C.
19. Field of Vision by Laika Songs featuring onelinedrawing
20. Ephemeral by Sons Of Alpha Centauri
21. Hide & Seek by The Jesus Lizard
22. Chimney Sweeper by Grimson
23. Like A Stone by Atreyu 

2024, Vol. 3: The Truth Is Out There

I don't know if anyone out there cares about the mixes I make, but it doesn't really matter. For me, they are perfect time capsules; digital soundtracks, to very specific moments in time. I was just re-listening to the master playlist that collected all my mixes from 2021 and it brought back a lot of sensory memories, good and bad, from a time that wasn't that long ago, yet feels like it was a decade back. 

That said, I always test the mixes out before I publish them, and I can say with confidence this one features some pretty great tunes. AND an unintentional theme. I think most of us are sick of the "complainers." The perpetually, supposedly infallible finger-pointers (aka frauds and imposters) out there. So this mix started with Infinity Song's "Hater's Anthem," (which perfectly captures what these people are really like) and grew from there. With song titles like: Life Is A F-ing Miracle, Philosophy, Gaslight, I Came To See The Wreck, Keep Going, and so forth... This one definitely tells more of a story than my previous mixes and it all formed organically. And you know what? The Truth Is Out There. 

It also doesn't get much better than that last home stretch with Vertigo (the new single from LUSH frontwoman Miki Berenyi), going into new Pearl Jam, a rare Mark Lanegan collaboration with Warpaint and Martina Topley Bird I just discovered, Trent & Atticus for Challengers and finally Thom Yorke. 

2024, Vol. 3: The Truth Is Out There

1. Blackbird by Beyonce
2. In Circles (Diary - At London Bridge Studios) by Sunny Day Real Estate
3. Running by Pearl Jam
4. Life Is A F*****g Miracle by James
5. Hater's Anthem by Infinity Song
6. Philosophy by Middle Kids
7. Gaslight by Travis
8. I Came To See The Wreck by Ride
9. Keep Going by Guster
10. Teenagers Forever by Durry
11. Ok? Ok!? Ok? Ok! by Mannequin Pussy
12. Pheurton Skeurto (Diary - At London Bridge Studios) by Sunny Day Real Estate
13. Application For Release From The Dream by Thursday
14. But You Said by Plutocracy Planet featuring onelinedrawing
15. QWERTY by LINKIN PARK
16. Fallout by Sleep Theory
17. Hidden Agenda by Manuela
18. Change Shapes by Lauren Mayberry
19. This Is Nowhere by The Black Keys
20. Wild God by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
21. I Know Why by Daniel Davies
22. Shuttle Astronaut by Firewoodisland
23. Baby I'm the Wolf by Ha Vay
24. Guy I Used To Be by Lawrence
25. Team Side by Alan Walker & Sofiloud
26. Vertigo by Miki Berenyi Trio
27. Metamorphosis by Infinity Song
28. Won't Tell by Pearl Jam
29. Crystalised by Martina Topley Bird featuring Mark Lanegan
30. Compress / Repress (MIXED) by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross
31. Knife Edge by Thom Yorke 

2024, Vol 2: All We Have Is Here and Now

It's early March, and there's already been enough great music to warrant the 2nd mixtape of the year! 

Welcome returns from: Pearl Jam, James, Norah Jones, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Ministry, Bayside.

New music from: St. Vincent, Dean Lewis, Kings Of Leon, Vampire Weekend.

Covers galore! Paramore tackling Talking Heads, Pierce The Veil doing a killer Radiohead cover, PAW covering Nirvana, Front Line Assembly with Jimmy Urine covering Falco! 

I don't think anyone writes love ballads as beautifully as Susie Suh. The songs by Principe Valentine and Allie X, both new discoveries for me, feel straight out of a John Hughes movie or an 80's goth club. It's great to hear an unearthed Linkin Park tune.

And the title of this mix comes from the new Beth Gibbons (of Portishead) single, "Floating On A Moment," which ends with the lyric "all we have is here and now, all going nowhere." Crank it, enjoy, discover something new!

2024, Vol 2: All We Have Is Here and Now

1. Dark Matter by Pearl Jam
2. Burning Down The House by Paramore
3. Castaway by Bayside
4. School by PAW
5. Friendly Fire by Linkin Park
6. Karma Police by Pierce The Veil
7. Under Our Pillows by The Smile
8. Broken Man by St. Vincent
9. Our World by James
10. I Do by Susie Suh
11. Running by Norah Jones
12. Floating on a Moment by Beth Gibbons
13. Memories by Dean Lewis
14. Who I Am by Alan Walker, Putri Ariani & Peder Elias
15. Coffee by Hinds
16. Something New by Principe Valentine
17. jamcod by The Jesus and Mary Chain
18. Weird World by Allie X
19. Mustang by Kings of Leon
20. Capricorn by Vampire Weekend
21. Danzig With Myself by The Dandy Warhols featuring Black Francis
22. Rock Me Amadeus by Front Line Assembly featuring Jimmy Urine
23. B.D.E. by Ministry
24. Idle Hands by Kerry King 

2024, Vol 1: Bent Not Broken - First Mixtape of the Year!

"Maybe you've got to break me to see what I'm made of..."

That lyric from the Middle Kids single "Bend" is what started out as the main inspiration behind my first mix of the new year. I usually build these playlists off of one song of "new discoveries." But then, during the Christmas break, I read drummer Barrett Martin's latest book, followed by Mark Lanegan's "Sing Backwards and Weep" and "Devil In A Coma," and that set me off on a deep dive back into the Screaming Trees music. So that ended up becoming the foundation for these set of songs. Brand new tunes, sprinkled with the heart, soul, and voice of Mark Lanegan. 

The first new single from Billy Joel in 17 years. A pair of tunes from Michael C. Hall's band (fully channelling Bowie), Princess Goes. The surprising returns of KMFDM and James! A new, long lost song from Sunny Day Real Estate. A metal song about how much the STAR WARS sequels sucked. AL1CE covering A Perfect Circle! New music from The Smile, Chealsea Wolfe, Dean Lewis, Explosions In The Sky, NewDad, HELIUM's Mary Timony. A beautiful little romantic ditty by Durry. And so much more. 

I couldn't help but follow a Screaming Trees song with Liam Gallagher, especially after reading about their beef in Lanagen's memoir. 


This collection, like all the previous mixes, is intended to take you on a journey. For those listening, for those still paying attention, and those that are still here, I hope you enjoy the ride. 

2024, Vol 1: Bent Not Broken

1. Turn The Lights Back On by Billy Joel
2. Nearly Lost You by Screaming Trees
3. Bend by Middle Kids
4. Let It Go by Princess Goes
5. Perfect by Mannequin Pussy
6. Childhood Died by Lost Souls
7. Kool-Aid by Bring Me The Horizon
8. The Hollow by AL1CE
9. Let Go by KMFDM
10. I Don't Know Anything by Mad Season
11. Goodbye To Beauty by Mark Lanegan Band
12. 28 by Ruth B. & Dean Lewis
13. Loved Ones by Explosions In The Sky
14. Dying Days by Screaming Trees
15. Just Another Rainbow by Liam Gallagher & John Squire
16. Dominoes by Mary Timony
17. Nightmares by NewDad
18. Terrible News by Middle Kids
19. Bubble of My Gum by Durry
20. Hit The City by Mark Lanegan featuring PJ Harvey
21. Fire! by Alan Walker, JVKE & YUQI
22. Is This Love by James
23. St Louis Elegy by Mark Lanegan Band
24. Friend Of A Friend by The Smile
25. Novum Vetus by Sunny Day Real Estate
26. Where Did You Sleep Last Night by Mark Lanegan
27. Every Unpleasant Emotion by Lifesick
28. Tunnel Lights by Chelsea Wolfe
29. Jetpack by Princess Goes
30. Traveler by Screaming Trees 

- "Original Download" T-Shirt gifted to me by Brinna Kelly.
- Completely staged records photograph by me.