Monthly Mix #2: You Cannot Wrestle A Dove

Here is my May mix, filled with songs I could not get out of my head...and didn't want to...

1. Cannonball/The Breeders - Last Splash is 20 years old and just got reissued in a deluxe edition, which means I've had this song lodged in my head once again. It's still an oddball of a tune but all those elements come together to form a super-catchy song.

2. Breakers/Local Natives - This is off their new album, Hummingbird. I heard it on KEXP a few times and fell for it. The soaring "ooo"s are really hard to beat, aren't they? I have as yet to explore the rest of the album, so I don't know if this is a band I like or just a song. Well, I do like the song already, don't I? Hope it catches your ear too.

3. Sea of Love/The National - A few songs were released ahead of the new album but this was the first that truly caught my attention (and not just for the video). It's got that surging, pounding drumbeat with the bass locked in step and then when it pauses for the menacing "If I stay here/Trouble will find me" section - man, I could live in that part (also, this song embeds the album title). By the time it gets to the soaring vocals at the end, I'm totally in the bag for this song. Crank it up!

4. Weight/Mikal Cronin - I mentioned MCII in my most recent Heavy Rotation. This tuneful buzzy track leads off the album in fine fashion. I love the marriage of introspective lyrics and power pop smarts. Also the twin guitar solo (acoustic and electric) near the end is all kinds of cool.

5. Pennyroyal Tea/Nirvana - This popped into my head a week ago. No idea why other than it's one of my favorite songs by the band. Give me a Leonard Cohen afterworld, so I can sigh eternally...

6. In the City/Caveman - This is another find from KEXP. This sounds like a lost 80s track in the right way, if that makes any sense. Don't know much about the band and haven't explored further as of yet.

7. A Woman In Love (It's Not Me)/Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - I covered this album in my Heavy Rotation post earlier this week. Such a great song with a wicked guitar solo.

8. Kiss Off/Violent Femmes - The last song on the new National record references this song, so I had to start listening again. If you only have one record, this is the one you should have. I almost titled this mix "I Forget What Eight Was For" but I didn't. Mistake?

9. Gone For Good/The Shins - Instead, I went with a line from this fantastic song.

10. Diane Young/Vampire Weekend - I'm really enjoying their new album and it should show up in the next Heavy Rotation. This is catchy as hell.

11. Neil Jung/Teenage Fanclub - I couldn't resist putting this back-to-back with the previous song. I've talked about this band before and this song is a prime example of their melodic guitar rock/power pop. Another great guitar solo.

12. Be Your Man/Ivan & Alyosha - The lead track from another album I discussed on the latest Heavy Rotation. Listening to this will give you an idea of what to expect from the record.

13. Your Life Your Call/Junip - I like the hypnotic rhythm of this one, from a band I've heard of but had never heard. This is from their new album. You know, a few years ago I wouldn't have given this song much of a chance. Glad I'm showing growth in my musical taste and letting a good song in, no matter what the sound.

14. Testament To Youth In Verse/The New Pornographers - This is a Dan Bejar song from Electric Version, from the last of the Heavy Rotation albums. In fact, I think it's my favorite Bejar New Pornos track of all of them. Let those bells ring no...

15. Get Lucky/Daft Punk - Remember what I was saying about being more open to types of music? This song fits that bill. This is 21st century disco and I love it completely. I'm using the radio edit because that's what I heard over and over on YouTube and was able to play on Spotify. Hope you're chair-dancing like I am!