This week, the New Music Experience was without special guests or interviews, but that did open the door Silk Sonic-style for more music. We were able to squeeze in more songs than usual including the celebration of numerous Nashville releases (Briston Maroney, Parker Millsap) or pending releases (Tristen, Okey Dokey).
We also unexpectedly — and unintentionally — explored some self-help themes courtesy of UK-based Easy Life and their hilarious and poignant “message” to their slightly younger selves (“Don’t smoke yourself to death”), a call for self-care by our favorite anonymous California collective Life In Sweatpants and an uplifting look in the mirror Stuart Smalley style from Oscar Scheller and Katie Gavin. There was some good pandemic advice too, in remix but still applicable form, from Chromeo encouraging everyone to stay in bed (and disregard all the self-improvement poseurs).
The show has been kicking off with new sounds from relatively unknown artists for weeks now but we still haven’t figured out a catchy name for it (because Friendless just seems cruel). This week it was under the radar UK indie artist Brijs with a “brilliant” (they still say brilliant all the time over there right?) summertime jam. And since we had extra time, Assistant Program Director Mickey Parks suggested another lesser-known-for-now artist (Maybe? Ok, not quite it) Marinero whose laid-back, bilingual reflection on gentrification in San Francisco is thought-provoking without feeling musically heavy.
Set List
- Brijs: “Mol Y Sol”
- Ivers: “Push”
- Briston Maroney: “Bottle Rocket”
- Marinero: “Nuestra Victoria”
- Easy Life: “A Message to Myself”
- Oscar Scheller feat. Katie Gavin (MUNA): “I’m Enough”
- Parker Millsap: “Dammit”
- Okey Dokey: “Where Have All The Average People Gone (Roger Miller cover)”
- Tristen: “Athena”
- Squirrel Flower: “Hurt A Fly”
- Ritt Momney feat. Claud: “Set The Table”
- Life in Sweatpants: “Good 2 Yourself”
- Jensen McRae: “Starting to Get You”
- Chromeo: “Stay In Bed (And Do Nothing) – Tropkillaz Remix