Love Young the Giant and the Yeah, Yeah Yeahs, but was most pleased to see Yahzoo on this list!! Upstairs at Eric’s is one of my all time favorite albums!
Thanks Dan, I always look forward to your suggestions! Yvonne Elliman was on my initial list but didn’t make the final cut. Outside of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the only other artist on your list I’m familiar with is Yola and that was an incredible album! I’ll check out the others
Enjoy your travels, Mark. I am interested to see where you may go next once your Alphabet Soup reaches its conclusion. Did you, or are you, going to Innsbruck? When I was living in London, I often wanted to go during Christmas but never made it to Austria.
Thanks Michael, I’m also looking forward to seeing where my writing takes me in 2025. We didn’t make it to Innsbruck on this trip, but hopefully someday.
Another stellar post and playlist! I was fully expecting “Y Can’t Tori Read” to appear here for some reason, but I guess you never owned a CD of Tori Amos’ pre-solo album band. Also, no Yellowman? I thought you were the reggae dude? I’m just teasing; even I don’t own any Yellowman, other than maybe on a compilation.
Thanks for the reminder to return to Yann Tiersen. He’s one of my favorite composers/songwriters. You should check out his solo works. They are all worth hearing. But I agree, his work with Amelie was sublime.
I loved the Yonderboi song you shared. I’m definitely going to look him up. Yeti Lane (the other artist I was not familiar with in this playlist) I also really enjoyed the song. It felt both retro and modern. Had a fun new-wave sound.
Can’t argue with the greatness of the other choices: Youssou N’Dour, Yes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Yazoo, Yo La Tengo, Yardbirds, Young the Giant (though I would have chosen Young Marble Giants — who were from Cardiff, Wales, so couldn’t have been the other reason you thought they were from Sweden).
And I can feel your anticipation to finally, after 6 plus months, to settle down in a new home. I just closed on a new home and am going to be in packing craziness for the next month. Also, tons of repair work (on new place and old), and approving furniture and decor selections my wife will be running by me. Interior design is not my talent. It’s exciting and stressful. Hoping for more of the former.
Hi Steve, never heard of “Y Can’t Tory Read”, will have to check them out. Yellowman was on the first list, as were Yello and about another ten artists but the playlist really didn’t suit a reggae track and I just couldn’t find a way to squeeze him in there.
I’ve followed most of Yann Tiersan’s work, he’s fantastic. Yonderboi is great, particularly his first couple albums. Yeti Lane’s albums are bit and miss for me but there are some gems if you go digging.
On the new home front, thankfully we’ve already done all our downsizing and packing before leaving Bermuda and won’t really have to think about “moving”. Once we buy a house and are settled, the stuff in storage will be sent over and then it’ll just be a matter of unpacking the few crates we have. I hope the next month isn’t too stressful for you, sending positive vibes.
Great post as always! That second picture, man. Vienna is indeed magical. So glad you guys are enjoying your travels, and I bet you must be looking forward to the next chapter!
So jealous of your new music discoveries, as I was saying in other comments. I think I can count on less than one hand the number of 2024 releases I feel excited about. They don’t make music like the one I’m most into anymore! But well, I don’t lose hope.
Vienna was beautiful for sure, but at this time of year when it gets dark and the markets are all decorated and lit up for Christmas, it’s incredible.
Why do you think they don’t make the sort of music you like anymore? Is it musical style or genre? Is it the fact that many of the artists you appreciate have such rare vocal talent?
I can imagine! I visited only once, in late winter/spring, and was mesmerised by the architecture. I cannot imagine how special it must feel at Christmas time.
You hit the nail on the head: rare vocal talent. Sounds elitist but my favourite artists are mostly top league singers in the soul/R&B/blues canon. They don’t make singers like this anymore.
I also listen to artists who don’t fall under that category but have something extraordinary going on for them (musicianship, trailblazing qualities, etc.).
Love Young the Giant and the Yeah, Yeah Yeahs, but was most pleased to see Yahzoo on this list!! Upstairs at Eric’s is one of my all time favorite albums!
And yet I still managed to spell it wrong! Hahaha in all fairness, they were known as Yaz in the US.
I hadn’t listened to Upstairs at Eric’s in forever, it was great to back and give it a listen this past week
My "Y" list must include a track or two from Young Marble Giants' Colossal Youth album.
Thanks Dusty, I’m not familiar with the artist or the album, will check it out!
Here's a few more Y's that I like:
Faraway Look - Yola
Glass - Young & Sick
Rolling Back - Young Gun Silver Fox
Zero - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Night Call - Years & Years
The Ball - Youth Sector
If I Can't Have You - Yvonne Elliman
Thanks Dan, I always look forward to your suggestions! Yvonne Elliman was on my initial list but didn’t make the final cut. Outside of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the only other artist on your list I’m familiar with is Yola and that was an incredible album! I’ll check out the others
Enjoy your travels, Mark. I am interested to see where you may go next once your Alphabet Soup reaches its conclusion. Did you, or are you, going to Innsbruck? When I was living in London, I often wanted to go during Christmas but never made it to Austria.
Thanks Michael, I’m also looking forward to seeing where my writing takes me in 2025. We didn’t make it to Innsbruck on this trip, but hopefully someday.
Another stellar post and playlist! I was fully expecting “Y Can’t Tori Read” to appear here for some reason, but I guess you never owned a CD of Tori Amos’ pre-solo album band. Also, no Yellowman? I thought you were the reggae dude? I’m just teasing; even I don’t own any Yellowman, other than maybe on a compilation.
Thanks for the reminder to return to Yann Tiersen. He’s one of my favorite composers/songwriters. You should check out his solo works. They are all worth hearing. But I agree, his work with Amelie was sublime.
I loved the Yonderboi song you shared. I’m definitely going to look him up. Yeti Lane (the other artist I was not familiar with in this playlist) I also really enjoyed the song. It felt both retro and modern. Had a fun new-wave sound.
Can’t argue with the greatness of the other choices: Youssou N’Dour, Yes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Yazoo, Yo La Tengo, Yardbirds, Young the Giant (though I would have chosen Young Marble Giants — who were from Cardiff, Wales, so couldn’t have been the other reason you thought they were from Sweden).
And I can feel your anticipation to finally, after 6 plus months, to settle down in a new home. I just closed on a new home and am going to be in packing craziness for the next month. Also, tons of repair work (on new place and old), and approving furniture and decor selections my wife will be running by me. Interior design is not my talent. It’s exciting and stressful. Hoping for more of the former.
Have fun with the rest of your travels!
Hi Steve, never heard of “Y Can’t Tory Read”, will have to check them out. Yellowman was on the first list, as were Yello and about another ten artists but the playlist really didn’t suit a reggae track and I just couldn’t find a way to squeeze him in there.
I’ve followed most of Yann Tiersan’s work, he’s fantastic. Yonderboi is great, particularly his first couple albums. Yeti Lane’s albums are bit and miss for me but there are some gems if you go digging.
On the new home front, thankfully we’ve already done all our downsizing and packing before leaving Bermuda and won’t really have to think about “moving”. Once we buy a house and are settled, the stuff in storage will be sent over and then it’ll just be a matter of unpacking the few crates we have. I hope the next month isn’t too stressful for you, sending positive vibes.
Almost forgot about Yazoo, thanks for the reminder!
It had been a long time since I’d listened to them. It was great to go back this past week and listen to their albums. Glad you enjoyed it!
Great post as always! That second picture, man. Vienna is indeed magical. So glad you guys are enjoying your travels, and I bet you must be looking forward to the next chapter!
So jealous of your new music discoveries, as I was saying in other comments. I think I can count on less than one hand the number of 2024 releases I feel excited about. They don’t make music like the one I’m most into anymore! But well, I don’t lose hope.
Vienna was beautiful for sure, but at this time of year when it gets dark and the markets are all decorated and lit up for Christmas, it’s incredible.
Why do you think they don’t make the sort of music you like anymore? Is it musical style or genre? Is it the fact that many of the artists you appreciate have such rare vocal talent?
I can imagine! I visited only once, in late winter/spring, and was mesmerised by the architecture. I cannot imagine how special it must feel at Christmas time.
You hit the nail on the head: rare vocal talent. Sounds elitist but my favourite artists are mostly top league singers in the soul/R&B/blues canon. They don’t make singers like this anymore.
I also listen to artists who don’t fall under that category but have something extraordinary going on for them (musicianship, trailblazing qualities, etc.).