I am old enough to remember the days when people traded mixed tapes with friends. Not CDs, actual cassette tapes with the playlist written in pen on the paper label. It was like telling someone, “I like this so much! Do you like it too? Let’s like it together!” I still remember who gave me my first Tori Amos tape and the person who included a Les Miserables song on their mix. Of course, there were some “eh” songs on any tape, but the good ones made the “eh” worth it.

I like listening to new (to me) music and I like sharing it. For a long time I’ve been meaning to post playlists of the music I’ve discovered each month, partly to share, and partly to have a record of what I was listening to when. So many songs are linked to certain times of my life. The aforementioned Tori Amos is heavily associated with my high school and college years. Several Brit pop hits remind me of my first job because I’d listen to a streaming Internet station based in London while I worked. I use Last.fm to scrobble my music, so I can view my weekly stats going back to 2005 when I first signed up. (This week in 2008 I was listening to “Basement Apartment” by Sarah Harmer a lot.) But that doesn’t include stuff that was on my MP3 player or CDs or other non-scrobbled media.

Anyway, here’s the music I was listening to in June. I used Spotify to embed the playlist because I subscribe to their premium service and listen to most of music that way now. (Follow me on Spotify here.) Yes, I know artists only get paid a fraction of a cent for each play. I’m sorry. It’s an imperfect world. If you don’t have Spotify, I think you have to install it to get the playlist to work. Sorry again! This is the best way for me to share the playlist without creating a lot of additional work for myself. For those without Spotify, I’ve posted a text list of the songs below the player so you can look them up on your own if you want. YouTube works remarkably well for that.

I’ve roughly ordered them with my favorites toward the top, but it’s all rather subjective. And just because I started listening to these songs this month doesn’t mean they were just released. The oldest one, “Both Sides” performed by Judy Collins, was released in 1967 which is before I was even born. (Yes, I found it via the Mad Men finale. And yes, I know Joni Mitchell is the one who wrote it. I like the Judy Collins version. Judge me as you will.) I’ve also included some comments below the player on songs I particularly liked or thought were noteworthy in some way.

Direct link to the Spotify playlist: JenFul – June 2103

Highlights

A Silent Film – Harbour Lights
This is one of those songs I started listening to over and over and over compulsively. Not sure why. I just like it! I should probably write a post about all the songs that have had that effect on me in my life, but for now you just get to hear this one.

Walk off the Earth – Red Hands
The music video for this song is what sucked me in. It’s recorded in a single shot, but they don’t sing the song in order. Instead, the video fast-forwards and rewinds to match music, sometimes returning to the same footage multiple times when a chorus repeats. It’s a complete mind trip. I’m amazed anyone was able to plan this, let alone shoot it. Evidently this band is known for doing interesting videos, like this version of Goyte’s “Someone That I Used to Know” performed by all five band members on one guitar.

Capital Cities – Safe and Sound
I like the video for this song too which features a dance off between people who performed at a theater all throughout its 100-year history.

Train feat. Ashley Monroe
I have a general dislike for Train, but I liked this song despite that. See, I really am open-minded.

Megan & Liz – Bad for Me
I am somewhat embarrassed to include this song since it is so, so poppy and over-produced, but I listened to it way too many times in June to leave it off. I may have questionable taste in music, but at least I’m honest about it!

Melanie C and Emma Bunton – I Know Him So Well
So, Sporty Spice released an album of Broadway tunes and included this song from Chess, which has always been a fave of mine. Baby Spice guests!

Playlist

A Silent Film – Harbour Lights
Walk Off the Earth – Red Hands
Kings Of Leon – Pyro
Capital Cities – Safe and Sound
Serena Ryder – Stompa
Mat Kearney – Ships In The Night
Vampire Weekend – Diane Young
Frightened Rabbit – The Woodpile
The Ceremonies – Land of Gathering
Fall Out Boy – My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)
Tegan And Sara – Closer
Train – Bruises
Kelly Clarkson – Tie It Up
Delta Rae – If I Loved You – Radio Version feat. Lindsey Buckingham
The Lone Bellow – Bleeding Out
Jessie Ware – Wildest Moments
Labrinth – Beneath Your Beautiful
Frank Turner – Recovery
Morning Parade – Headlights
Judy Collins – Both Sides Now
Lucy Schwartz – Boomerang
The Gaslight Anthem – Here Comes My Man
Solange – Losing You
The Mowgli’s – San Francisco
Matt Pond – Love to Get Used
Mat Kearney – Closer To Love
Phillip Phillips – Gone, Gone, Gone
The Ceremonies – Wolfdance
Mat Kearney – All I Have
Haim – Don’t Save Me
Paloma Faith – Romance Is Dead
Megan & Liz – Bad for Me
Fitz and The Tantrums – Out Of My League
Two Door Cinema Club – Next Year
The Avett Brothers – February Seven
Of Monsters And Men – Love Love Love
Dan Black – Hearts
The Knocks – Modern Hearts
Gold Fields – Dark Again
MS MR – Fantasy
Generationals – Put a Light On
Melanie C and Emma Bunton – I Know Him So Well
Sheryl Crow – Easy