Genres

With his third album, The House, coming out January 19 on Domino Records, electronic-indie-pop alchemist Aaron Maine—a.k.a. Porches—has compiled a playlist for The Dowsers that indulges his love of unpleasant sounds. "I’m drawn to this collection of songs for a certain darkness that they emanate. Sometimes, it’s the dissonance in the harmonies that I’m really drawn to, sometimes it’s the dissonance in the content that I find attractive. A lot of strange and beautiful decisions.“In [Aphex Twin’s] ‘180_db[130],’ the ugliness of the sounds are dug into a way that’s almost playful—like I can imagine making something like that with a little shit grin on my face. [DJ Richard’s] ‘Stygian Freeze’ is so effortlessly menacing that it’s unsettling, while the quality of the sounds and reverb are really soft and welcoming. One thing I don’t like in a song is when it feels like an artist makes a challenging decision only for the sake of having it sound challenging—it can come off as masturbatory. In all of these songs, the dissonance feels like a complete necessity to the song’s existence. I don’t know why exactly I’m drawn to this, maybe that it feels like a more honest reflection of the human experience, and there’s something exciting about finding beauty in the seemingly ugly.”—Aaron Maine, Porches

Over the past 20 years, we’ve lived under four different U.S. presidents, seen the mapping of the human genome, witnessed the confirmation of the Higgs boson particle, and experienced the beginnings of the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union. Throughout all the turmoil, Canadian rockers The New Pornographers have kept on truckin’, churning out electric power pop that consistently refuses to capitulate to larger trends in music or politics. They are a staple of indie rock, one of the most dependable and unwavering bands working today. It’s amazing that they’ve managed this, since their lineup is a massive registry of accomplished pop musicians, all with unique styles and musical approaches of their own.A.C. Newman has been one of the backbones of the band since their inception in 1997, when they were birthed out of his other projects: power pop outfit Zumpano and prog monsters Superconductor, in which traces of the trademark Pornographers vibe could already be sensed. Country-tinged troubadour Neko Case has been another integral part of the ensemble since their beginning, importing her compelling vocal style from her successful solo career. The third is, of course, Dan Bejar, whose solo project Destroyer has amassed an eclectic, enigmatic discography, from the sensuous, Dylan-esque jams of This Night to the disco-infused rock of Kaputt, and everything in between. The Pornographers’ later music showcases the contributions of newer member Kathryn Calder, whose aggressively cool pop group Immaculate Machine produced numerous great tracks before their final record in 2009.This playlist explores the music of these members and more, including bassist John Collins’ The Evaporators (with the legendary Nardwuar), first drummer Kurt Dahle’s The Age of Electric and Limblifter, lead guitarist Todd Fancey’s eponymous solo project, current drummer Joe Seiders’ Beat Club, and touring member Simi Stone’s Suffrajett. The New Pornographers’ recent album Whiteout Conditions—which, sadly, is their first without Bejar—continues their awesome melting pot of all of their individual styles and voices.

Ella Yelich-O’Connor expresses her passion for music in many of the ways typical of teenagers and just-turned-twenty-somethings the world over. She’s forever making new discoveries that prompt her to widen her tastes and pledge undying loyalty to artists she may have barely heard of a few days before. She consumes music voraciously and is eager to share all that excites her in every public platform at her disposal. Her playlists—which have cool mixtape-ready names like “Homemade Dynamite”—are roughly split between sure-fire party starters and more melancholy fare for early-morning journaling sessions. Her Twitter and Instagram feeds are full of shoutouts to the artists she loves and messages quoting the lyrics that have just become her new words to live by. But the difference here—what with her being Lorde and not some adolescent rando—is that those artists tend to tweet a reply with an emoji-laden expression of right-back-atcha.Though her existence has changed immeasurably since “Royals” broke her wide in 2013, Lorde has not lost the unabashed fandom that’s proven to be one of her most endearing qualities. Indeed, she’s continued to be a rarity as a young artist who expresses a keen understanding of a remarkably diverse array of new and old sounds without sounding derivative of any of them in particular. Likewise, she’s figured out ways to retain her own sensibility across an array of cover renditions in the past four years, an impeccably chosen slate that ranges from songs by canonic rock acts (David Bowie, Replacements, Nirvana) to relative newbies (Bright Eyes, Bon Iver) to hip-hop and R&B (Jeremih, Kanye). And while many of the most dramatic moments of her sophomore album Melodrama do suggest the influence of a few of her most-cherished touchstones—single “Liability” is a close cousin to Kate Bush’s “The Man With the Child In His Eyes,” for instance—the connection between her own music and the stuff she loves is more a matter of shared energy and attitude. That’s true even of old favourites that—like any fan—she may be hideously embarrassed about now. Likely case in point: The Cult’s “Edie (Ciao Baby),” which the pre-Lorde once performed as a 12-year-old in her school band Extreme. (Alas, the band’s repertoire apparently did not include “More Than Words.”)As Melodrama arrives to usher in our summer of Lorde, we present a deep dive into the music of other artists that she’s performed and loved. Long may she want to tell us all about them.

Only Prince could release a double album and have it be considered a back-to-basics move. His 1987 masterpiece, Sign O’ The Times, works in spite of itself, bubbling over with ideas and sounds that form an encyclopedic study of funk music and reconnect Prince to himself and to his roots. On its 30th anniversary, it sounds just as timeless, complex, and vital.But in the wake of its triumph, it’s easy to forget Prince had a difficult 1986. His label, Warner Brothers, did very little to promote “Kiss,” a song from his then-latest album, Parade. The record doubled as the quasi-soundtrack to Prince’s directorial debut, Under The Cherry Moon, in which he also starred, however, widespread critical pans prevented it from becoming his next Purple Rain. Additionally, members of his band, The Revolution, wanted more credit for their involvement in the songwriting process, particularly Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman, resulting in Prince dissolving the band and scrapping his next record, a project called Dream Factory. At the same time, his relationship with Susannah Melvoin (Wendy’s twin sister) was on shaky ground.He eventually poured his work into Crystal Ball, a triple album that combined new songs, reworked songs from Dream Factory, and songs he’d written for Camille, a failed offshoot in the vein of his female-fronted acts Vanity 6 and Apollonia. Warner had doubts about the album and the feasibility of releasing a triple album after having such a rocky year. Embattled, Prince was on his own for the first time in years.Obliging Warner, he cut Crystal Ball down to a double LP, renaming it Sign O’ The Times. Rather than sounding like a record with its wings clipped, Sign has absolutely no filler despite its still-sprawling size and the fact that it had been cobbled together from other projects—as soon became clear, Prince would stockpile songs and save them for later throughout his entire career.If anything, the record revels in natural contradictions. The minimal drum beat of “It” and the lean, undeniable funk of “Housequake” are set against the maximum pop of “Strange Relationship” and the live full-band exhibitionism of “It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night.” Styles and time periods are juxtaposed as well, with references to Grandmaster Flash (the title track), Joni Mitchell (“The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker”), Sly Stone (“Forever In My Life”), and Prince himself (“Adore”) grounded in songs that sound modern yet often recall the paisley-eyed heyday of peace and love. This was undeniably a return to form and a conversation between styles and even genders, all held together by Prince’s ample charisma—which can be seen as well as heard in the concert film that followed.This slamming playlist serves to contextualize this overwhelming record, sussing out reference points and digging up discarded songs to highlight the brilliance of the record as well as the process that created it.

As Q-Tip once stated, theres a difference between hard and dark. M.O.P. is hard: aggression, clenched fists, screams, bludgeonings. Dark is sexy, scary, likeable, menacing, tempting. Prodigy of Mobb Deep was one of the best rappers on the planet because he was dark. He didnt have Pacs tortured thug activist energy, Bigs charisma or hitmaking ease, Nass wisdom combined with the ear of a jazz musician. It didnt matter. While other rappers laughed and joked, or screamed in your ear, Prodigy calmly explained how he would end your life while referencing the Book of Revelations and the Illuminati.He was the best writer of threats in rap history, a vivid crime fetishist, and a conspiracy theory magnet. The most famous lines from Prodigy were hostile ("Theres a war going on outside no man is safe from"), visual ("Stab your brain with your nose bone"), vulnerable ("I put my lifetime in between the papers lines"), and grim ("My attitude is all fucked up and real shitty"). If you lived on the east coast from 1995-1999, you remember each summer as one that Prodigy dominated — via radio, clubs, mixtapes, and guest appearances, with Havoc in Mobb Deep or solo. His greatness, like his delivery, was understated. But he was on everyones radar: features with LL Cool J, Big Pun, 50 Cent, Mariah Carey, even Shaq; classhes, both on wax and in person, with 2pac, Jay-Z, Saigon, Keith Murray, Nas, and Tru Life. His resilience was staggering — Mobb Deep peaked in 99 but Prodigy’s solo career never cooled off. He released the excellent Albert Einstein with Alchemist in 2013, and dropped The Hegelian Dialectic in early 2017.He grew up the child of musicians but took rap deadly serious. He was terrifying as a 19 year old and a master of his craft by 22. He survived prison, shootouts, dozens of beefs, and multiple record deals. He dedicated his life to rap since getting signed at 17 and passed away suddenly days after performing with Havoc, Raekwon, and Ghostface in Las Vegas. Prodigy may be gone, but as the novelist Margaret Stohl said, "Darkness does not leave us as easily as we hope.”

Click here to add to Spotify playlist!Ohio musician Jay Joyce played with bands like In Pursuit and Iodine in the ‘80s and ‘90s, but in the 21st century, he’s reached enormous success as a producer and songwriter for country music. Having recorded all five of Eric Church’s studio albums, Joyce has cultivated a sound that’s both polished and homemade, with warm acoustic textures and a reverb-soaked ambience that recalls the work of Daniel Lanois. Church’s hits have ranged from the poignant, piano-driven “Springsteen” and the thunderous power ballad “Give Me Back My Hometown” to the raging celebration of “Drink In My Hand,” and the combination of Church’s ambitious songwriting and Joyce’s lively production has yielded a string of platinum plaques.After his success with Church, Jay Joyce was in high demand in Nashville, producing chart-topping singles for Carrie Underwood and Zac Brown Band. He’s put his stamp on everything from the soulful groove of Thomas Rhett’s “Make Me Wanna” to the doo-wop balladry of Little Big Town’s crossover hit “Girl Crush.” In 2011, he produced one of country legend Emmylou Harris’ most successful albums, Hard Bargain, and in 2015, Joyce was nominated for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical, at the GRAMMYⓇs—the only country producer to appear in the category in recent years.But Joyce’s rock roots and skill at capturing a live-band feel have also brought a wide range of clientele from outside of country music. Early in his career, he produced a solo album by Crowded House frontman Tim Finn, and he produced Kentucky alt-rock band Cage the Elephant’s platinum 2009 self-titled debut, as well as albums for garage punk band FIDLAR, and hard rock revivalists Halestorm. This playlist lets you appreciate the sheer breadth of his work.

Engulfed by thick fog machine clouds flashing orange and pink, the Pet Shop Boys’ Neil Tennant sits with his legs spread in full leather, provocatively rubbing his knees as if sending inviting signals in a bygone sex club where anonymous couplings were nearly as casual as a handshake. Shown primarily in misty profile wearing a cap that matches his similarly severe leather outfit, bandmate Chris Lowe scowls at his keyboard while administering the rendition’s synth-horn hits like a dungeon master wielding a whip.Maybe to straights, the duo simply suggested circa 1968 leather-costumed comeback Elvis and nothing more: This was, after all, the Pets’ very first performance of the country standard “Always on My Mind” for Love Me Tender, a 1987 British TV special commemorating the 10th anniversary of Presley’s death that aired before the duo had even released their rendition.But to the queer eye and ear, the black-clad pair evoked another kind of mourning – one not only for fallen comrades during the worst stretch of the AIDS crisis, but also for an entire way of life based on utterly unfettered love and sex as the ultimate expression of LGBTQ liberation. Framed by mortality and infused with a profound melancholy eerily offset by their version’s festive dance club rhythms, PSB’s reinvention of “Always on My Mind” lives on as one of the epidemic’s key and most beautifully unsettling artifacts: In a 2014 BBC Music poll, it was justly voted the top cover version of all time.This achievement is all the more remarkable given this adaptation’s blatantly expedient showbiz roots. As Tennant explains in 1000 UK #1 Hits, the synth-pop duo – then at the peak of their international multi-platinum popularity – were asked to participate in this tribute to the King, “and for some reason, we agreed to do it.” Their manager’s assistant gave them a bunch of Elvis cassettes for research, and, as luck would have it, the opening track on the first tape Lowe grabbed, Magic Moments with Elvis, was the song they’d performThe tenderness and commercial success of Willie Nelson’s reading makes it for many US listeners definitive: It was Billboard’s top country song for 1982 and a #5 pop crossover. In England, however, the song had been mostly associated with Presley, who’d recorded his take a few weeks after separating from his wife Priscilla in 1972. In the US, it was the thematically linked B-side to “Separate Ways.” But in the UK, it was the A-side, and reached #9. There, love for Elvis’s version lingers; a 2013 poll conducted by the UK’s ITV voted it the greatest song of his prolific career.The Pets appeared on Love Me Tender alongside Meatloaf, Ben E. King, Duane Eddy, Roger Daltrey and other rock icons who gave faithful renditions of the King’s catalog. These Boys, however, did not do that. “We wouldn’t have done ‘Always on My Mind’ unless it was very different from the original,” Tennant testified in #1 Hits. “There’s a B flat at the end of each chorus that wasn’t like the original. It makes it far more like a pop song.” They also gave it the spritely tempo, strident synthetic arrangement, and clattering electronic cowbells archetypal of hi-NRG, the defining groove of 1980s gay clubs.“’Everybody had told me, ‘”You’re not going to like it. They changed some of the melody, they changed a couple of words and they added all these synthesizers and things,’” the song’s main writer Wayne Carson said in a Los Angeles Times interview. “But I just kept an open mind and when I finally heard it, I thought, ‘That’s a great record.’”In 1987, AIDS was on every LGBTQ person’s mind, nearly always. If you lived in a major, gay-friendly city, you either knew friends, lovers, and family who’d perished in the plague, or you would soon. It was a time when those of us who’d risked most everything to live our lives honestly and openly were forced to question our choices. Should we have shared physical intimacy so freely? Should we have focused on just one?A Christmastime UK #1 and a #4 hit here, Tennant and Lowe’s most enduring cover embodies its era of conflict and loss, and presages the pair’s implicitly AIDS-themed hits like “Domino Dancing” and “Being Boring.” According to Tennant in Lives of the Great Songs, the lyrical perspective is, “a typical country music sentiment, really, that the man should be a bastard.” Carson’s lyric reads like litany of typically masculine misgivings – we didn’t give enough attention, respect, finesse, tenderness, or encouragement. The bridge added by co-writers Johnny Christopher and Mark James begs not only for a second chance to articulate and share what’s been previously denied, but also for reassurance. “Tell me that your sweet love hasn’t died,” it pleads. Hold on. Help maintain our bond.When an HIV-positive test result was pretty much a death sentence and gay men found themselves attending memorials at the pace with which they’d thrown parties, this request could rarely be granted by the sick; that bridle was shouldered nearly solely by survivors. And so for those still alive to remember, the Pet Shop Boys’ simultaneously elegiac and convivial rendition – sung as if hosting a funeral held at a disco – absolutely sears. Those we couldn’t save could only be kept alive inside us. They remain there, like the songwriter’s regrets, a reminder of the past and what might’ve been.

In the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, the historic British town of Canterbury became the breeding ground for an idiosyncratic music scene that could have been called a movement if its avatars weren’t quite so unassuming in their demeanor. The Canterbury scene grew up around Soft Machine, which started out blending post-psychedelic weirdness with jazz influences before shifting into straight-up jazz-rock fusion in the ‘70s. Early Soft Machine and the bands that became part of their family tree (Caravan, Hatfield & The North, Egg, etc.) shared a quirky, very British sense of humor and a knack for blending jazzy jams into an offbeat but breezy brand of prog rock that boasted a much lighter touch than that of King Crimson, ELP, et al.

Techno doesn’t look back—it never has. Infused with the sci-fi progressivism and Afrofuturist theology of its Motor City founders, Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson, the genre is committed to perpetual forward propulsion. It’s for this very reason that Resident Advisor’s Proto-Techno playlist is so indispensable. Shifting the time machine into reverse, it sends intrepid listeners back to mid-’80s Detroit, where Atkins, May, Saunderson and the rest of the city’s African-Americans groove to a diverse amalgam of funk, electro, disco, new wave, and cosmic jazz. Perhaps the only style underrepresented is synth-pop. Kraftwerk and Yello are featured, while The Human League and Depeche Mode, both of which Atkins has cited as key inspirations, are not. But those are mere quibbles. Resident Advisor has crafted a delightfully thumping and educational playlist that sheds some welcomed light on the mythical years leading up to techno’s birth.

Detroit post-punk dystopians Protomartyr recently released their fourth album, Relatives in Descent, on Domino Records. Here, each band member shares the “songs we were listening to while we were writing the album.”

Joe Casey (vocals)

Charley Pride, “Crystal Chandeliers”Richard Dawson, “The Vile Stuff”Life Without Buildings, “PS Exclusive”The Fall, “Garden”Ghostface Killah, “Maxine”Kay Starr, “Wheel of Fortune”Tyvek, “Blocks”McCarthy, “Red Sleeping Beauty”

Greg Ahee (guitar)

The Raincoats, “Shouting Out Loud”Country Teasers, “Golden Apples”Micachu & The Shapes with The London Sinfonietta, “State of N.Y.”Glenn Branca, “The Ascension” *Danny Bensi & Saunder Jurriaans, “Overpass” *The Pop Group, “She Is Beyond Good and Evil”Gil Scott-Heron, “New York Is Killing Me”Alain Goraguer, “La Femme”Paul White feat. Danny Brown, "Lions Den"Moodymann, "I Cant Kick This Feeling When It Hits"

Alex Leonard (drums)

Roy Wood, “Songs of Praise”Dirty Projectors, “Cool Your Heart”Philip Glass, “Prophecies”Chris Knox, “Glide”Wire, “Mannequin”TRAAMS, “A House on Fire”Kate Bush, “Wild Man”

Scott Davidson (bass)

Theo Parrish, “Make No War” *Felt, “Evergreen Dazed” *Grouper, “Clearing”Voices From the Lake, “Twins in Virgo” *Suni McGrath, “Cornflower Suite”Creation Rebel, “Starship Africa”* These tracks are not available on Spotify