The Soundtrack to My Year - 2021

The songs that I had moments with throughout the course of 2021.

Playlist: 2021 - RPB

1. Waking - my brother and sister-in-law tipped me off to the manly passion of Future Islands, and this song really resonated with me. 
2. Lilacs - a song (and an album) that I happily went back to throughout the year. Pleasant sounds. 
3. This Is the Sound - I did a nostalgic playlist project for my sister (born in ‘76) with some of the songs I remembered playing on her tape and CD players from that era. It ended up taking me down a Juliana Hatfield exploration adventure where I discovered that her whole body of work is really great, and holds up well. What’s more she’s still putting out music and it’s still great!
4. Speed it up - in the last few years I resumed following basketball very closely with the resurgence of the Phoenix Suns. This song played during warmups at a Warriors vs Suns game and I loved the sound and felt a real respect for the NBA culture. 
5. Big Appetite - a band I’ve loved for several years. This song just feels like one of those really well put together productions where all the sounds just click really well. Had a good experience debuting this album on my headphones while driving out big van up the Donner Pass en route back to the Bay. 
6. Dime cómo quieres - I went through a Spanish music kick in 2021 (as I am prone to do now and then) and this song stood out as a clear winner. Both artists have a lot of good music individually, and they really bring their talents together nicely here. 
7. Two Of Us - like many others, I really enjoyed watching the “Get Back” Beatles documentary. I think all 4 of them end up as big winners by the end. But in the early goings I was most impressed with Paul for his responsibility but also his musical versatility and mastery. I loved how he was very careful to make sure there was no tackiness to any of their songs, like in the way he would have them rework a strumming pattern or some other timing aspect. 
8. Veg Out (Wasting Thyme) - I learned about Masego through a really cool Apple Music ad campaign. That led me to this song which I love for its chill factor, and since it corresponds to my attitude a lot. I want to veg out too, Masego!
9. Days like these - just a solid track from one of my favorite bands of the last couple of decades.  
10. Grains of Sand - I absolutely loved the Dune movie that came out in 2021. The feel, the cinematography, the story, the acting, and the music. When the credits rolled at the end I loved sitting there in awe and staring at the screen while this song kept the mood going.