6:04 Mixtape #11 Curated by Logan Metz (Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real)

This 6:04 Mixtape was curated by Logan Metz (www.loganmetz.com) of Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real

1.  This Will Be Our Year – The Zombies

I use this song from the Zombies’ great psych-rock masterpiece album, “Odyessey and Oracle”  as my alarm every morning.  It’s an incredibly beautiful and concise tune.  Two minutes, verse/chorus/verse/chorus and that’s it.  I’m a sucker for good vocal phrasing, and there’s no better example of Colin Blunstone’s understated brilliance than this tune.

2.  I Must Be In A Good Place Now – Bobby Charles

My good friend Sarah Lee Guthrie turned me on to this beauty by Bobby Charles.  I love the laziness of this tune, the almost impossibly laid-back and carefree stroll… I believe The Band backed Charles, which could explain why it feels so damn good.  My favorite line is the one about the butterfly.

3.  My Own Wave – Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real

Had to include something from POTR’s latest release, “Naked Garden”.  Lukas first showed me this tune over a decade ago when we were in college together, and it ended up being the first track I recorded with the band when I reunited with them at Shangri-la studios in 2018.  I love the groove, the percussion, the drop into half-time, and of course the ridiculous note at the end. 

4.  My Man – Katie Kadan

Katie Kadan is quite simply the best singer I have ever seen in real life.  I do not exaggerate.  Her whole album is great, but you gotta see her live for the full impact of this incredible lady.  She was a finalist on The Voice last season, so expect to see a lot more of her. 

5.  Hallelujah, I Love Her So

Listen to how Ray’s voice cracks the second time he sings “on my door”.  It’s one of the greatest moments in recorded music.  Enough said.

6.  Darwin Derby – Vulfpeck

Vulfpeck is my new favorite band!  They are like Flight of the Concords meets Stevie Wonder.  Nearly every one of their songs makes me laugh out loud, if not because of the incredible tongue-in-cheek lyrics, then out of sheer amazement of their instrumental virtuosity.  This song is about evolution.  Try to wrap your head around the absurd genius of that spoken word breakdown.

7.  Back To Black – Amy Winehouse 

I watched the documentary again recently.  Of all artists who died too young, I grieve the most for Amy, and for all the new music we’ll never get to hear.  Because while it’s impossible to overplay the album “Back To Black”, I always find myself thinking “I can’t wait for her next album”.  If you’re an addict, please get help.  If you are close with an addict, don’t be an enabler just to make a buck.

8.  Sail Away – Randy Newman

I’ve saved my favorite two songwriters for last.  Randy Newman and Tom Waits are so influential and original, they are their own genres.  Like Vulfpeck, Randy’s genius as an arranger and lyricist never cease to make me laugh.  If you want to learn how to write a song about literally anything, Randy Newman is a good place to start.

9.  Come on Up To The House – Tom Waits

This song closes out every playlist I make, because it’s the song I’d most want to hear while the world ends.  Show’s over folks.  So it goes.