Fruit Bars, Vol.1

Hello. Hi. Join me in Durham, NC

For the first list I wanted to highlight a mix of newer releases I’m excited about + Important Songs 2 Me + reflect on my recent journey to Durham, NC.

P.S. I had planned to set this thing sailing weeks ago but life happened so some big big newer releases (yes I’m talking Charli) aren’t in here but will come soon.

Over the past couple years Durham has become my home away from home. Some of my best friends are living a very dreamy midsouth life there and I have the pleasure of dipping into it on a frequent basis. Pressure was on for this recent trip because I was bringing my girlfriend Shay with me for the first time. It was like traveling home to meet the parents. But gayer.

We also had the pleasure of attending the Good Moon fest put on by Durham’s own Sylvan Esso. It was a cute two-day event at the baseball stadium and highlights included bopping my head to Dehd and staring mouth agape for the entirety of Reyna Tropical’s performance. Her outfit. Her stage presence. Her sound. She does it all- go see her float around the stage in person if you can. And follow her endeavors overs at She Shreds Media.

Renya @ Good Moon Fest

Outside of the fest, other sweet memories were made. Including: winning a music trivia contest at DJ’s Dive (which included like 3 Nate Dogg songs? appreciated that), watching Brokeback Mountain on a lazy Sunday morning, having family dinner that was blessed by a pre-meal Mary Oliver poem, and EmJ requiring that we listen to Espresso at least 4 times a day. I could write pages and pages gushing over my Durham fam. They cheer me up from afar with silly song links, allow me to be any version of myself when I am able to be around them, and I’m pretty sure the laughs I’ve shared with them has added years to my life. In general, so many of my friendships have kept me going in these past years dealing with a lot of physical and mental health issues. I’m sure they’ll continue to be mentioned throughout this project but for now I’ll just say it felt special introducing Shay to that specific part of my life. It was a dose of love that I needed and as always…there were good tunes to boot. 

Alright let’s listen to music.

Free Footnotes

Info on gems included on this list

• This journey begins as all good things begin- with the energy of the 90’s Bulls.

• My fav song of all time is on here. It’s Dove’s Cry. duh. And it just so happens to be the 40th anniversary of Purple Rain?! It had to make the list.

• A song from the first album I owned and cherished is also in the mix. Mom- ty for loving exactly one radio hit by Blackstreet and letting me buy the whole album. 

• I’m a big big music video fan. I simply must watch them. And Dehd’s latest video for Dog Days checks all the boxes for me. It’s so funnnnn. It features some Chicago legends and has me missing those late nights at the Clipper. Or Skylark. Or Coles. K apparently I’m missing my Chicago lifestyle.

• Tipsy by J-Kwon (referenced by Shaboozey in A Bar Song) came out 20 years ago… no words.

• I learned this week that Jackson Browne wrote the song These Days when he was only 16. When I was 16 I was doing donuts in a parking lot with my friends while listening to J-Kwon. 

• Sabrina Carpenter cooing the words “I’m working late… cause I’m a singerrrr” is a lyrical highlight of the year. This song is so silly in all the right ways. As one youtube commenter put it- “Can NOT let the homies know I vibe to this”

Cruising the Scene

Things I’m looking forward to in music

• It’s Pride weekend in the Twin Cities this weekend. Let’s dance. Place your bets for how many times we’ll hear Chappell Roan. The more the better imo.

• Kehlani’s new album Crash out 6/28

• Channel Tres’s new album Head Rush out 6/28

• Lil Yachty & James Blake are releasing an album together??? Very into this on paper. We get to hear it on 6/28

• Omar Apollo’s new album God Said No out 6/28

• Adrianne Lenker is playing at the State Theater this Sunday so I’ll have the pleasure of crying there to close out Pride weekend. Yeehaw

The Set List

The Alan Parsons Project - Sirius

Prince - When Doves Cry - 7" Single Edit

Dehd - Dog Days

Bartees Strange - Big Glow

Shuggie Otis - Sweet Thang

Reyna Tropical - Lo Siento

Sylvan Esso - Die Young

Blondshell - Kiss City

Lynda Dawn - Move

Chappell Roan - Good Luck, Babe!

Robyn - Because It's In The Music

Jackson Browne - These Days

Waxahatchee - Crowbar

Randy Travis - If I Didn't Have You

Nourished by Time - Hand On Me

Boy Harsher - Give Me a Reason

Tracy Chapman - Give Me One Reason

Blackstreet - Fix

Erika de Casier - Home Alone

Amen Dunes - Purple Land

Rufus Wainwright - One Man Guy

Gustavo Santaolalla - Snow

Jessica Pratt - Life Is

Beyoncé - XO

Marvin Gaye - Heavy Love Affair

Shaboozey - A Bar Song (Tipsy)

Shade Sheist, Nate Dogg, Kurupt- Where I Wanna Be

Sabrina Carpenter - Espresso

Thanks for joining- enjoy! I love you all a lot.