THE MIX | Let’s Get Wild

by Paul McDonald

04.23.18 | Check out the new video out for “Wildcard” offPaul’s first debut solo album, Modern Hearts is out on June 1st. Popdust had him curate this Monday’s playlist. He has unveiled the music video to the track “Wildcard.” The music video, which was directed by Jason Lee Denton. In the video, Paul ruminates over a shady lover in a universe where Keith Richards meets George Michael for fizzy lifting drinks.

Paul McDonald says, “The new album was all inspired by my own experiences that I was going through. The ups and downs of heartbreak, lost love, new love, re-birth, and the overall changing of the seasons. You could say it’s a breakup album, but it’s also very hopeful and has a lot of positive moments documenting the spiritual and artistic uplift that I experienced during that chapter of life.”

Follow Paul McDonald on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

THE PLAYLIST

1. Madi Diaz, The Guest, and the Host: “Taste the Rain”

2. Kacey Musgraves: “Slow Burn”

3. Rayland Baxter: “Mr. Rodrigue”

4. Phoebe Bridgers: “Motion Sickness”

5. Bahamas: “Way With Words”

6. Borns: “Faded Heart”

7. Tobias Jesso Jr.: “True Love”

8. Theo Katzman: “Plain Jane Heroin”

9. Nathanial Ratliff & The Night Sweats: “You Worry Me”

10. Revivalists: “Catching Fireflies”

11. Jordan Lehning: “I Miss You”

12. Robert Ellis: “California”

13. Leif Vollebekk: “Elegy”

14. Emily Kinney: “Mermaid”

15. Crosby, Stills, and Nash, & Young: “Our House”

16. Head and the Heart: “Rivers and Roads”

THE BREAKDOWN

1. “Taste the Rain”Madi and Andrew are both phenomenal songwriters. Madi’s been doing it forever and every time we cross paths I’m blown away by what she’s working on. She never stops. She intro’d me to Andrew (The Guest and the Host) last time I was in LA and we wrote a magical song in his studio in the middle of Beachwood Canyon. He told me that his place is a vortex for great songs. After listening to this EP, I totally believe it. They wrote and tracked all these songs together in a few days. She’s one of my all-time faves and her voice is stunning.

2. “Slow Burn” I love this whole album. My favorite of the year so far….. and what fun is that most of the people involved in making it are good friends/musical collaborators of mine that also helped with the making of “Modern Hearts”. I love this song….but you’ve gotta listen to the whole record. It’s a masterpiece and I have a feeling it’s going to win all the trophies this year.

3. “Mr. Rodrigue”If you don’t know Rayland Baxter… he’s quite possibly the coolest. I’m a fan of whatever he puts out and he’s a big influence on the songs I write. There’s actually a tune on my album called “Always On My Mind” that we co-wrote without him really knowing about it. It was the start of a song that he wrote with my producer and we ended up finishing it together. It’s one of my favorites on the album.

4. “Motion Sickness”Pheobe is one the best young songwriters I’ve heard in a long time. She’s surrounded herself with a great community of LA musicians as well. Her guitar player, Harrison Whitford just put out an amazing solo record and all of the people involved in the making of her album are making inspiring music. Ethan Gruska is another guy involved that is brilliant. Check out his stuff too.

5. Bahamas: “Way With Words”Vibe town. I love Bahamas. Alfie is another songwriter that I’m constantly inspired by.

6. “Faded Heart”I feel like Borns might be the most “mainstream” artist out of this playlist, but he’s so so good. I’ve seen him a few times live and he always blows me away. His musical choices and artistic direction is something I’m constantly watching. Great songs, great stage presence, etc. This song is the jam.

7. “True Love”Such a good love song. Tobias Jesso Jr. is a brilliant songwriter. This song reminds me of a night I spent at the Ace Hotel in NYC and gives me all the feels.

8. “Plain Jane Heroin”Theo is my new favorite artist. If you’re familiar with Vulfpeck, you might know him from that band. He’s a muliti-instrumentalist and a beast of a songwriter. A few years back we did a show together for a Christmas party in LA, but I wasn’t paying that much attention to the set because I was getting ready to go on, but a few days later I showed up at a mutual friend’s house party and he was playing. It blew my mind. I haven’t felt that kind of excitement watching live music in forever. He’s one of the greats and you’ll be seeing/hearing a whole lot of him in the future. The whole album is great, but “Plain Jane Heroin” is my jam.

9. “You Worry Me”These guys are also one of my favorite bands. Super raw and badass. I love this new album and I’m happy they stuck with Richard Swift on the production side of things. Album 2 is crazy good. I’ve never seen the band live, but I’ve heard they’re a force to be reckoned with.

10. “Catching Fireflies”I love these guys. They were one of the first bands I ever toured with almost 10 years ago with my first band Hightide Blues/The Grand Magnolias. We were all sharing bills riding around in a 15 passenger van. It’s amazing to see how far they’ve come and what they’re up to these days. Dave is one the best frontmen out there and all of the guys are A+ players & human beings. This next record they’re working on right now with Dave Cobb and it’s going to blow minds.

11. “I Miss You”Jordan is the producer behind my newest album. Outside of producing a handful of really cool albums this year, he also just put out his own solo album and it’s brilliant. I remember the first time he showed me this song and it blew me away, but listen to the whole album.

12. “California”This was my favorite song for forever. Revisiting it now, I still can’t wrap my head around how good it is. Jordan (above) and a few of my other buddies worked on the string arrangements on this one. Robert’s songwriting is on another level. The whole thing is brilliant.

13. “Elegy”My buddy Gia that runs Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles told me about this guy…. We used to always go back and forth on a text chain about what was the best new music or what songs are a “must listen”. She hears a ton of music with so many bands passing through Hotel Cafe, so I’ve always trusted her ear. She showed me this album a few years back and I still go back to revisit it. It’s another album that inspired me a lot over the past few years.

14. “Mermaid”You know I’ve gotta throw Emily in the mix! Yes, she’s my girlfriend… but she’s also an amazing songwriter & one of the most creative people I know. She has a unique way with her words & phrasing. It’s her own thing that sounds, unlike anything I’ve ever heard. I’ve been listening to a bunch of her new album that she’s putting out this summer and I have a feeling it’s going to be a really fun year for her.

15. “Our House”I figured I should throw at least one vintage jam in this playlist. This one reminds me of my childhood. My parents raised me on CSNY, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Eric Clapton, and the Stones, etc. I love this song and pretty much everything CSN. I took a dive back in on this one the last time I was in LA and it reminded me that I need to listen to way more CSN! I’ve been on a nice kick as of lately.

16. “Rivers and Roads”This song reminds me of the first time I moved to California back in 2010. I remember jamming this thing on repeat. I even bought the band shirt, tote bag, etc. All the merch! Haha. I’ve been a huge fan since they first started out and have since become pals with a few of the guys. They’re super inspiring and one of my favorite bands. This last album that they did with Jay Joyce is equally as good as the first.

TOUR DATES

April 27 – Nashville, TN – Lightning 100 presents at Exit/In

May 11 – Los Angeles, CA – Hotel Café

May 24 – Atlanta, GA – Eddie’s

May 25 – Huntsville, AL – Sidetracks

June 2 – Nashville, TN – Analog (Album Release Show)

Dan Victor is editor of Popdust and producer of Popdust Presents. He is also a music producer, bassist for Low Profile (live hip hop) & The Coldpress (indie rap) and front-man for Ductape Halo (indie rock). Follow on Youtube.

POP⚡DUST | Read More…

MUSIC MONDAY | Tattoo Money boosts the “Levels” of Love

MUSIC MONDAY | Do You Got The Chills?

MUSIC MONDAY | Laid Back, Rainy Groove