The Plug’n Play: Year in Review, 2019
December 29, 2019
You can listen to the full playlist on Apple Music, Spotify, or Tidal
This month’s playlist includes 100 of our favorite songs from the year! We changed the format some for this post, where we traded off every 5 songs (songs 1-5 are me, Stanley, and songs 6-10 are Kevin’s and so on). As always we hope, we hope you find a song you like and check out the entire album!
Raphael Saadiq — Something Keeps Calling (Featuring Rob Bacon)
Without a doubt, Something Keeps Calling is my favorite song this year, and one of the best songs released. Writing from the perspective of his late brother, Jimmy Lee who was often substance dependent, Raphael Saadiq tells the story of a man trying to make changes in his life. Something Keeps Calling is brilliantly written, where the verses are a collection of statements about Jimmy Lee’s shortcomings to his family and friends, and the constant struggle of trying to live for self and others. While the song is introspective, the introspection does not come from the source one’s own emotional process. It’s a heartfelt song, and a love letter to his late-brother, wonderfully placed over a R&B drum pattern, tight bass line, and soaring electric guitar solo.
Free Nationals — Apartment (Featuring Benny Sings)
December didn’t have a large number of releases in December, but there was one in particular I had been waiting on, the Free Nationals’ debut album. Mostly known as the backing band for Anderson .Paak, the Free Nationals have been releasing singles over the past year or so. Each song was great, but I kept wondering where the full album would come out! Well, earlier this year, the Free Nationals dropped a late game gem, filled with a star studded, and perfectly placed features list. This song in particular featuring Benny Sings, shows the band at their absolute best.
KAYTRANADA — Freefall (Featuring Durand Bernarr)
After releasing his debut album, 99.9% in 2016, Kaytranada took a nearly 4 year break in between albums. Earlier this month, Kaytranada released his sophomore album, BUBBA, a 50-minute album filled with some of Kaytranada’s best work, and sees the artist produce an album that’s so cohesive it feels like one consistent song. This song features Durand Bernarr, who many may know from his YouTube videos or viral social media moments. Bernarr, who also sings background vocals for Erykah Badu, has released music, but not a lot, so let’s hope this is a sign of things to come and more music from him.
