Solitude, reflextion, and decompession a playlist...

Hey People, I'm up for the past few days with wicked insomnia so I've decided to share some music with you. For me there are very few things as good for my soul as a nighttime walk in the quiet outdoors with no one else around and listening to some music. Before I moved to NYC I would typically jump in my truck to the top of some canyon, watch the stars from the back of my truck, play my "solitude & reflection" playlist. These days is almost impossible but I do find occasion where I can be walking with no one around, its quiet, and pretty safe. The streets of my neighborhood after midnight are a good example.

What makes this experience cleansing is my "solitude & reflection" playlist. While it's always in flux I'm pretty happy with it right now. I've recently trimmed it a bit so I think it's pretty solid. The complete list is below, but I've picked my top 12 which was really, really, really freakin' hard, and am I'm not convinced it's really my top 12. Although I'm absolutely sure that Bon Iver's Skinny Love is first. Anyway, I put it in an online streaming playlist here: http://bond.muxtape.com/

What songs do you like to unwind too?

Artist - Name
Alison Krauss - Can't Find My Way Home
Bon Iver - Skinny Love
Bonnie Raitt - I Will Not Be Broken
Broken Social Scene - Looks Just Like The Sun
Coldplay - Sparks (Accoustic Version)
Copeland - Pin Your Wings (accoustic)
David Gray - Please Forgive Me
Death Cab For Cutie - Marching Bands Of Manhattan
Death Cab For Cutie - Summer Skin
Death Cab For Cutie - What Sarah Said
The Decemberists - The Crane Wife 3
Erin Bode - Holiday
Groove Armada - Hands of Time
Harry Nilsson - Are You Sleeping?
Headlights - Cherry Tulips
Hem - Half acre
Jack Johnson - F-Stop Blues
Jackson Browne - These Days (Solo Acoustic Version Please)
Jeff Tweedy - I am Trying to Break Your Heart (Coleman House)
John Legend- Save Room
John Mayer - Wheel
Jose González - Hints
Josh Rouse - Love Vibration
Kings of Convenience - Gold In The Air Of Summer
Landon Pigg - Falling In Love At a Coffee Shop
Laura Veirs - Don't Lose Yourself
Leona Naess - Ballerina
M. Craft - Love Knows How To Fight
Mae - Tisbury Lane
Maria Taylor - Song beneath the song
Matt Pond PA - Snow Day
Nada Surf - Your Legs Grow
Old 97's - Question
Paul Simon - Slip Slidin' Away
Pete Droge - Going Whichever Way the Wind Blows
Phantom Planet - Anthem
Rhett Miller - Come Around
Rilo Kiley - Pictures Of Success
Rogue Wave - Lake Michigan
Rogue Wave - California
Ryan Adams - Helpless (with Gillian Welsh)
Ryan Adams - Wonderwall
Shawn Colvin - Round of Blues (with Mary Chapin Carpenter)
Sia - Breathe Me
The Spinners - I'll Be Around
Sufjan Stevens - To Be Alone With You
The Sundays - Goodbye
Toad The Wet Sprocket - Something's Always Wrong (Solo Acoustic)
Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
Van Morrison - Moondance
Van Morrison - Wavelength
The Weepies - World Spins Madly On
Wilco - "Jesus, etc."

Woohoo good times!

PS: I wish I took that photo, but I didn't... at least not yet, but mark my words I will.

Comments

[Esther]

Hi Brian,

I don't recognize half the bands on here, but of the ones I do recognize, there are some huge favorites ... John Mayer, Alison Krauss, David Gray ...

I thought I'd throw together a little list but wow, it's hard; there are so many great songs and artists in the world. But I guess when I unwind, I tend toward these songs ... the first two are fav, fav, favs.

** Jesus Jones - Right Here, Right Now (cannot emphasis how uplifting this song is for me ... just sends a shot of joy through me. who needs drugs.)

** Three Dog Night - Shambala
(really, all their stuff ... just makes me happy)

Alison Krauss - When You Say Nothing at All

Alison Krauss and Joe Cocker versions - Can't Find My Way Home

Collective Soul - Skin

Joni Mitchell - River (like Robert Downey Jr.s version too, from Ally McBeal)

Seal and Alanis Morissette versions - Crazy

Not quite as high on this list but also often preferred:

Duncan Shiek and Jones combo - Someone You Need

Jefferson Starship - We Built This City (extreme nostalgia for me)

Fastball - Out of My Head

Finger Eleven - One Thing

Alison Krauss and Robert Plant combo - Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)
(okay, this song is kind of new so i don't know if makes my classics, perfected list but I really like mellow-ing to it right now. I have no plans to be gone, gone, gone. I just love the Krauss/Plant combo.)

Other good unwinding bands ... Alexi Murdoch, Dido, Nick Drake, Bob Dylan, Chris Isaak, CCR, Mellencamp, Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd, U2 ...

[brbond]

Wow that's great list! many of those are on my top rated songs playlist. I'm a huge Alison Krauss fan too. Very diverse tastes like mine.

[Niels]

Hey Brian! So, I saw your fantastic mix, and thought I would post a little quick-and-dirty list. I don't struggle with insomnia (well, not yet... dental school hasn't started) but here's a few I currently like to listen to late at night driving by my lonesome, in a pensive mood.

Alexi Murdoch- Orange Sky
David Poe & Duncan Sheik- Loves a Sinner
Explosions in the Sky- Your Hand in Mine
Fionn Regan- Abacus
Jimmy Eat World- Roller Queen
Mason Jennings- Sorry Signs on Cash Machines
Matt Pond PA- New Hampshire
Matt Pond PA- City Song
Peter Bradley Adams- Los Angeles
Rogue Wave- How We Landed
Rogue Wave- Eyes
Ryan Adams- La Cienega Just Smiled
The Shins- Those to Come
Submarines- Brightest Hour
Sufjan Stevens- Star of Wonder (I know it's a X-mas song, but I listen to this one year-round)

Anyway, Suz and I are coming out your way in August, and would love to catch up with you. We'll let you know.