What was your May 2024 jam? You might notice fewer submissions for this edition, but that's only because a lot of Pandora people are enjoying vacation and the sweet turning of the season. Spring fever aside, our Pandora Picks for May 2024 could be played any time of year... or any year, for that matter!
Listen to Pandora Picks – May 2024
I'm paying tribute this month to master sound recording engineer and musician Steve Albini, who passed away unexpectedly this month at 61. As I reflect back on the albums he's had a hand in creating in some way, I don't know that my musical taste would be anywhere near what it is today without his influence. From his work with Joanna Newsom to Dirty Three to Low to Slint to his albums with Big Black and Shellac, those records and many others were like forks in the road for me, where a new musical horizon opened up on the other side of the bend. It's well documented that he has stated his goal is to get out of the way and let the musician he's working with deliver the sounds that are most true to their art. And from that vantage point, he was the absolute best in his class. It was tough to pick a song that could possibly sum up his career. So, I'll share the first track off of his band Shellac’s new album, which through sheer coincidence was released a week following his unexpected death.
-Noel
I'm super excited to share the lead single and first track off the upcoming new release by up-and-coming jazz multi-instrumentalist, Julius Rodriguez. His track “Mission Statement” takes us on a cool, loopy, cosmic, journey with a mega dynamic sax solo, which will certainly appeal to both jazz music novices and open-minded jazz heads who dig late ‘70s and ‘80s jazz fusion.
-Michelle
My pick for May 2024’s Pandora Picks is from Gastr Del Sol. Finally, these pillars of post-rock get a long-overdue retrospective. The core duo of Jim O’Rourke and David Grubbs have musical pedigrees like you wouldn't believe, from Squirrel Bait to Sonic Youth. But together as Gastr Del Sol, they created something wholly unique – a darkly delicate but often noise-drenched world of spidery, crystalline guitar escapes, abstract percussion, hushed drones, mysterious field recordings, looped noise, and gorgeously-textured ambience. Check it out. The song is “Dead Cats in a Foghorn.”
-Andee
One of my favorite new discoveries in the Los Angeles music scene is Chorus Pedal, who used to be a drums/guitar/bass trio and recently got rid of all their instruments and are just playing samplers and doing drum machine beats with the same singer. So, they've completely changed their sound. And the first example of that is this single called “Tripsitter” from their forthcoming album.
-George
Beak> “Hungry Are We” – oddly venture a freeway, unnervingly British, blatantly tape saturated… my mind, a chorus pedal. This is Chris in content curation with my Pandora Pick for May 2024.
-Chris
In the 1981 prog pop song “Tom Sawyer” by Rush, Geddy Lee sings the lyrics, “Always hopeful, yet discontent/ He knows changes aren't permanent/ But change is.” And I’ve always tried to remember these wise words whenever mourning the loss of a favorite music venue or restaurant. But with their new song “Matter of Time” from the album About Time, Bay Area band Stonedog reminds us that it’s ok to lament loss and change. And they do it in this melodic, power pop, new wave of new wave style that reminds me of Fountains of Wayne’s obsession with the Cars, but with soaring vocal harmonies and a shredding solo that makes me want to tape up my guitar like the late, great Eddy Van Halen.
-Eric S.
Happy almost summer! My pick for May 2024 is called “Noisy Little Robot” from Sweet Potato Music. There's a new album called Pop Pop Bubbles and they're all original songs that Leah Paul created for music classes for babies and toddlers. And I love this song “Noisy Little Robot” because it introduces the concept of rests and silence in music, which is always so important. And it's just a fun little ditty. Hope you enjoy.
-Jamie
As we ease into the summer from the spring out here on the sparkly West Coast of California, I'm feeling a bit tropical today. And I found this track on a Vintage Calypso collection, music from the 1950s and 1960s. And there is a version of the classic Calypso “Bassman” by a group called the Tradewinds of which I know very little about, except that I really love this track and it captures the moment for me today. And I hope you enjoy it poolside or maybe with a rope swing and a river.
-Eric D.
This month, I’m sharing a new discovery for me, the Classical Arabic Orchestra of Aleppo. I’ve been a student of Middle Eastern music for over a decade, and this is one of the better Takht albums I’ve heard in a while. The Takht is the basic ensemble of Arabic classical music, and Aleppo has been a highly regarded center for this kind of music. I’ve chosen the ensemble’s recording of “Samai Bayati (Maqam bayati)” with some lovely improvisations on oud and qanun. Enjoy!
-Diego
