Sweet Jams and Relaxation, Coming Right Up!
Yes I’m old-school in that I still have CDs!
Yup, the world has officially gone mad - and not in a good way at all.
As many cities and countries go full lock-down to prevent the further spread of COVID-19, tensions are high, anxiety is through the roof and many of us are having to put our lives on hold. It’s a weird reality to say the least.
But it’s not all bad; and I’m here to tell you that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Canals are running clean in Venice, air pollution is down, and the natural world is taking some time to recover.
You don’t have to love classic rock to enjoy some smooth musical beats (and I’ve got a couple of playlists for you to enjoy), although they certainly comprise a decent chunk of my musical tastes.
Without further ado, let’s check out what you can be listening to right now to get you in the groove (with a cocktail suggestion to go with it!) and forget about the news for a little.
Rock out to the most psychedelic beats around
Of Lonely Hearts, Cream, Surrealistic Pillows and The Doors
If spacey jams, acid rock and psychedelic stuff is your thing, then you’re going to LOVE these albums. 1967 has held the place in my heart (and history really!) as being a year in which brilliant album after brilliant album was produced. Think Sgt. Peppers (The Beatles), The Doors’ debut album, Are You Experienced? (The Jimi Hendrix Experience), Disraeli Gears as pictured here (Cream), Surrealistic Pillow (Jefferson Airplane), The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (Pink Floyd), the Grateful Dead’s debut album of the same name…
In short, there’s a heck of a lot of quite simply excellent masterpieces, so I promise you won’t be bored.
Cocktail Suggestion: Rum n’ Jack
- Get a tumbler glass and fill with as much ice as you desire
-Pour yourself a Jack Daniels (or any whiskey will do), and top it off with a Coke or any cola beverage of your choice.
-Grab a lemon, chop it up and slice a sliver to hang off the side of your glass.
-Drink up and enjoy! (maybe do a little head-bang while you’re at it if Foxey Lady is playing.)
Sit back and relax
Smooth grooves that will make you think you’re on vacation (whilst at home)
If classic rock isn’t your thing, this playlist will do the trick. Initially created as a soundtrack to my working day, with just enough groove to keep you focused and energised (but not to the point of distraction), this Spotify playlist has grown and grown, and just keeps getting funkier.
Most of the artists featured on here are indie, but a couple of my favorites such as Oasis, Disclosure, John Mayer, Anderson .Paak, Tom Misch and Franc Moody (to name a few!) are on here - it’s a good ol’ time and there’s plenty to choose from.
Cocktail Suggestion: Piña Coladas, of course!
-Get a nice tall glass to place your beverage in and set aside
(Put the following ingredients in a blender)
-Grab some Malibu white rum from your pantry, cupboard or local liquor store (if they’re not shut!)
-Pour a generous amount of pineapple juice on top
-Add some coconut cream
-Throw it all in a blender, and mix away
-Pour it back into your glass and enjoy!
And last but not least, my album pick of this week is….
Are You Experienced? (1967)
Are You Experienced? by the Jimi Hendrix Experience
I can only imagine what listening to this back in ‘67 would have been like, but it still gives the same WOW factor today.
Stuffed full of rock classics such as “Foxey Lady,” “Purple Haze,” “Hey Joe,” and “3rd Stone From the Sun,” it’s quite possibly one of the most dynamic, psychedelic and creative debut albums to ever have been created.
Even if rock isn’t your taste but you like the guitar, I implore you to simply listen to how Hendrix plays - it’s mind-boggling how talented the man was with a guitar, and all the methods he used to create some truly remarkable riffs and effects.
