I have it on good authority that it’s a fairly simple process to buy a dream house in the Hollywood Hills once you’ve put to rest your cult-fave power-pop project, moved from Boston to LA, and launched a DIY solo career. Well, maybe there’s a few more steps to overcome largely involving sheer luck, algorithmic manipulation, and/or adoption paperwork legally binding you to parents with Wikipedia pages, but it’s still a nice dream to have.
Despite the understated sounds of Talk a Blue Streak, former Lilith vocalist Hannah Liuzzo’s debut EP as Little Bit, these six tracks embody all the longing, excitement, and fulfillment that come with a cross-country move, particularly one that results in summer nights spent taking in the warm Pacific air. Perhaps it’s because these tracks are so rooted in sobering reality that Liuzzo opted to celebrate the EP’s release this week with a playlist of songs she visualizes as the soundtrack for the acquisition of that idyllic home. “[This playlist is] a collection of songs by artists that I’d invite to a mega-party if I had a house in the Hills with a pool, and songs I’d want to hear at said party,” she shares of the two-pronged theme (naturally, if you’re gonna invite Charli to your party you’d better queue up a How I’m Feeling heater).
With Talk a Blue Streak landing this Friday via Hit the North Records, check out Liuzzo’s dream guest-/tracklist below. In the meantime, hear the pre-released singles and pre-order the record here.
Radiohead, “I Am Citizen Insane”
Radiohead has been a favorite band of mine since middle school, and to be honest, I think they would all be really uncomfortable, weird party guests—which is essential if you want your party to be cool and haunted (obviously I do). I remember hearing this song for the first time in the parking lot of the mall in my hometown after I bought the Com Lag CD from Bullmoose Records down the street, and it kind of changed the whole trajectory of everything for me. If I heard this song at an overpriced natural wine bar with hot people I’d lose my mind.
Fime, “This Morning, with Her”
Fime is one of my favorite bands to see play in LA, and their shows are always quite literally a party, so it’s only polite that I invite them to mine. This song would be the soundtrack for a lost urban cowboy who ended up at my party through a friend of a friend, but then Found Themself while staring down into the lights of the city below, vaping.
Why Dogs Why, “$200”
Alex from Why Dogs Why is born and raised in California, so his music is an immediate transport back to my days of loving Best Coast and Wavves, fantasizing about being a chill person who lives on the West Coast and longboards or something. Now I do actually live on the West Coast, and loving Why Dogs Why’s California-bred music is the apology toll I pay for being a transplant and trying to claim California culture as my own.
Anna Altman, “Balloons”
Anna Altman hasn’t put out music since 2017, so I’m super excited that this single came out this year. I think they write the best melodies in such a unique world that’s both nostalgic and new to me at the same time. At my party, I’d play “Balloons” on the bathroom speaker so people would have a chance to make eye contact with themselves while they think about reaching out to a past lover, but just to smooth things over.
Locate S,1, “Pieta”
I love this song because it’s right on the line of being a song people would want to dance to. “Pieta” would be a test to see who’s right on the verge of wanting to transition the party to a full-on dancing situation. I’d play it, and if the majority of people are moving, then boom, lights come down and music goes way up. No more chit chat. We’re onto a new chapter.
PYNKIE, “Lately”
I love PYNKIE’s record Songies! And even though I’m cosplaying here as a person in California with a house in the Hills, I think it’s important to honor my roots and have more representation from artists from the East Coast at my mega party. “Lately” is a perfect melancholic pop song—catchy with space for mystery.
Vashti Bunyan, “Glow Worms”
Vashti Bunyan would get an immediate invite to my mega party because I’d want to talk to her about what it’s like to put out a record, abandon music, and then fall back into relevance 30 years later. I’d be like, “Should I abandon music?” and she’d be like, “I have no idea!” Then we’d talk about her journey by wagon to live in a commune with Donovan. People would ask me to change the song because it was “too depressing” and I’d be like, “I’m literally mid-conversation with Vashti Bunyan, can you hang on?”
Pickle Darling, “Computer Repair”
This is one of those songs that I wish was 14 minutes longer than it is. At my mega party I’d play this song, and then immediately run it back, and then I’d ask my DJ to remix it with something to make it a dance song. On a personal and selfish level, I think it would be cool to have a Kiwi at my mega party and it would be cool to be their LA ambassador.
(T-T)b, “Look at All the Shit on My Dresser”
From a lyrical standpoint, I think there’d be a point in the night at my party where everyone would benefit from some “this is this and that is that” O’Hara-type frankness. We’d all kind of come together and someone would share a simple thought and everyone would be like, “That makes sense.” Plus I think (T-T)b would just be a fun party guest who would be nice to everyone.
Charli XCX, “Pink Diamond”
Charli is allowed to come to my party under the condition she doesn’t bring anyone weird or hype-y, like Addison Rae. She can bring three guests who have under 5,000 Instagram followers. I don’t want it to be a whole thing. And I want it to be clear ahead of time that we’re only listening to freaky Charli, no “Apple” dance!
