Day Wave slipped back onto our radar back in February with his breezy single “Starting Again,” his first new music since 2017 when he dropped The Days We Had shortly after filming one of our inaugural Original Tracks videos. Well, shortly after the single was released it was announced that it would be kicking off a new EP called Crush, which is finally out today.
As expected, the rest of the EP follows suit, listing three additional tracks of late-summer-night indie rock pulling from a bevy of late-aughts influences ranging from Phoenix to The Shins, before unwinding with the closing soft-piano-ballad title track. Yet while recording the record, Jackson Philips’ mind was a decade or so further in the past, citing Teenage Fanclub, GBV, and Elliott Smith as artists whose songs he’s been returning to lately.
Once you’ve spun Crush in its twelve-minute brevity (find it here, via [PIAS] Records), take a listen to the playlist Philips curated compiling what he calls his “late night quarantine essentials,” and read along below for some insight into his picks.
The Replacements, “Unsatisfied”
I remember first discovering The Replacements as a kid, when I saw the movie Can’t Hardly Wait. I only got back into them about a year ago, and I’ve had this song on repeat ever since.
Big Star, “Thirteen”
Big star makes me wish I was alive in the ’70s—I just wanna live inside those songs.
Teenage Fanclub, “Sparky’s Dream”
Nothing better than some feel-good ’90s indie rock. It really takes me to a better place in my mind.
Guided By Voices, “Gold Star for Robot Boy”
I love the idea that Robert Pollard wrote this song as a fourth grade teacher. I remember trying to get gold stars in elementary school. This song rules.
Elliott Smith, “Say Yes”
This song still gets better with each listen—it’s a no-brainer.
The Roches, “Hammond Song”
This awesome Robert Fripp–produced track has been on my radar for a few years now, and it’s been in rotation for me recently. It was sampled in a new Avalanches song, which reminded me to start listening to it again.
Love, “Alone Again Or”
My dad played this band on repeat when I was a little kid. I recently went back and started playing these songs. Brings back good memories.
FJ McMahon, “Sister, Brother”
This is a cult classic that I’ve loved for a couple years now. I just love the sound of this recording.
Donnie & Joe Emerson, “Don’t Fight”
This is another once-long-lost recording. I only discovered it recently, but it kinda sounds like a Day Wave song meets Don Henley.
The Martinis, “Free”
I’ve loved this song since I was a little kid watching Empire Records. I’ve been covering it on my weekly quarantine live streams.
Ivy, “Wish It All Away”
I’ve loved this band for years—their first album is just ’90s gold. I wanted to add this song as a dedication to Adam Schlesinger. He was a really talented and prolific songwriter.
