SMLAEN Three: One
The third installment of the Neil McEnerney playlist. Yes, I did misspell the acronym last time
Some housekeeping to start. Dedicated readers will remember that I took note of PinkPantheress’s brazen use of a Michael Jackson sample in her track “Just a waste”.
Well,
You can find it on SoundCloud if you liked it, as it has joined De La Soul in the proud tradition of “sample first, ask for permission later, do not receive permission, and get removed from streaming services”.
Originally, I wanted this week’s episode to be a “counting” episode (e.g. track one being Rahsaan Patterson’s “The One For Me”, track two coming from Erykah Badu’s New Amerykah Part Two, etc.), but that proved hard to stop. As it happens, I got all the way up to 23. That episode may be coming soon. This week’s playlist, focused on the number one, is embedded below, or you can access it directly here.
Samba de Uma Note So (One Note Samba) - The Composer of “Desafinado” Plays - Antonio Carlos Jobim
To begin, a delightful little bossa nova track to cleanse your palate from whatever else you were listening to. The “one note” in question is a G, if you were curious, or “so” in European notes, which I learned from my Russian piano teacher as a wee child. Fun fact!
You’re The One - New Beginning - SWV
SWV (Sisters with Voices) sing and harmonize here about wanting a man to cheat on his woman. Personally, I’ve always been opposed to cheating. The theme of this playlist is clearly flexible. Whereas in the last track, the “one” was referring to a musical note, here, it’s referring to a gentleman. How cool is that!
Brief Candles (Mono Version) - Odessey and Oracle - The Zombies
Yes, it qualifies.
I very nearly included The Zombies on last week’s playlist but they did not make it through the cutthroat process of reaching the final 15. This album is underrated, I think, and I recommend you give Odessey and Oracle a listen when you get the opportunity. “Care of Cell 44" features the harpsichord.
One Night Only - Seasons - Mahalia feat. Kojey Radical
The string hook on this track gets stuck in my head at least once every other week. My favorite thing over the past week or so has been Amelia Dimoldenberg’s interview series Chicken Shop Date, on which Mahalia was featured back in 2018. As someone who hates Sean Evans for being weird, off-putting, talentless, bald, a waste of oxygen, from the Midwest, etc etc., realizing that there was a refreshing, unique voice in the chicken-based interview scene was such a treat. I also recommend watching the most recent interview, with Jack Harlow.
One Way Trigger - Comedown Machine - The Strokes
On this track from the last good Strokes album (there are no good tracks on The Adults Are Talking or OBLIVIUS), which also happens to the be the first album I ever bought before streaming came to dominate my listening habits mere months later, the Strokes capture their Angles-era energy and angst with gusto. I remember being a mere 15 years old and thoroughly enjoying this album’s rollout. I hope you like it too!
Good Ones - (single) - Charli XCX
I’m not too proud to cover the hits on this playlist. I have a theory about the new direction we’re seeing from Charli XCX here. After being the first artist to fully embrace the DIY style we saw so often during the pandemic (think: John Krasinski’s cursed Some Good News, your irritating “Until Tomorrow” challenges, and the like) with her album how i’m feeling now, Charli is leading us into the post-pandemic* world with a hyper-over-produced track with a standard pop hook and trite lyrics about wanting the bad ones. In addition, she just did vocals on a wooden, unoriginal track from Jax Jones, in stark contrast to the genre-defining hyperpop she’d been dabbling in for years now. It’s all part of a bit, I’m convinced. Go listen to the terribly unoriginal “Out Out”. She’s so good. Thank you, Charli XCX.
*it remains to be seen whether there is a post-pandemic
The Way You’d Love Her - Another One - Mac DeMarco
Just so you know, this is my all-time most listened-to track ever (with the possible exception of Playboi Carti’s “Lean 4 Real”). I absolutely devoured it throughout my senior year of high school. One of my regrets in life is not visiting Mac DeMarco at his house in Queens when he lived there. On the last track of Another One, “My House by the Water”, Mac delights listeners with a couple minutes of calm instrumentals before revealing his address in the Rockaways. But both then and now, you’re not getting me to take the train from Yonkers to the Rockaways.
Who’s Gonna Save U Now? - SAWAYAMA - Rina Sawayama
This track qualifies because it came up when I searched “uno” on my master playlist due to the presence of “u now?”. Rina Sawayama is an icon of modern pop music and will star in the new John Wick movie. When released last year, in a year when stadium rock was unthinkable, this track brings you as close as you can to Wembley Stadium or whatever.
Ur Life One Night - Multi-Love - Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Look at me. Within a couple months of signing up for this newsletter, you will enjoy the music of Unknown Mortal Orchestra. (found the below on Twitter)
The bass here is just silly good. I have no idea what Ruban Nielson is saying here, and that’s for the best, because this album is about nonmonogamous relationship, which, good for you, I suppose.
One Night Only - (single) - Sonder
In this email’s second track titled “One Night Only,” Brent Faiyaz on his side project makes pretty brazen statements about his confidence with helping someone else cheat. I mean, seriously.
“And I don't give a damn 'bout your boyfriend
He can have you when I go”??? That is nuts! The guitar lick is unmatched and Brent Faiyaz’s vocal talent is fantastic. A great track, all around.
Um Dia - Domingo - Gal Costa, Caetano Veloso
On this track that translates to “One Day,” on the album titled “Sunday,” Brazilian legend Caetano Veloso sings about how he will one day return, presumably to a woman
Each and Every One - Eden - Everything but the Girl
Here, the bossa nova-inflected English duo Everything But The Girl use Brazilian percussion in such a novel and fun way in conjunction with their jazzy pop sensibilities. They’re a one-of-a-kind group!
Ha Ha, Hee Hee - Ain’t But The One Way - Sly & the Family Stone
At the time of this track’s recording, Sly & the Family Stone were, for all intents and purposes, over. Ain’t But The One Way was actually supposed to be a joint album between Sly Stone and George Clinton, of Parliament Funkadelic, but the two had some sort of dispute and Sly got up and disappeared for a not insignificant amount of time. Producer Stewart Levine wrapped up the project in Sly’s absence, and here we are, 40 years later, enjoying it, I hope.
Walk to the One You Love - Down in Heaven - Twin Peaks
A good, old-fashioned, classic, rockin’ track. Twin Peaks make some excellent comfort food indie rock, and this is a fine example. Its DIY feel and delightfully rough yelled vocals on the chorus lend the track a unique and fun vibe typically only found in rowdy basement live performances.
One Kiss - (single) - Calvin Harris, Dua Lipa
I’m not afraid to do a short write-up on a track I assume 95%+ of you have heard. On this track, intense Albanian nationalist Dua Lipa and problematic Scottish man Calvin Harris team up for a total of three chords and some intensely unoriginal lyrics, and it couldn’t matter any less. This goes so hard. The idea that this was big in the summer of 2018, when I was following the law and not going to bars and clubs because I was 20, feels deeply unfair.
Thanks very much for listening and reading. I had a surprisingly long list of “one” tracks to pick from, so if you think I snubbed any, please let me know in the comments.
If the plain text lists are helpful, please let me know and they will return on the next edition. I can also add it to the archived post on the site. See you in October!
This was a great one , I laughed a lot
i cannot believe you snubbed "number one" by pharrell and kanye and also "one more hour" by sleater-kinney