Daily Jam - Fade Into You

I am a shy teenager caught in an eternal slow dance in a school’s gymnasium, hushed, embarrassed, and awkward, my arms forever enfolding my unrequited love. I am an admirer pining away from a distance, but never standing to meet, gazing and longing forever. I am the loving and lonely soul who gives away my whole heart only to have it given back to me. I love what can never love me back.

I was in the ninth grade when the dreamy Mazzy Star released their second album So Tonight that I Might See, and I first heard the wonderful melancholy yearn of “Fade Into You,” the penultimate misfit slow dancer. The band’s ode to unrequited love pushes its strengths front and center with lead singer Hope Sandoval’s haunted and sorrowful vocals floating in the mix while the mournful slide guitar stabs us all in the pits of our hearts. Every lonely, outcast teenager had this song on a mixtape. It scored countless dark and solitary nights, accompanied long, handwritten letters that were never to be delivered, and soundtracked a thousand daydreamed scenarios. It served as the theme song of choice for any number of adolescent splits and breakups, a sublime stand-in for the pages and pages of bad poetry that teenage heartache inspires.

And it’s still transcendent almost 30 years later.

Listening to “Fade Into You” now, I can’t help but feel my 15-year old insecurities bubbling up to the surface for reevaluation. I guess it’s all still there. That awkward, inexperienced kid still has his place, his dark and cluttered bedroom, somewhere deep within my soul.

But that’s okay. It’s all good and well so long as we have Mazzy Star to act as our prescriptive medicine, our audio pain pill.

Listen below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Asleep from Day

It's so damn hot here, i can barely bring myself to move.  I just sweat and sweat and stick to everything.  It's hard to stay awake.  Here's "Asleep from Day" by the Chemical Brothers featuring an assist from the lovely Hope Sandoval on vocals.  Listen below, our Daily Jam.

Elizabeth Hart & Hope Sandoval

Last year, Psychic Ills front man Tres Warren passed away suddenly at age 41.  Next month, band member Elizabeth Hart along with the rest of the band's surviving members are set to release a tribute album to their friend with "Songs for Tres."  Check out the beautiful and melancholy "I'll Walk with You" below featuring additional vocals from Hope Sandoval, and pre-order the album here from Sacred Bones.  Proceeds from the album will benefit RAICES.

Daily Jam - Lose Me on the Way

Hope Sandoval's cooing voice has always had the ability to soothe my soul, even while making me relentlessly melancholy.  Here she is with The Warm Inventions.  Listen to "Lose Me on the Way," our Daily Jam.

Hope Sandoval and The Warm Inventions and Kurt Vile

Mazzy Star singer Hope Sandoval has a new record coming out in November with her other band, The Warm Inventions.  The chanteuse's dreamy and dusty sound gets dreamier and dustier with first single "Let Me Get There," featuring some duet vocals from Kurt Vile.  It's a nice a hazy joint, and you can watch the video below.  And get the record from Tendril Tales.

Psychic Ills and Hope Sandoval

I posted a song from the upcoming new Psychic Ills LP a couple days ago that's got me really excited for the release of "Inner Journey Out."  And now, today, i realize that another track from the record features Hope Sandoval.  That's awesome!  The blend of psych, Americana, and dreampop soothes the soul and makes the heart swell.  Listen to "I Don't Mind" below and get the record in two weeks from Sacred Bones (who are just killing it lately).