With more and more people getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and cautiously venturing out, it seems like 2021 is going to be the summer of road trips. And what does every road trip need—besides snacks, that is? Tunes. We asked five St. Louis musicians to contribute a few tracks to make an ultimate—and eclectic—summer road trip playlist.
1. Singer/songwriter Tonina has been listening to Drake’s latest release, Scary Hours 2. “It makes me dream of a post-pandemic world where people are healthy, thriving, and up in the club throwing bills and celebrating each other’s company,” she says. “The two songs that embody freedom to me right now are ‘What’s Next’ and ‘Wants and Needs,’ featuring Lil Baby.” The three-track EP also includes “Lemon Pepper Freestyle,” which features Rick Ross.
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2. The New Orleans–style Red & Black Brass Band’s first pick is perfect if you’re road-tripping with a friend: “Just the Two of Us,” by soul legend Bill Withers and sax player Grover Washington. “It’s a staple song in our arsenal,” says member Dominique Burton. “It speaks to being able to make things happen with the people you enjoy being around.”
3. Red & Black Brass Band’s next pick is “Spain,” by jazz composer Chick Corea. “This piece has no words, but it features an array of instruments and musical ideas that will be fun to listen to if you’re looking for something different,” Burton says.
4. Singer/songwriter sui’s first pick, “When You Sleep,” by My Bloody Valentine, is a song she can cue up no matter the mood: “It just goes with whatever I’m feeling in that moment. Pretty much all of my friends love this song and band, too, which makes it a perfect fit.”
5. Red & Black Brass Band’s last pick is “Leave the Door Open,” by Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, and Silk Sonic. “This is their new smash hit,” Burton says. “It has a ton of soulful singing by the artists, and it’s super fun.”
6. For singer/songwriter Lizzie Weber, folk artist Laura Marling’s album Song for Our Daughter has been in rotation ever since last summer. “The whole album was reminiscent of my upbringing,” Weber says. The upbeat track “Held Down” reminds Weber of a time where she was feeling just that—and how grateful she is to have moved on.
7. Sir Eddie C’s first pick, “Where the Party At,” by Jagged Edge, features St. Louis favorite Nelly: “This is my favorite summer song ever,” he says. “I’m actually not sure how people kicked off the season before it existed. As soon as you hear Nelly’s ‘uh oooh’ at the top of the track, you know you’re about to experience all of what summer is in just under 4 minutes.”
8. Sir Eddie C’s second choice is Snoop Dogg’s “Beautiful” featuring Pharrell and Charlie Wilson. “I picked this song because it feels like the most fun summer romance ever,” the rapper says. “I’ve never been on a ‘baecation’ before, but I think it would feel like this song does…or it would be an extreme disappointment and grounds for just calling it quits,” he says, laughing.
9. Weber selects the folk-rock song “Pin It Down” by Americana artist Madison Cunningham as her second pick. “Cunningham describes navigating relationships in an ever-changing world,” Weber says. “Especially now, living during a pandemic, this song really hits home—all those feelings of growing up, constant change that we cannot control. Here we are at the mercy of something greater than us. Things are different, and how long will they be different? I can’t pin down the answer…I just know we have to keep going.”
10. For sui’s second pick, she selects “Graffiti” by indie duo Dog Trainer because it evokes a sense of nostalgia. The vintage synths, DIY percussion, and dressed-down vocals net “an easygoing vibe,” she says. “This song would be a great pick if you’ve got to do some driving at night.”
