This week on 5 Songs we are feeling the love. Specifically, the love and relationship between family. Chance the Rapper’s new song gives love to his grandma and Chris Staples sings to his son. We also had Paolo Nutini drop in and play guest DJ, new electro R&B from Jack Garratt, and a sexy reinterpretation of Future Islands “Seasons (Waiting on You).” Become part of our family right now, feel the love, and enjoy 5 Songs We Can’t Stop Listening To.

Jack Garratt- “Worry”

Every era has its own sound. You can tell that something was made in the 1940’s or in the 1980’s by its tone and instrumentation. When people look back on this time, I think that the song that I’m about to play has the unique sound of this era. Soulful electro R&B with sparse, but rich synth tones. Think James Blake, think Chet Faker, How To Dress Well, Son Lux, and Lorde. This song by Jack Garratt has all the best qualities of this contemporary sound, a voice that is fragile, but strong, a beat that is thin but thick, and a sound that just feels right at this time.

• Jack Garratt’s new EP, Remnants, is out now on Island Records.
• Listen if you like: electro-R&B, James Blake, Son Lux.

Paolo Nutini picks “Rainbow Road” by Arthur Alexander

Recently Paolo Nutini was in our studio, so I pulled on his coat and asked him for a song. He was happy to give me one. He was just a joyous man. He was singing tunes off stage, and upstairs, I even caught him singing in the bathroom. We are having a toy drive and an hour after he left, he came back, with bags full of toys for our drive. He was a wonderful person. He picked a great song by Arthur Alexander, and if you don’t like the song, it will be worth clicking the SoundCloud link below just to hear him say, “It’s an old tune” in his beautiful Scottish accent.

• Arthur Alexander’s single, “Rainbow Road” was released in 1972.
• Listen if you like: Muscle Shoals, soul music, good stories.

BADBADNOTGOOD re-interprets Future Islands – “Seasons (Waiting On You)

Future Islands isn’t a great band because their instrumentation is timeless or because their sound totally unique. Future Islands is a great band because they have a great front man.  Sam Herring  is the front man that every front man wants to be. He has charisma. He has the charm. The confidence. The bravado. He’s got it. Right now he fronts Future Islands, a sythpop band that could be right out of the 80’s. But with Sam Herrings poise, he could do his best Elvis and front a rock ‘n’ roll band from the 50’s. He could be a lounge singer and croon over cocktails. Hell, I even think he could do hip-hop.

In this song, the group BADBADNOTGOOD re-imagines Herring as sexy bedroom soul singer. And it works for Herring, because he can do anything. And personally, I think this might be a better fit.

• Listen if you like: Future Islands, baby makin’ music, sensuality.

Donnie Trumpet and the Social Experiment- “Sunday Candy”

I love my grandma. Marlene Witas. I call her Nani. She’s always positive and optimistic. She’s not jealous of youth, she’s inspired by it. She has this joy of life that glows from her. When we go out to dinner she’ll wear a new pair of black gloves with the tan shoes to match the scarf. She’s an icon of fashion and modesty. And she’s an emblem of generosity and love. She’s the President of my fan club. She listens to this segment every day. During the fund drive she called every time I was on air to give what she has. Never missed a basketball game. She’s been there thick and thin. She’s the best.

That’s my ode to my Grandma. This song is Chance’s ode to his.

• Chance the rapper and the Social Experiment’s new album, Surf, will be released in 2015.
• Listen if you like: Grandmas, being happy, killer production.

Chris Staples- “Dark Side of the Moon”

Lately I have been obsessed with the idea of man’s need for love. Our need for love, and the difficulty that we have expressing or showing it. Especially between men. There is this real taboo about showing our feelings, or even letting people know that we have them. And this behavior gets passed down from father to son. Generations of men who can’t tell another man that he loves him, even if it is his own son. But we don’t have to pass that behavior on. In this song Chris Staples sings to his son, “I want to love you, I want to pass it on, I want to give and give, ‘til its all gone.”  That’s what I want to pass on.

• Chris Staples’ new album, American Soft, is out now on Barsuk Records.
• Listen if you like: Father and son songs, A.A. Bondy, Walter Martin.