From country twang to electronic trance, our latest mix takes listeners on a journey through an extraordinary range of musical landscapes. Matt and Sam discover unexpected connections between artists spanning five decades, share their surprised reactions to genre departures, and explain why this collection might be their favorite in years.

The hosts dive deep into Eric Church's reflective "Hands of Time," exploring how music keeps us youthful despite life's inevitable forward march. They unpack Wet Leg's relatable lyrics about unwanted advances in "Catch These Fists" and The Kooks' poignant reminder to live fully because "you never know when it's going to stop." The conversation takes a more vulnerable turn with Haim's powerful exploration of panic attacks in "Everybody's Trying to Figure Me Out."

A surprising highlight emerges in Finneas and Kacey Musgraves' acoustic duet, where Finneas (of Billie Eilish production fame) showcases his remarkable vocal talents. The hosts marvel at Orbital's collaboration with actress Tilda Swinton on a six-minute meditation that functions simultaneously as relaxation aid and dance track.

The musical exploration continues with The Black Keys' soul-influenced sound, Little Feat proving their 50+ year longevity, Arcade Fire's signature building compositions, and Charlotte DeWitte's pure electronic experience.

https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/sam-april-2025-new-music/pl.u-MBM3INqbr8

1. Hands of Time - Eric Church

2. catch these fists - Wet Leg

3. Never Know - The Kooks

4. Everybody's Trying To Figure Me Out - HAIM

5. Giver/Taker (Apple Music Sessions) - FINNEAS & Kacey Musgraves

6. Starry Eyed - Good Neighbours

7. Deepest - Orbital & Tilda Swinton

8. Babygirl - The Black Keys

9. Midnight Flight - Little Feat

10. Year of the Snake - Arcade Fire

11. Please Don't Move to Melbourne - Ball Park Music

12. The Realm - Charlotte De Witte

Support the show

Visit us at https://www.superawesomemix.com to learn more about our app, our merchandise, our cards, and more!

This week's mixtape rewind takes us back to an earlier season where we were joined by Tony Smith, formerly of the band Sleeper Agent.

Tony Smith's musical journey begins with Saturday mornings filled with Christopher Cross's "Ride Like the Wind" – his mother's chosen soundtrack for family cleaning day – and ends with the transcendent experience of Bon Iver's "Naeem."

Each selection marks a transformative moment: discovering Ben Kweller's "Wasted and Ready" at 3am led to a shift away from nu-metal toward indie rock; encountering The Pixies' "Debaser" completely redirected his career aspirations from filmmaking to music; and Modest Mouse's "Trailer Trash" became a personal anthem while working two jobs during high school, feeling trapped in his Kentucky hometown.

What makes this episode special is Smith's vulnerability in sharing how deeply these songs penetrated his life. With three tattoos inspired by tracks on his mix, he demonstrates how music becomes physically part of our identity. His emotional description of waiting years to hear Bon Iver's "Naeem" in studio form – "my body filled with this strange chill and warmth at the same time" – perfectly captures music's power to move us beyond words.

You can find his Spotify playlist here:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1RyTOvV7DHYRfW4UdDHTry?si=610402a96acc4fe4

You can find the Super Awesome Mix app list here:
https://app.superawesomemix.com/i3BxT4TjZeZyZ4Gb8

Preview of his list:

1. I Want You Back by The Jackson 5
2. Bad, Bad Leroy Brown by Jim Croce
3. Working Man by Rush
4. MMMBop by Hanson
5. Wasted & Ready by Ben Kweller
6. Debaser by Pixies
7. Trailer Trash by Modest Mouse
8. Hummingbird by Wilco
9. Lust For Life by Girls
10. Falling In Love Again by Joyce Manor
11. Something by Julien Baker
12. Naeem by Bon Iver

Follow us @superawesomemix on Instagram to discover more personal musical journeys and share your own musical milestones that defined different chapters of your life.

Support the show

Visit us at https://www.superawesomemix.com to learn more about our app, our merchandise, our cards, and more!

Matt's birthday-inspired journey through debut albums from 1995 reveals the remarkable beginnings of artists who would shape music for decades to come.

The mix includes everything from Alanis Morissette's record-breaking "Jagged Little Pill" to Dave Grohl's post-Nirvana reinvention with Foo Fighters.

The mid-90s represented a pivotal moment in music history. Grunge was evolving, electronic music was gaining mainstream traction, and powerful female voices were reshaping rock and pop. We dive deep into tracks that showcase these shifts – like Garbage's ironic commentary on angst in "I'm Only Happy When It Rains" and The Chemical Brothers' groundbreaking electronic soundscapes on "Exit Planet Dust."

What's particularly striking is how many of these artists continue creating vital music today. Ben Folds, Guster, The Chemical Brothers and others have evolved their sound while maintaining the creative essence first displayed in those 1995 debuts.

https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/matt-2025-birthday-mix/pl.u-EPWWTVMmxr

1. Leave Home - The Chemical Brothers

2. All I Really Want - Alanis Morissette

3. Where I Go - Natalie Merchant

4. Santa Monica - Everclear

5. Only Happens When It Rains - Garbage

6. This is a Call - Foo Fighters

7. Cruisin' - D'Angelo

8. Make My Heart Flutter - Jack Ingram

9. We Danced Anyway - Deana Carter

10. Guinevere - Edwin McCain

11. Fall in Two - Guster

12. Underground - Ben Folds Five

Support the show

Visit us at https://www.superawesomemix.com to learn more about our app, our merchandise, our cards, and more!