Three Music Thingz with DI LEO

Oouuuuoooouuu, it's another rendition of Three Music Thingz, the blogseries where I ask musicians for three thingz that are essential to their music-making.

Today we have DI LEO! That's Phil Di Leo, who makes thoughtful and delicate indie-folk-pop in and around Oakland, California. I have written about Phil before because he's one half of Left Tracks, a band I have seen with my own eyes...

live show report: Left Tracks @ Resident DTLA

I moved to Los Angeles five weeks ago, and I still kind of can’t believe it. I am a New York City garbage weed that has been transplanted into the California chapparal, every day is all smiley-faced sun and taco trucks and cacti on every street corner. I was in

i enjoy musicMolly Mary O’Brien

...Phil has done something interesting with his new album Never Come Never Go—it has been released thus far solely via the San Francisco Public Library's streaming catalog, Bay Beats, where it has lived since October of last year. Now it has come to regular streaming, but only for a limited time! It'll be gone by April 30th.

Never Come Never Go, by DI LEO

9 track album

DI LEOBandcamp New & Notable May 14, 2024

I just finished Liz Pelly's Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist, which mentioned the concept of public libraries licensing albums by independent artists and offering much fairer pay for the privilege than the streaming giants, so it's cool to see an example of this in real life. And I think any action artists can take to avoid defaulting to the megacorporate streaming industrial complex is very much worth paying attention to.

My favorite track off Never Come Never Go is "New Life," a track that kicks off slowly, gently rolling like a train just leaving the station (incidentally Phil is a big train person, a kindred spirit) and ends with exuberant explosions of curvy guitar, and lush and vibrant vocal harmonies with as many rich and complex layers as the potato dish known as Pommes Anna. Also, DRUM FILLS FOR THE GODS. Exhilarating stuff.

DI LEO kindly shared three thingz that contribute to his music-making...below...the Thingz...

Grocery Outlet

Some folks will know but a good amount won't. Grocery Outlet is where you'll find the most amazing things just once for an insane price. That's why you must always start there because you'll never know what you'll find. Last week, I found a 12-pack of decent seltzers for $5. Not trying to brag, just letting others in on the best grocery store in the world.

Shopgoodwill

I might just be a recession indicator, but eBay for Goodwill has to be the best thing to drive my creativity. I've found several great cameras and camcorders that have opened up the possibilities for my visual creation. A word to the wise, though, not everything listed is tested and working. So do your research before pulling the trigger and remember it's always a gamble but at least it goes to a decent cause!

Public Libraries

I believe public libraries have the potential to change the world! Oakland Public Library does not have late fees and offers things like wifi hotspots and chromebooks which have come in super handy when I've been in a pinch - not to mention the amazing community services they provide. What has to be the best though is the SF Library's online music streaming catalogue. No library card required! We pay for this public music utility through your taxes so might as well take advantage of them!

Thank you DI LEO! Find his album Never Come Never Go on the SF Public Library Bay Beats streaming catalog, and check out his link aggregation.

And thanks for reading I Enjoy Music! If you like it, tell a friend.