Friday Mixtape: a reflective mix on life by Frankie Cosmos

This week’s Friday Mixtape is by Frankie Cosmos! Led by Greta Kline, Frankie Cosmos’ third record Vessel was released last week (31 March), featuring a mammoth 17 songs performed with a host of new band members with David Maine on bass and vocals, Lauren Martin on keys and drummer Luke Pyenson.

Since her first release in 2011, Greta has been a key part of a scene which saw bedroom recording and self-released musicians climb to wider success. Her third record, released via iconic label Sub Pop, sees the songwriter and composer explore “all of the changes that have come in her life as a result of the music she has shared with the world for the past half-decade, as well as the parts of her life that remained irrevocable”.

To tell us more about Vessel and her mix for us this week, it’s over to Greta…

Why have you picked these songs, what do they remind you of or make you feel?

These songs range from longing to triumphant and deal with facing changes in life.

When or where should this mixtape be listened to?

You can listen to them if you wanna linger or if you wanna spring forward.

What song or album did you listen to as a teenager? What kind of posters did you have on your bedroom walls?

City And Eastern Songs by Jeffrey & Jack Lewis. I don’t think I really had any posters, mostly just little scraps from magazines or art made by friends.

Can you tell us a little about your new record and the artwork too?

The thing that stands out to me about this new album is how much its meaning has grown for me since I wrote a lot of the songs. There was this tension I was facing when I was writing them, and I later grew to understand their meanings differently. It’s like a map of a particularly emotional experience for me! Also, it’s the first album with this particular band line-up and everyone’s contributions are really unique and awesome. The artwork was something I had been imagining for a while…Making it a reality was a long, fun process.

If a feature film about Frankie Cosmos was to be made, what song would be on the trailer and why?

Black Bear by Flin Flon, because we listen to it in the car on tour pretty often. Also sometimes I try to exude “Don’t. Touch. Me” while I’m walking around.