Flagship Romance just released new album Tales From the Self-Help Section, but the duo won’t allow the music to stop. Shawn Fisher and Jordyn Jackson have been nice enough to put together a mix tape of songs they love, and we’re excited to share it with you. Read and listen/watch below, and make sure you check out “Growing Up So Fast” courtesy of MAGNET and Tales From The Self-Help Section when you’re done.
Tom Petty, “Crawling Back To You”
Fischer: There was a solid handful of years where all I listened to was Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers. It started with his classics, but the obsession really kicked in when I started digging deeper into his album cuts. This particular song off Wildflowers gives me goosebumps to this day. While a lot of his lyrics are wrapped in mysterious imagery, the third verse gave me a rare glimpse into the inner workings of his mind. It was one of the first times an artist I truly admired transparently presented anxiety in the form of a lyric (“I’m so tired of being tired/As sure as night will follow day/Most things I worry about never happen anyway.”).
Candy Butchers, “Hang On Mike”
Fischer: While our new album lyrically centers around battles with anxiety and depression, it is not the first to take on that topic. Mike Viola’s ability to take his heavy, personal diatribes and marinate them into catchy, poppy, uplifting compositions was a huge inspiration for us.
Jay Buchanan, “Internal Dialogue”
Jackson: Jay Buchanan, currently the lead singer of the Rival Sons, is hands-down one of our favorite singers and songwriters. We both fell in love with his solo album just before we met. In fact, we were separately turned on to his music by the same mutual friend who introduced us. This song is a beautiful reminder that every day and moment are sacred. We dare you not to be totally blown away by Jay’s vocals on this track. If you end up falling head over heels for this dude, shoot us a message and we’ll send you the unreleased album that this track is on (we have his permission).
Superdrag, ”I’m Expanding My Mind”
Fischer: John Davis of Superdrag is one of my favorite writers who I’ve worked with. We met in Nashville, and I was immediately inspired by his story of overcoming his own battles with addiction and depression. That, along with his seemingly effortless writing style, really resonated with me. This song was on constant repeat in May 2012. I vividly remember walking around the streets of Philadelphia jamming the absolute crap out of this bombastic tune.
Max Gomez, “Rule The World”
Jackson: We were introduced to Max Gomez’s music through our good friend and producer, Lee Miles. This song never fails to give us chills. Max’s unique vocal tone and the imagery he conveys in this tune is bound to uplift you.
Darlingside, “The Ancestor”
Jackson: We met the guys in Darlingside at the international Folk Alliance conference two years ago. Before we had even heard them sing, we knew we were going to love them because of their infectious energy and sense of humor. We weren’t prepared for their incredible vocal blend. We love this song, but love the video even more! I can’t even think about this video without happy tears forming in my eyes.
Bright Eyes, “First Day Of My Life”
Fischer: Our “first dance” song at our wedding. Enough said.
Ryanhood, “Welcome You Into My Head”
Fischer: Ryanhood, or as we affectionately call them “Flagship Bromance,” are some of our favorite peeps in the world. We would see each others’ band name in many of the listening rooms and house concerts we would perform in. We finally got to meet each other in person at the international Folk Alliance conference in 2016. We love them and know you will, too.
Megan Slankard, “Diving In”
Jackson: This girl. Dude. She can sing. We love anytime we get to cross paths with Megan and the inevitable sore ab muscles we have afterward from laughing with her. This song hits hard, especially that third verse. Check it!
Half Moon Run, “Sun Leads Me On”
Jackson: We opened for Half Moon Run in 2012 in our hometown. It was a weekday crowd, and a lot of our friends apologized in advance saying that they would have to leave after our set and couldn’t stay for Half Moon Run. We encouraged them to stay for at least one song, and once they started, no one left until the end. These guys are that good. On top of their talent, they have hearts of gold. Now they are selling out large venues all over the world, and we couldn’t be happier for them. This is our current favorite of theirs.
