From time to time we have artists swing by the Left Bank to take over our social media channels or curate playlists for us, and today we’ve got an awesome new playlist by LA-based artist Bootstraps.

Bootstraps put out his new album Demo Love on October 18 and we thought it could be cool to have him make a playlist of demos that he loves.

While working on the album, Beckett was fascinated by the dichotomy of the word “Demo,” which can mean to demonstrate or to demolish.  Getting ‘demo love’ is also a music expression where you can’t let go of a song’s original version ‘the demo’ and you love it so much you can’t see or hear a new take. These contrasting ideas are all thematically woven throughout the album Demo Love.  

See below for his curated playlist (the Elliot Smith one is my favorite).

“Thinking Bout You” – Frank Ocean
Originally recorded for another artist (Bridgett Kelly) as a pitch demo, thankfully he chose to keep it. 

“Love Is A Losing Game (demo)” – Amy Winehouse
My favorite Amy song, you can picture her recording this alone.  

“She’s a Jar (demo)” – Wilco
A demo for one of all-time favorite songs. 

“Waltz #1 (demo)” Elliott Smith
Elliott’s music reminds me of Portland.  I miss him.  

“Atlantic City” Bruce Springsteen
A masterpiece album of demos

“It was you (demo)” – Aretha Franklin
Aretha is unparalleled.  This song has so few lyrics but says so much.  

“20:17” Olafur Arnalds & Nils Fraham
This is a demo, a night of improvisation between best friends.  The result (this song in specific) is brilliant. 

“You Send Me (demo)” Sam Cooke

And Bootstraps new album (we had to include it!)