January Staff Picks
Happy New Year from EM’s music section! Starting with this post, we will be putting together a list of tracks we’ve had on repeat for the month. Enjoy our picks for January!
“Four Years Of Chances” – Margo Price
She did a Tiny Desk Concert the day after election day, which just felt terribly prescient. She dedicated this song to the new president — I’ve always been a big believer in the power of music, particularly lyrics, and well…listen closely on this one.
– Anna Marketti ’17
“Suburbia” – Troye Sivan
While it’s not terribly topical, I did just spend a month at home. It’s a small town with a mix of good, bad, and strange memories, so the themes of Sivan’s bittersweet anthem to a hometown where “there’s so much history in these streets,” but where “nothing ever changes” rings jarringly true every time I listen.
– Keely Chisholm ’17
“Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards” – Billy Bragg
Billy Bragg is one of the great political singer/songwriters of the era, and in this messy and strange political climate a lot of his older work really shines. “Great Leap Forwards” is a song about being a political songwriter, the strange mix of emotions that comes with it, and the desire to see the world change. It’s hard to not look at the protests going on right now and not feel moved by Bragg singing, “you can be active with the activists or sleep in with the sleepers, while you’re waiting for the great leap forwards.”
– Casey Nugent ’17
“Better Off Without You” – Mallory Knox
As the British rocker’s latest single which was just released this month, “Better Off Without You” is a light rock tune about wanting to quit someone (or something) but not being able to quite give it up. I think I’m attached to it because it accurately sums up my feelings towards my last semester of college… and gives me good hopes for the band’s (hopefully) upcoming album.
– Jennifer Dill ’17
“Old Wounds” – PUP
While I doubt the song was written with any sort of agenda, it’s still a great angry listen for this political climate. A track best served loud.
– Bobby Wieder ’19
“Bleed The Fifth” – Iron Reagan
A blistering, politically charged trash metal track is exactly what I needed for the dawn of a Trump presidency.
– Andrew McGlynn ’20
“Something’s Missing” – The Internet
This is one of the most dynamic tracks off of The Internet’s album Ego Death released in June 2015. What keeps me returning to this track is the melodic vocal track, the subtle drum beats, and the complete and total shift in tone after the midway point to the song. Not a lot of artists can pull this off in one track, but this one does it beautifully.
– Anabelle Porio ’19
“Time Will Tell “– Blood Orange
“Time Will Tell” is the work of Dev Hynes, the solo artist behind Blood Orange. This is the closing ballad of “Cupid Deluxe”, and is super lovely lyrically, as well as piano driven. It reprises from songs earlier in the album, and rounds out the album really well.
– Jess Braunstein ’20
“Aftermath” – Adam Lambert
– Hanna Schwinn ’19
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