I believe music is meant to be heard at specific times in our lives for a reason, whether we finally understand it or it just finally resonates. Music makes me who I am today and I’d like to share the ones that shape me.
Please enjoy the Spotify playlist on the bottom as you read! David Bowie – Starman On January 10th of this year, we lost one. We lost a big one. And he was a big one to me. I know that David Bowie’s legacy is will always be here but he's where he’s always belonged - in the stars.. In the wake of his passing, the world celebrated his life and for the life of me, I had never felt the full impact that is “Starman”. While driving in the car, I had the XM channel on that was temporarily calling itself, “David Bowie Radio”. “Starman” made its appearance, and I fell for it instantly. The story and guitar strums and hums as it starts us on the spacy man’s somewhat possible journey to let man listen to true music. It’s then accompanied by sweet violins integrated with glam rock; it makes me visualize the unmistakable rock and roll Bowie was always trying to show us. Bowie is forever the Starman and will forever show us that hazy cosmic jive. The Human League – Love Action (I Believe in Love) I got this particular track to be my number 2 pick for January because of American Horror Story. Yes. Season 5: HOTEL. I’ve been watching AHS since day one and I’ve been utterly inspired and glued to the show. Without spoilers, season 5 was not only marvelous but the soundtrack really surrounded my life as I watched week to week. From Siouxsie to Jesus Mary and Chain to New Order, this soundtrack was my little inner synth-goddess/goth’s paradise. The Human League’s “Seconds” made its presence during a very passionate scene in the show, and did it with total and utter complete glam! I dove back into The Human League and instantly. “Love Action” is a trip. From the first line of lyrics to the synth break with its incredible bass line, it’s fun and it’s true! It’s pop-y and it’s remarkable. It made the snow of January bearable. “When you're in love you know you're in love. No matter what you try to do”, just sold me. Courtney Barnett – Shivers I was extremely lucky enough to see this Aussie treasure perform in the summer of 2015 at Pitchfork Music Festival. She was turned on to me by my brother and since then, I’ve turned her music onto my friends and she’s been a complete success since. She is different, this one. Truly different. She’s anindependent artist and I’ve fallen hard for her rock/indie/punk music. This song in particular is a cover. The original is by Boys Next Door, written by Rowland S. Howard. Released on Courtney’s Boxing Day Blues (Revisited), this song stands out. The way Courtney lays it all out on the table and the rhythm of her three piece on the track sounds so hauntingly beautifully, it makes the listener feel deeply. You can really hear the concentrated emotions out of every instrument and her vocals. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a slow song. But there’s enough passion to make you cry your eyes out! So if you’re feeling stuck in the January gloom, this is the song for you. Also, Courtney is coming to Chicago and if anyone has tickets let me know! "She makes me feel so ill at ease My heart is really on it's knees But I keep a poker face so well That even mother couldn't tell", just brilliant. Beach House – One Thing Beach House delighted fans with two new albums in 2015! In fairness, the first album, Depression Cherry, was heavy ambiance-indie music-that I didn’t really groove to. But when Thank Your Lucky Stars came out a couple months later, I really did thank my lucky stars! “One Thing” got me through a very lonely period in this month. It’s great mesh of old and new Beach House…(I know, I know) I was attracted to this song while I was house-sitting and I felt it was an oddly comforting song. The way Victoria Legrand sings “Hallelujah” really completes it. It’s angelic (pun intended) and it’s truly calming. I’ve been a Beach House fan for a very long time now and it’s always amazing to see how they keep up with their successes right after another. Also, if anyone has an extra ticket to see them in Chicago, please let me know, I’ve never been able to see them live! My Morning Jacket – Sec Walkin What do I say about My Morning Jacket that I haven’t already said? I’ll try to keep it short because I can go on for DAYS about MMJ. I can’t exactly name my favorite band because I have too many…but MMJ is as close to number one as you can get. Jim James is a real personal hero of mine, by far one of the most influential artists in my life. MMJ took over my life completely when they announced the release of The Waterfall back in early March of 2015. I fell back into their spell and I fell hard. Throughout 2015, they pretty much consumed my life, song after song. Christmas came and I was left with cash gifts! So what did I do? I invested in MMJ vinyls. “Sec Walkin” is off of Evil Urges B-side. I found that during my obsession, not hearing all of MMJ’s discography made my love for them continual. This song is catchy and it’s made me fall even more in love with them (as if I couldn’t fall any harder right?). We’re all walking through life, left leg and right leg – one leg at a time. OutKast – B.O.B In my fascination with MMJ, I took to YouTube. Watching all I could: live shows, interviews, appearances on Late Night, any video really, crazy I know. I came across a video, Amoeba Records What’s In My Bag: MMJ. As they shared their favorite picks of the store, low and behold, this one of their picks. I know OutKast and I listen to OutKast, but I fear it’s not as much as I should. This is the greatest “pick-me-up” I can think of. It’s fast, entertaining and it's absolutely electric. The percussion and the beat is the perfect fix for dancing. Needless to say, it’s been on every playlist I made in January. Paul Simon – You Can Call Me Al Paul Simon, man. I don’t feel that I need to explain the beauty of this song. "You Can Call Me Al" first perked up my ears in Portlandia season five but this isn’t particularly where I found its fit in my life. It’s kind of a mystery as to why it took 23 years to find. Its style is otherworldly. I’m almost inclined to call it alien! It’s so specific and so creative, I can’t find another song like this (that isn’t a Simon song). I might be bias because my favorite person on this earth was named Betty. And yes she did call me out, plenty of times. The Modern Lovers – Roadrunner Another awesome find from an Amoeba Records YouTube. This time it was Mac DeMarco’s turn to tell us what was in his bag. He explained how important this song’s guitar style was to his own music and after listening, you can hear the resemblance. Remember, There’s Something About Mary? Remember the guitar guy singing to all of the most emotional scenes of the movie? Well that’s this guy, Jonathan Richman. I’m surprised I haven’t heard this song earlier, I used to seek this kind of song style out in my high school days. It truly is “the most obvious song in the world, and the strangest.” Notably, The Sex Pistols covered this song as well as Joan Jett. If you like this song, you’ll get a kick out of The Velvet Underground’s “Sister Ray”. Suuns – Translate Suuns’s newest single. I first heard Suuns from the second season of Hemlock Grove. Their song “Mirrors” had made the season’s soundtrack and I was hooked. How do I describe Suuns? Dark techno indie from Canada. Personally, I love this band. It’s right up my creepy, techno, goth alley. I love the deep and dark bass beats with it's interesting vocals in this track. Regardless, this is a new one from them which can only mean good things. Yo La Tengo – I’ll Be Around Yo La Tengo brings me back to high school. There was a period in time when I only listened to “Autumn Sweater”. With “I’ll Be Around”, it brings me back to that awkward high school state. It reminds me of feeling alone but not being completely alone, a looming gloomy feeling. The calculated guitar brushes accompanied by the beautiful melody made it real for me about how I was feeling. Sometimes it takes music for me to understand what’s going on. Honorable January mentions: Neon Indian – Slumlord’s Re-Lease If you have any suggestions for next month or you’d like to discuss any of my January picks let me know at: [email protected] OR @jessfsamson
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