Songs for September
By Brigid Wright
September is a month with multiple personalities. The despair that comes with a fading tan; the excitement of the first tailgate on Shea Field or in the Mods; the denial that comes with that first trip to the library. I occasionally find myself with a blank stare on my iTunes this month because with all these different emotions, I never know what I want to listen to. The good news is that September is usually filled with new music from all different genres, so it isn’t all that hard to find a tune for every mood. Here’s a who, what, when, and why of the music I’ve been downloading this month, that might help you collegiettes cope with the many emotions September brings:
Who: Ellie Goulding
What: “Burn” on Halcyon Days (Deluxe Edition)
When: Literally, whenever
Why: Who doesn’t love a good Ellie Goulding jam? “Burn” has the electronic pop sound that making Ellie’s music so infectious, with lyrics with the message of never letting anyone put you down: “We can light it up, up up / so they can’t put it out, out out. ” This song can hype you up when you’re getting ready to go out, when you’re sitting down to start studying for that first quiz, or even when you’re just trying to prepare for the day ahead. A favorite of mine right now, and another obvious hit for Ellie Goulding.
Who: Lorde
What: “The Love Club” on The Love Club-EP
When: Relaxing and/or studying
Why: Lorde’s mellow sound and poetic lyrics make her entire EP, but especially her single “The Love Club,” perfect for any occasion. Her airy voice and the hook, which says, “Be a part of the love club / Everything will glow for you,” makes it a great anthem for taking a breather and focusing on what’s important.
Who: Eminem
What: “Berzerk” Single
When: Pregaming
Why: Eminem’s new single “Berzerk,” which is to be released on his album The Marshall Mathers LP-2 in November, is reminiscent of “Without Me” and “The Real Slim Shady,” with a heavy rock instrumental and typical celebrity call-outs and taunting of current pop music. However, the chorus is all about having a good time: “We’re gonna rock this house until we knock is down / so turn the volume loud, cause it’s mayhem ‘til the A. M. ” I’ve always been a fan of Eminem, so hearing him return to his earlier styles and rap about having a great time, makes it the perfect pre-game anthem.
Who: John Mayer
What: “Wildfire” on Paradise Valley
When: Walking to class
Why: In the first verse, Mayer sings, “’Cause a little bit of summer is what the whole year’s all about,” and the combination of it’s upbeat instrumental and his soothing voice has me listening to “Wildfire” to remember how great my summer was, and that it hopefully set the tone for the coming school year and how amazing that will be, too.
Who: Sara Bareilles
What: “Manhattan” on The Blessed Unrest
When: Any variation of crying alone
Why: Not that I condone feeling sorry for yourself, but sometimes there’s nothing better than a good cry to some of the most depressing music every released. And honestly, who’s better at writing sad songs than Sara Bareilles. In her perfect way, just her voice and her piano, she powerfully sings about giving into a break-up: “And I’ll bow out of place / to save you some space / for somebody new / you can have Manhattan / ‘cause I can’t have you. ” And maybe you aren’t sad? The melody is so peaceful, it’s also a great song to fall asleep to.
Sources:
http://www. azlyrics. com/lyrics/lorde/theloveclub. html
http://www. azlyrics. com/lyrics/eminem/berzerk. html
http://www. azlyrics. com/lyrics/johnmayer/wildfire. html
http://www. azlyrics. com/lyrics/sarabareilles/manhattan. html
http://www. azlyrics. com/lyrics/elliegoulding/burn. html
Photo Sources:
http://o. scdn. co/300/1b3076bdef8c5c5320f21de3af7861e014bf2a51
http://upload. wikimedia. org/wikipedia/en/5/5c/Paradise_Valley_cover,_by_John_Mayer. jpg
http://www. billboard. com/files/styles/review_410/public/sara-bareilles-album-410. jpg