Head(phone)s Up

Is it summer? Is it fall? Can you wear your Uggs? No one knows, honestly. The only thing I can tell you for sure is that this fall is going to be a breakout of new sounds from old artists and some highly anticipated new material. Whether it’s time for boots and scarves or flip flops for one more week, it is definitely time for new music. Check out what just came out:

October 11: Ryan Adams Ashes &Fire

Jimmy Eat World tweeted that “Everyone should buy Ryan Adams’ new album today. If you fail to do so we’ll feel sorry for your shriveled soul.”

I’m not one to listen to everything a celebrity says, but they were right. My soul is hardly shriveled and it’s thanks to Ryan Adams’s new album Ashes & Fire that was released on October 11.  Not only is a Grammy nominated artist, but Adams is also a poet and an author. He had two books published in 2009 and has one set to be published in 2012. Ashes & Fire is Adams’ seventh solo album. 

The album is a mix of folk, rock, and country; not surprising considering Glyn Johnson, who worked with Bob Dylan, The Clash, and The Who, was a producer on the album. Norah Jones also worked on several of the tracks. Adams and Jones’ voices together mix for perfect harmony and relaxation. 

Tracks like “Dirty Rain” and “Come Home” are perfect for relaxed walk around campus. This fall, grab a coffee, snuggle up on a couch, (in the Harkness cafe perhaps?) and let this album warm your soul. 

September 22: Jack’s Mannequin People and Things

Have you ever been alone in a crowded room? Well, Jack’s Mannequin sure has, but definitely isn’t anymore. As an avid listener, I was pleased with their new display of talent. Fans have been anxiously awaiting new material since the release of The Dear Jack EP in 2009. Their third album People and Things dropped on September 22 and satisfies those who were eagerly waiting. 

The album’s sound is a mix of the bands 2005 album and 2009 The Glass Passenger. People and Things has the power to put a pep in your step with tracks like “Television” and “Release Me” but can also bring a tear to your eye with piano ballads like “No Man Is An Island” and “Restless Dream”. The emotions from this album are different from the previous album. 

Lead singer Andrew McMahon was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2005 and many of the songs in The Glass Passengerreflect those struggles, as well as the Dear Jack EP. This new album has emotions, but also includes a positive outlook as well. 

Healthy enough to perform and continue writing, McMahon is truly an experience on stage and I recommend that you see a live show if you get the chance. The piano keys are extensions of his fingers and he means every word he says.

Current playlist! Got a long walk from South campus to Harris?  Need a few songs to keep you walking through the typical New London torrential downpour? Here are a few songs for your post-summer/pre-fall playlist:

*Heartbeat The Fray

5 O’Clock T-Pain feat. Wiz Khalifa & Lily Allen

*No Man Is An Island Jack’s Mannequin

Square Peg Round Hole Wakey!Wakey!

Thinking About You The Big Scary

*Even If She Falls Blink 182

Without You David Guetta feat. Usher

Hold On B*Witched

The Cave Mumford & Sons

*Synthesizers Butch Walker and The Black Widows

Birds Kate Nash

Hello Solveig & Dragonette

*New this fall!