October was a long month, but I loved it. Lots happened — including midterms, which left me sick for a week. I attended three concerts, football games, and Halloween events (ooooh, spooky!). In addition to all of these life occurrences was music accompanying me all the time. I was introduced to new songs, some new and some old. Tame Impala’s Deadbeat album was released — where my opinions have to be in a separate article because almost all of his songs are my top listens in October.
In my last monthly music recap, I made the goal to listen to a range of music, rather than just one artist. I achieved that goal when, this month, I created one of my longest and most diverse monthly playlists. I feel as though even when I try to capture the month within a playlist, there are still so many songs that are not included. However, these for me mark the beginning, middle, and end of October. Some surprised me, left me crying, or feeling as though I could take on the world. Here is my October in songs.
“A Case of You” – Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell is problematic. Lyrically and vocally though, she is incredibly talented. Blue is one of my favorite albums by her, and “A Case of You” is a beautiful song that talks about someone and a love that was addictive. She describes how she was warned by a woman and knows through interacting with the subject of the song that he is not good for her. It describes this swift shift where their love becomes no longer stable: “Just before our love got lost you said / I am as constant as a northern star.” It’s a vulnerable song where she is able to describe that they may no longer be together, but the impact of each other remains. “I remember that time you told me / You said, ‘Love is touching souls’ / Surely you touched mine / ‘Cause part of you pours out of me / In these lines from time to time.”
“I’ve Seen It” – Olivia Dean
Olivia Dean only recently came across my radar, when her song popped up on Spotify’s Today’s Top Hits playlist. She reminds me of Johnny Cash because she does sing, but sometimes it sounds like she’s speaking her lyrics. “I’ve Seen It” is a song that makes me really emotional because to me it’s about nostalgia and how the events we experience are always there in our minds. “My mum and dad, they got me hooked / The fairy tale, the search goes on and on / The more you look, the more you find / It’s all around you, all the time.” It’s a lovely song — not unlike her other music — and I’m happy that her music is now in my rotation.
“The Ambition” – Zara Larsson
Earlier in October I wrote an album review about Zara Larsson’s Midnight Sun album. At the time I wrote it, “The Ambition” was my favorite song. In the song she describes that she wants and works for so much, but there’s a toll to it. “So driven, couldn’t live in it / Didn’t appreciate it then / Wish I could go back again.” This song is a brilliant mesh of the desire to keep achieving and the reality that sometimes important things get lost along the way. With a pop sounding background, she grapples with this human condition and this song still holds the top spot for me.
“Clean Air” – Laufey
I had the opportunity to see Laufey (Lay-vay) at Red Rocks Amphitheatre this October and she did not disappoint. Her beautiful sets, dancers, and band were absolutely incredible. I have to admit I hadn’t listened to a lot of her music before seeing her and this concert was a way of introducing myself to her music in a very personal way. She played “Clean Air” and I immediately added it to my October playlist. Her voice is absolutely insane and her lyrics are comedic in a way that many female artists have recently have been implementing into their music. “Sweeter pastures, wait for me like a lover / My soul has suffered, get the fuck out of my atmosphere / I’m breathing clean, clean air.” This is probably my favorite song by her and I cannot recommend her newest album A Matter of Time enough.
“Don’t Ever Let It End” – Nickelback
I love Nickelback. One day I’ll have to write an in-depth article where I break down their albums, but until that day comes they will remain sprinkled into my monthly recaps. “Don’t Ever Let It End” falls within their discography as one of their lighter songs. It’s a love song about not wanting to ruin a friendship by forcing it into a relationship. “We can laugh as we both pretend / That we’re not in love and that we’re just good friends / Well I’m tired of pretending, but I’m terrified of it ending / I know if not for you there’s nothing not for you there’s nothing I could do to ever let it end.”
I feel as though most people who I talk to about Nickelback immediately don’t like the band just because of the fact that they are Nickelback. Their music actually has really deep lyrics that I believe if someone else sang, people would think wow this is so clever and deep and relatable. If you’re trying to get into Nickelback’s music — which you should — I would recommend starting with their Lighter Side Playlist.
“The Betrayal (Act I)” – Nickelback
ANOTHER NICKELBACK SONG! If you don’t like Nickelback because you don’t like Chad Kroeger’s voice, listen to this song. It’s a beautiful music interlude off their Feed the Machine album. It’s a little Eagles sounding, guitar strumming and almost soundtrack like. It’s incredible to me that musicians have the power to tell a story even when they don’t use lyrics. The majority of this album is very heavy and rock sonically. While still carrying the sound, it’s softer and a nice ending to the album. If you are looking for something more rock, with lyrics similar to the other songs “The Betrayal (Act III)” has drums and guitar that sounds closer to their band’s sound to me.
“Just A Dream” – Nelly
The musical intro to this song gets me every time. I was first introduced to “Just A Dream” when it was in a medley in Pitch Perfect. In a pivotal moment in the movie it brings the girls together, and so it has always had a positive connotation to me. Nelly has a great voice and there are pop culture references in the song that contextualize it and when it was released. However the timeless message of “If you ever loved somebody put your hands up / And now they’re gone and you’re wishing you could give them everything” was popular in the 2000s and still remains today.
“Claws” – Charli xcx
I love any TikTok or Instagram post that assigns songs, characters, colors, or other attributes to zodiac signs. I came across one that was Charli xcx songs and the Scorpio was “Claws”. This song is a banger and repetitive in the best way. Her music in a way is very EDM lyrically, where it’s repetitive and instead of musical breaks, the gaps are filled with verses full of thoughtful and usually nodding to fellow artists. The mechanical grinding sound at the end of this song is everything, and “I like, I like, I like, I like, I like everything about” this song.
“Times Like These” – Addison Rae
If you told me during COVID that in five years I would be standing in a crowd waiting for Addison Rae to perform, I wouldn’t have believed you. Rae has had this insane career arc where she transformed posting consistent dance videos on TikTok into a music career. Working with musicians including Charlie xcx, she’s created some really awesome music. I could put every song off of Addison in my October listens, but “Times Like These” is one of my favorites. “It’s not my fate in the end / Let go of all that could have been… Head out the window, my song on the radio / Head out the window, let’s see how far I go.”
She pulls inspiration musically from artists including Britney Spears and Lana Del Rey, but I feel that she’s an artist who’s uniquely herself. Seeing her live, she has an insane stage presence and everything about her show was incredible. From her first public identity as a TikToker, I feel like people may not think her music is serious. However, from the lyrics to production, she is displaying that she is an artist who’s here to stay.
October was an event-filled, busy month. Alongside all of the fun things I was able to do were songs and artists who will forever mark memories. The songs on this playlist fulfilled my goal of diversifying my listening habits and I hope to carry this habit throughout November.