It’s never the classes that are the hardest part of the semester, it’s always the getting there that’s the most difficult.
At the beginning of the spring semester, there’s a lot of self-coaxing you’ll have to do. You’ll have to coax yourself out of bed, coax yourself into real clothes and ultimately coax yourself outdoors. By the end of the week, you’ll be wondering if getting that college degree is worth all of this pain, suffering and freezing. I mean, you just spent about six weeks at home sitting on the couch doing absolutely nothing likely underneath warm, comfortable blankets. I don’t blame you.
Sometimes the mental berating of “Mom is going to be so pissed with you if you don’t go to Macroeconomics this morning” isn’t enough to get you out of bed. What you need is a good playlist to block out all of your negative “get-back-into-bed” thoughts (because the morning is that much harder when it’s just you and the loud hum of the heater as you put on your face for the day). I have pulled together 10 songs, some old and some new, to convince you to part with your bed for a couple of hours to get that education.
Welcome back to your cold and dreary, yet somehow still beautiful, campus, Jaspers!
“Over And Over” by Hot Chip, off of their album, The Warning.
It’s a scientific fact that you won’t be able to stay in bed if you want to dance. Trust me, I’m an English and Communication major.
“Over And Over” by Hot Chip that is a song that uses the power of repetition beautifully. The simple synthesizer that bounces in and out during the verses paired with the looping drums hypnotizes you to move. Alexis Taylor’s droning falsetto is crazy groovy – especially when layered on top of the spastic guitars and handclaps.
Are you out of bed yet?
“Hard To Beat” by Hard-Fi, off of their record, Stars of CCTV.
If for some ungodly reason you’re still in bed, perhaps a bit of British Rock will get you out of bed.
Think angular guitars played in your neighbor’s garage smashed together with the smoothness of your parents’ funk and R&B records. “Hard To Beat” has the energy and attitude of your typical Brit-Rock song, but with the lyrical simplicity of a great pop song. “You know I love ya / Just want to touch ya,” is the catchiest chorus of the century, as far as I’m concerned.
“I Feel It” by Avid Dancer.
Quite frankly, Avid Dancer doesn’t write enough music to keep me satisfied. I’m always left wanting more – and that’s a good thing.
This song features an upbeat tempo with a bright sound. “I Feel It” is your typical pop narrative of “love not quite like any other” but without the frantic, over-the-top gestures and musical flourishes. The guitars are laid-back; the vocals of Jacob Summers’ flow smoothly through the track on top of a pretty aggressive drum beat.
If the snow hasn’t got you missing summer yet, this sun-stained track absolutely will have you begging for warmer climes.
“You’ll Never Know (My Love)” by Edwyn Collins, off of his album, Home Again.
What I’ve always really enjoyed about this song is that it always keeps moving. It doesn’t slow down and it doesn’t hesitate. It’s a very confident for being such an honest, “heart-on-your-sleeve” sort of song.
“You’ll Never Know (My Love)” is a track where the emphasis is placed on Collins’ warm vocals. Paired with the chilled sound of the guitar and the xylophone (!), it makes for a certainly unique listening experience. Arguably, Collins’ chorus repeats more than any other chorus in musical history – but it adds to his hypnotic power. You’ll find yourself drifting off with the occasional xylophone flourish and humming along with Collins on the very first listen.
Yes, I fell asleep on a couch in Horan when I first discovered this song.
“Loose Ends” by Public Access TV, off of their EP, Public Access EP.
New York City is always producing effortlessly cool indie rock bands. Public Access TV is no exception to that rule.
“Loose Ends” is a song that brings indie rock to the dance floor. It features a steady, walking-esque tempo and the relaxed vocals of John Eatherly. It’s a fairly mellow tune that picks up in pace towards the middle, but returns quickly to its laid-back style. In short? If you need the perfect “walking-to-class-in-the-blinding-sun” song, here it is.
The piano is reminiscent of 80s band Squeeze; its guitars calling back New Wave immediately. I shouldn’t have to remind you that all of your favorite bands are inspired by the 80s – as much as you’d like to fight me on that.
“A Long Walk” by Eleanor Friedberger, off of her record, New View.
Eleanor Friedberger is a musician who calls back the warm sounds of the 70s without the old guys and cobwebs. “A Long Walk” is the closing track of Friedberger’s new record, New View, and makes the listener come running back for more.
Friedberger has quite the talent in describing life’s seemingly mundane moments. The lyrics, “Didn’t worry or hurry / Or argue about which route to take / I forgot how to cross the road / But the drivers still know how to break,” taken out of context are rather uninteresting. Coming out of the mouth of Friedbeger, however, they are transformed to artistic masterpieces that makes you reconsider the significance of almost being hit by a truck every time to walk to Leo.
“Hell” by The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, off of their EP, Hell.
Kip Berman’s sweet and high voice will always have a soft spot in my heart. “Hell” is an oddly upbeat song that sings about how “You were bold for a joke / But it went too well / Now you’re going to hell.”
The focus of this track, much to my pleasure, is around Berman’s voice. The groovy guitars shimmer throughout the song, calling back memories of warmer seasons and lack of classes. This is a track heavily influenced from the like of, again, New Wave. Instead of going to hell (you have places to be today), consider getting up and dancing off the winter chill from your bones.
“Leaving My Old Life Behind” by Franz Ferdinand, off of the record, Late Night Tales – Franz Ferdinand.
The author likes Franz Ferdinand? What a surprise! (Not.)
“Leaving My Old Life Behind” is a cover of Jonathan Halper’s original. Featuring far more sound effects than a typical Franz Ferdinand song is accustomed to, this cover is wonderfully acoustic, slow and atmospheric.
Sometimes you need a momentary escape from the real world – especially during the first week or so. Let this song carry you away to pure auditory bliss as you pretend you don’t have five chapters to read for tomorrow.
“Life Of Pause” by Wild Nothing, to be released on their album, Life Of Pause, on February 19, 2016.
I’ve been waiting far too long for a new Wild Nothing record. My prayers (and yours, presumably) have been answered.
Jack Tatum’s ever-dreamy voice comes back full-force in “Life Of Pause.” The atmospheric and upbeat synthesizers swirl about your ears and leave you like melted putty in Tatum’s hands. He forcefully repeats “how can we want love?” in the chorus, but immediately retreats back into Wild Nothing’s famous hazy sound. “Life Of Pause” is far more polished than the typical Wild Nothing track, but nonetheless, the album of the same title is going to be impressive.
“Margot” by Minks, off of his record, Tides End.
Get off of your feet and get shoegazing immediately. I can’t believe I still have to tell you people to start shoegazing in the morning.
I cannot begin to explain to you how much I love the melodic, sweet synthesizer work in “Margot.” This is a track that is indie-pop at its finest. Featuring wonderful vocal harmonies of Sean Kilfoyle in the chorus, you’ll be “dreaming of the West Coast,” Margot’s blue eyes not required.
You can listen to this week’s playlist via Spotify below.