Weekly Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6emEPQrWzJzwdIZNtCBii1?si=8ce2677e09a44514 

Daija’s picks

1. Bird and Byron – “Where’d All The Time Go”
2. Hozier – “Swan Upon Leda”
3. Hippo Campus – “warm glow”

Bird and Byron covered the 2010 song “Where’d All The Time Go,” originally by the rock band Dr. Dog. According to a WCBE article, the Ohio-based duo gained a following in 2020 when they performed live on TikTok, which is where they first covered this song. While “Where’d All The Time Go” may be a cover, Bird and Byron do a very good job at making the song their own with a funky beat and electric guitar sound. The duo’s raspy and almost aggressive-like vocals match well with the song’s meaning – being frustrated that time is going by too fast and wishing you could turn back the clock. 

“Swan Upon Leda” is the recent single from Hozier, his first since his last album “Wasteland, Baby!” which was released in 2019. Hozier isn’t one to shy away from singing about politics. We’ve seen this theme in songs like “Take Me to Church,” and “Swan Upon Leda” is no different, as it tells a story of systems controlling women’s bodies that coincides with a beautiful and dreamy violin instrumental. In a series of tweets, Hozier explained why he wrote this song and got working on it once the news that Roe v. Wade was overturned and wanted to offer solidarity and support to women who would be affected by the ruling. 

“warm glow” was released by Hippo Campus on their 2017 EP of the same name. Hippo Campus is a St. Paul-based indie rock band that is known for writing songs that describe the feeling of living in the suburbs in the Midwest where there’s nothing to see except old houses and fields upon fields. “warm glow” perfectly captures the feeling of warmth and nostalgia that hits you when you return to your hometown after years of being gone. Upon return, you notice that nothing has changed, but that’s the beauty of it.

Caleb’s picks

1. Gabbie Hanna – “Butterflies”
2. Sam Smith – “HIM”
3. Sebastian Castro – “Bubble” 

“Butterflies” was released in 2019 as a single and part of Gabbie Hanna’s album “2WAYMIRROR.” This powerful song deals with intense emotions and heartbreak. It was written about Hanna’s ex-boyfriend. The official music video for the song is colorful and has Hanna dressed in a variety of different colored outfits that pop out and are visually stunning; furthermore, the lyrics and music fit perfectly for each color and really help to visualize the different emotions. In the making of “Butterflies” video on YouTube, Hanna explained that she asked her fans on Instagram to help her write a song. The fans wanted a pop song that sounded upbeat and fun. Hanna went on to explain that she loves creating songs that sound more upbeat but have sad lyrics; thus, “Butterflies” was born.

In an interview with NME, Sam Smith said “HIM” is a fictional coming-out story that deals with faith and a boy coming out to his dad. While inspired by their own reconciliation between their faith and sexuality, the song is made to be more symbolic of the gay experience and was intended to honor the gay community. Its powerful lyrics really speak to me, and it brings up issues of how my own religious upbringing conflicts with my identity. “HIM” was originally released in 2017 as a part of Smith’s second studio album “The Thrill Of It All.” 

“Bubble” is a fun and catchy song by Sebastian Castro released in 2013. “Bubble” features amazing pop beats and is an enjoyable experience. The song is relatable and overall quite humorous because of its lyrics which relate to the singer’s physical and emotional reaction to being in a men’s locker room. Growing up, I had experienced similar reactions, which is why I did not enjoy being in the men’s locker room; but as an adult, I can look back and not feel as uncomfortable. “Bubble” currently has over 250,000 listens on Spotify. 

Sarah’s picks

1. Conan Gray – “Astronomy”
2. Supertramp – “Goodbye Stranger”
3. Harry Styles – “Little Freak”

Conan Gray sings about a past relationship in his song “Astronomy.” The song was released in 2021 and was featured as the fifth track in Gray’s 2022 album “Superache.” “Astronomy” is about Gray’s relationship with a person he’s known for a long time and how they drifted apart as they got older. In the bridge, the lyrics “Stop tryna keep us alive / You can’t force the stars to align” illustrate how Gray’s friend keeps pushing for their relationship to stay alive even though they are on different paths. “Astronomy” reflects how some people aren’t meant to stay in your life and that sometimes you have to let them go. 

“Goodbye Stranger” was released in 1979 as the third track of Supertramp’s “Breakfast in America” album. “Goodbye Stranger” combines saxophones and the keyboard with lead singer Rick Daviess’ vocals to create a soft rock song. Davies sings about the different women he’s been with and how he never became attached to any of them. Because of this disconnection, he leaves, and compares this freedom to “a ship without an anchor.” Like a ship that can roam the ocean freely, Davies can live freely without looking behind him. 

“Little Freak” was released on Harry Styles’s 2022 album “Harry’s House.” Styles looks back on a relationship he had with a person and sings about special moments he had with them. The chorus, “I was thinkin’ about you / I’m not worried about where you are / Or who you will go home to,” depicts how he still thinks about that person, but isn’t worried if they are with someone new or not. Styles did what he does best and created a bittersweet song about mourning a past lover. 

Nick’s Picks

1. Jamiroquai – “Space Cowboy”
2. Frances Forever – “space girl”
3. Beach House – “Space Song” 

I went with a space theme for my songs this week. The first song is “Space Cowboy” by Jamiroquai. Jamiroquai is an English funk band that rose to popularity in the mid-’90s. “Space Cowboy” was the lead single for their break-out second album, “The Return of the Space Cowboy.” The song starts with a tremolo-loaded keyboard plunking out a few jazzy chords. After a few minutes of vocals that sound like a mix between Prince and James Brown comes the standout feature of the song, the bass solo. Jamiroquai is known for, above all else, their fantastic bass lines. As the bass solo ends, the song goes back to its melody and parts slowly fade away, the emptiness of space taking over. 

Frances Forever’s “space girl” gained its popularity by trending on TikTok. “space girl” is the embodiment of the bedroom-pop genre. The song’s basic but memorable bass line combines with its rhythmic guitars and fun layers of vocals into a cohesive mix where it is hard to tell any of the three apart. About two minutes in, there is a breakdown where the lead vocals become softer and backed by a finger-picked guitar which slowly loses pace and falls away into the darkness of the cosmos. 

“Space Song” by Beach House rounds out my space-themed list. The song focuses around a mix of soft vocal pads and constantly morphing synths. The song’s lyrics are sparse, but there is a stand-out line: “What makes this fragile world go ‘round? / Were you ever lost? Was she ever found?” While the past two songs show the adventure of space, the fun and the interest of exploration, “Space Song” shows the horror of the empty darkness surrounding us. As you listen to all of these songs, think of all the interesting lyrics and the beautiful music. Try to find the meaning between music and the space around it.