Category: Blog

Categories
Playlists

3.141592… A P(i)laylist

Purple background with grey text that features the first couple dozen digits of pi. Then, the symbol for pi in the center of the image in white.

March contains many of my close friends’ and family members’ birthdays, St. Patrick’s Day, Mardi Gras, and spring break. One underrated March holiday is Pi Day, your local math-nerd’s favorite day. I love Pi Day because it’s existence poses the question: “What is the most insignificant thing we can make a holiday out of?” Pi (𝜋), if you’re unfamiliar, is an irrational number that is equivalent to the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. It’s a cool math concept for a lot of reasons, one of which is that pi’s decimal form (3.142592…) never ends and it never falls into a repeating pattern. Thus, Pi Day falls on March 14 (3/14) to celebrate this phenomenon.

 As someone who is more English/ History/ Humanities and Social Sciences inclined, this concept is something I still have trouble wrapping my head around. But, I love that we celebrate this number, and in order to contribute to the festivities, I compiled a playlist of 15 songs that (Spotify says) are 3 minutes and 14 seconds in length.

Without further ado, here’s my p(i)laylist.

  • “Guttural Sounds” – Okay Kaya
  • “Radical” – It Looks Sad.
  • “The Perfect Girl” – Mareux
  • “Hot Dad Calendar” – Cayetana
  • “Elementary School Dropout” – Yucky Duster
  • “Sophisticated Space” – Sidney Gish
  • “Take My Head” – Turnover
  • “Someone Tell the Boys” – Samia
  • “Common Denominator” – Nisa
  • “Going Going Gone” – Lucy Dacus
  • “Call off the Dogs” – Marika Hackman
  • “L.A.” – Elliott Smith
  • “Subject To the Ladder” – Broadcast
  • “How to Socialise & Make Friends” – Camp Cope
  • “Dead Boy” – Acne

Like always, you can stream this playlist on Spotify.

𝜋,

Caitlin

Categories
Weekly Charts

Top Charts 3/1

"Multiverse" album cover
"Multiverse" by Reptaliens album cover
#ArtistAlbumLabel
1REPTALIENSMultiverseCaptured Tracks
2WAVEFORMLast RoomRun For Cover
3SOFTCULTYear Of The Snake [EP]Easy Life
4DARKSOFTCryoLook Up
5HIATUS KAIYOTEMood ValiantBrainfeeder/Ninja Tune
6BLUE HAWAIIMy Bestfriend’s House [EP]Arbutus
7LITTLE SIMZSometimes I Might Be IntrovertAGE 101
8MAGDALENA BAYMercurial WorldLuminelle
9CATE LE BONPompeiiMexican Summer
10CLOAKROOMDissolution WaveRelapse
11DAWN RICHARDSecond LineMerge
12EVIDENCEUnlearning Vol. 1Rhymesayers
13FLY ANAKINPixoteMutant Academy
14FLYING LOTUSYasukeWarp
15GENESIS OWUSUSmiling With No TeethHouse Anxiety/Ourness
16GOOD MORNINGBarnyardPolyvinyl
17JESSY LANZADJ​-​Kicks: Jessy Lanza!K7
18LAVA LA RUE“For You” [Single]Marathon Artists
19MARKEE STEELEVet & A Rook [EP]Thee Marquee
20MITSKILaurel HellDead Oceans
21SAMM HENSHAWUntidy SoulDorm Seven/AWAL
22SHYGIRL“Cleo” [Single]Because
23SPELLLINGThe Turning WheelSacred Bones
24SPRINTSManifesto [EP]Nice Swan
25VINCE STAPLESVince StaplesBlacksmith/Motown
26WESTCOAST GODDESSU Up? [EP]Infinite Pleasure
27YARD ACTThe OverloadZen F.C.
28YEULEGlitch PrincessBayonet
29YVES TUMORThe Asymptotical World [EP]Warp
30ZEBRA KATZLess Is MoorZFK

Daytime Adds

#ArtistAlbumLabel
1DARKSOFTCryoLook Up
2CATE LE BONPompeiiMexican Summer
3BIG THIEFDragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You4AD/Beggars Group
4MAITAI Just Want To Be Wild For YouKill Rock Stars
5NEWDADBanshee [EP]Fair Youth/AWAL
6PAUPIERESade SatiLisbon Lux
7VIVIENNE WILDER“Trash” [Single]Fallen Tree
Categories
Weekly Charts

Underground Charts 3/1

mood valiant
#ArtistAlbumLabel
1HIATUS KAIYOTEMood ValiantBrainfeeder/Ninja Tune
2LITTLE SIMZSometimes I Might Be IntrovertAGE 101
3SEEYOUSOONVIDÉSelf-Released
4FLY ANAKIN“Ghost” b/w “Sean Price” feat. Nickelus F [Single]Lex
5FLYING LOTUSYasukeWarp
6FREDDIE GIBBS AND MADLIBBandanaKeep Cool/RCA
7ILLISMFamily Over EverythingThe CRWN
8KOOLEY HIGHNever Come DownM.E.C.C.A.
9LAVA LA RUE“For You” [Single]Marathon Artists
10MARKEE STEELEVet & A Rook [EP]Thee Marquee
Categories
Weekly Charts

Afterhours Charts 3/1

Many Me
#ArtistAlbumLabel
1P.VANILLABOYMany Me [EP]Goddess
2COFFINTEXTS8700 [EP]Club Qu
3DAWN RICHARDSecond LineMerge
4ERIKA DE CASIERSensational4AD/Beggars Group
5LSDXOXODedicated 2 Disrespect [EP]XL
6KEDR LIVANSKIYLiminal Soul2MR
7SMERZBelieverXL Recordings
8CRIJuvenile (Remixed: Part Two) [EP]Anjunadeep
9PERFUME GENIUSImmediately RemixesMatador
10ANE BRUN“Crumbs” (The Small Crowd Remix) [Single]Balloon Ranger
Categories
Weekly Charts

Chainsaw Charts 3/1

Trip to the Netherlands
#ArtistAlbumLabel
1CURTA’N WALLCrocodile Moat​!​!​!​!​!​!​!Grime Stone
2TRIP TO AUSTRIAVARIOUS ARTISTSSelf-Released
3THE (JOHN) CANDY28 Samples LaterRad Dudes, Inc.
4PENSEES NOCTURNESDOUCE FANGELes Acteurs de l’ombre Productions
5DRUNEDruneSelf-Released
6GREEN LUNGBlack HarvestSvart
7CARCASSTorn ArteriesNuclear Blast
8MASTIFFLeave Me The Ashes Of The EarthEntertainment One
9RIVERS OF NIHILThe WorkMetal Blade
10SPIRIT BOXEternal BluePale Chord
Categories
Music Education

Why We Should Care About Classical Music

Howdy y’all! Today I wanted to pose the question that is on everyone’s mind: why should we care about classical music? I may be revealing my former band kid self once again, but I firmly believe in the benefits and importance of classical music. 

If you’ve been on TikTok recently, you’ve probably heard the Nutcracker X Griddy song that has been floating around. If I were to give you one example of how Classical has been able to transcend time and stay relevant, I’d offer you this. The Nutcracker, Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s third ballet, was first performed in 1892. That is over a century of relevance (every Christmas calls for the music from The Nutcracker). Popular music today is often simpler than classical, and requires less of the listener to identify the melodies. It is easy for us now to find a catchy part of a song (it also helps that pop music has words), where we don’t usually go around singing parts of a classical piece.

Classical music also offers a plethora of benefits. It can decrease blood pressure, reduce stress, aid sleep, improve memory retention, and boost mental well-being. Music is a vital aspect of our society and has been since the start of mankind. 40,000 years ago, early human hunting parties had very little and lived in harsh conditions, but they still had music. In 2009, scientists found this group’s musical instruments buried. There were four flutes, each made to create a tonal difference. How incredible is that? The benefits of classical music have been scientifically studied and proven.

Now you may be asking, dj mozzie, why don’t we hear about classical works today like we would have if we were living during Mozart’s time? For starters, music is not ingrained in nobility and the church as it is today. Classical composers were huge for their time, and society back then was more connected. Mozart and Beethoven would be like a modern day equivalent to The Beatles or Prince. Another factor is that genres have increased tenfold since the 1800s. Stomp and Holler and Neo Mallow situate music into tighter and more refined niches. All current artists aren’t working in one genre of music, they’re building up their own respectively.

The future of classical music is bright but uncertain. Classical music is rooted in deep tradition, therefore discouraging experimentation amongst young composers and conductors. We want music to change with us, to bring in new cultural elements, and to remind us about what it means to be human. I ask that you give classical music a chance if you haven’t before.

Find my favorite playlists full of classical here and here.

Categories
Playlists

Ringing in Spring: March Edition

A black and white blurry background that resembles the thin lines of a fingerprint. Orange and yellow text that reads "ringing in spring" Yellow and orange moths strewn across the image.

It’s March now, and with that comes the second installment of “Ringing in Spring”: a three part playlist composed of 45 songs, 15 released each month of Spring (except I started in February and am ending in April). This was largely inspired by my “It’s Fall Y’all” series I did in the fall of 2021.

I decided March’s vibes were loud, folky and bright, juxtaposing the indie-rock vibes that February’s installment had to offer.  Think of this as prancing through a meadow with no cares, surrounded by wildlife and sipping on your drink of choice.

Without further ado, here are March’s songs for “Ringing in Spring”:

  • “Come On! Feel the Illinoise! Part I: The World’s Columbian Exposition, Part II: Carl Sandburg Visits Me in a Dream” – Sufjan Stevens
  • “Time Escaping” – Big Thief
  • “I Love You, Honeybear” – Father John Misty
  • “SPORTS MEN” – Haruomi Hosono
  • “Tusk” – Fleetwood Mac
  • “LONELY WEEKEND” – NNAMDÏ
  • “Be Sweet” – Japanese Breakfast
  • “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” – Kate Bush
  • “hypnotized” – Tune-Yards
  • “Watching Strangers Smile” – Parquet Courts
  • “Those to Come” – The Shins
  • “Beautiful Mother” – Dirty Projectors, Björk
  • “Answer Me, My Love” – Swamp Dogg
  • “Topaz” – The B-52’s
  • “Spring” – Angel Olsen

As always you can stream this playlist on Spotify.

Happy March,

Caitlin

Categories
Miscellaneous

“Take Off Your Shirt!”: Rethinking Boundaries of Concert Attendees

Glitchy photo. White text that reads "rethinking concert boundaries.

When I go to concerts, I always end up next to really annoying people. At first, I thought it was just me having bad luck or that I like artists that tend to have younger fanbases. While both of these things might have a role in it, I think a lot of it is a lot of people having absolutely no respect for musicians/ artists/ celebrities as people. When I attended the Mitski show at the Ritz Raleigh, the people standing next to me were hellbent on being comedians, although it just came off as extremely disrespectful. 

Mitski, a carefully private and composed person, who has expressed many times that her fans don’t know her, has tried to draw clear boundaries between her as a person and as a performer (in both her art and in interviews). And yet, as she gracefully performed every choreographed movement in animated and exaggerated forms, the people next to me laughed, yelled and willfully misinterpreted the artistic moves she was making.  During certain songs, Mitski would collapse to her knees, lie on the ground, or otherwise make herself completely vulnerable; in response my concert neighbors would yell things like “Get up Mitski!” or “What is she doing right now?!” These two people were blatantly ignoring all of the vulnerability she was offering and cringing at it, mentally closing themselves off from what she had to offer them. 

When going to shows, I feel it’s important to recognize the artist’s comfortability with the audience, and truly contemplate whether your actions draw some sort of false familiarity between you and the performer(s). Last September when I attended the Phoebe Bridgers show, again there were people completely unaware of how disrespectful they were being, and Bridgers is a lot more comfortable with that kind of stuff. From signs that read “Hey mommy!” to hooting and hollering during “Punisher,” a song notably about deceased Elliott Smith, most people there seemed to think that somehow they were entitled to friendship with her. Think about how utterly dehumanizing it must be to want to share art about some of the most intimate parts of yourself, and to be made a laughing stock. 

I understand why and how it happens; people relate to the music that an artist makes and feel like the artist knows and understands them. In turn, this leads to people thinking that because they feel understood, they must also understand the artist. While in some cases this could true, for Mitski it ultimately isn’t. It’s embarrassing to witness. 

Phoebe Bridgers is not your “bestie,” she doesn’t know you. Just enjoy the music, dance with your friends, take pictures and let loose.

– Caitlin

Categories
New Album Review

A Beginner’s Mind Album Review

A beginner's mind album cover

About A Beginner’s Mind

Released in September of 2021, A Beginner’s Mind is a collaborative effort from Sufjan Stevens and up-and-coming singer-songwriter Angelo De Augustine. Each song has a distinct film inspiration, as listed at the end. These are unusual movies to to write a dreamy-folksy-indie-pop album about. Most titles are either commonly criticized, sequels, or simply left out of today’s pop culture scene. Many of the songs take on the point of view of misunderstood characters of movies. Notably, “Pillars of the Soul” and “You Give Death a Bad Name.” This is a unique take on an album that I have never seen done before. The songs aren’t gimmicky or obviously based on such films; instead, they feature tasteful nods. 

Criticism

In an article for Pitchfork, Nadine Smith explores the particularly “problematic” territory of the song “Cimmerian Shade” through the lens of a trans woman. The song is supposed to be from the point of Buffalo Bill, a character that has been weaponized against the trans community. Notably, she calls out the use of the word “autogynephilia” in the song, an outdated term that “dismisses transness as a sexual fetish isntead of a valid identity” (Smith, Pitchfork). Buffalo Bill is a character that represents institutional oppression for trans folks, so more caution may have been needed with word choice from Sufjan and Angelo. “Cimmerian Shade” was my favorite song off of this album, and I had no idea of its origin until reading Smith’s article. I’ve learned how valuable reading other perspectives is.

My Thoughts

Angelo and Sufjan’s beautiful album creates a sense of longing, and feels as if it should be the backing for Greek mythology indie movie. With elements of their own music, A Beginner’s Mind is more vocal heavy, with angelically layered voices. Angelo and Sufjan put out amazing work individually, and this album is some of my favorite work of theirs. I really look forward to any future collaborations between these two.

Check out Nadine Smith’s beautifully written review for Pitchfork here.

  • “Reach Out” inspired by Wings of Desire
  • “Lady Macbeth in Chains” inspired by All About Eve
  • “Back to Oz” inspired by Return to Oz
  • “The Pillar of Souls” inspired by Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth
  • “You Give Death a Bad Name” inspired by Night of the Living Dead
  • “Beginner’s Mind” inspired by Point Break
  • “Olympus” inspired by Clash of the Titans
  • “Murder and Crime” inspired by Mad Max
  • “(This Is) The Thing” inspired by The Thing
  • “It’s Your Own Body and Mind” inspired by She’s Gotta Have It
  • “Lost in the World” inspired by The Last Wave
  • “Fictional California” inspired by Bring It On Again
  • “Cimmerian Shade” inspired by The Silence of the Lambs
  • “Lacrimae” inspired by Lacrimae Rerum
Categories
Concert Review

Mitski Concert Review (2/18/22) at The Ritz

Mitski on stage, coated in red lighting.
Picture used with permission, courtesy of Katelynne Haynie.

It’s 6:30 p.m.; my roommate (who is also my best friend) and I arrive at The Ritz inappropriately dressed for the 40 degree weather and the sun is no longer in the sky to spread its warmth on us. Shivering violently in the cold, we  play games to pass the time, trying to tune out the droning of the somewhat-obnoxious 16 year olds behind us in line that had just been dropped off by their parents. At 7:05, the line starts moving and we’re ushered closer and closer to indoors. Finally, we make it inside, and decide to head up to the balcony to get a better view. I can see my old roommate (another best friend of mine) in the front row, her neon pink hair contrasting against the blobs of blonde and brown surrounding her.

CHAI, a Japanese rock band, opens and their energy is electric. The quartet of women sings, dances, and sets the energy for the night.

After the purchase of a five dollar can of water, some patient waiting and more games to pass the time, the lights finally dim. Mitski’s band walks out before her, and then I see her. She is draped in a beautiful ankle-length white gown. She stays mostly still for the first song, “Love Me More,” and I cannot see her behind the pillar directly in my line of vision. After the second song she performs, “Should’ve Been Me” she asks in a saccharine sweet demeanor for the audience to turn the flash on their cameras off, and professes how grateful she is to be here. 

Her set list is 23 songs long, and she doesn’t deviate from it. The set list only includes six songs from “Laurel Hell” and the rest is comprised of her revisiting her older work. Her choreography is timed down to the second, she prances across the stage, running and dancing, making herself look vulnerable to the audience, but never seeming to look anyone directly in the eye.

My favorite Mitski song is “I Will” off of “Bury Me At Makeout Creek.” My aforementioned old roommate introduced it to me our freshman year. We had decided to room together our freshman year at NC State because we found out we were both Mitski fans, but in reality, I only knew one song… “Nobody.” She showed me “I Will” and told me it was one of her favorite songs ever.

Directly after “Nobody,” the tenth song of the night, Mitski begins singing “I Will.” I focus my attention on my freshman year roommate in the front row, watching as she sees Mitski perform this right in front of her. I don’t cry at concerts, I get weird about crying in front of other people. I sob. “Everything you feel is good / If you would only let you.”

Mitski only engages in stage talk twice more, once before her fake-exit pre-encore, saying the standard “thank you so much” and once more after the encore, “Two Slow Dancers”. There’s a prop-door on stage she exits through, but since I’m on the balcony I can see her slip behind the stage’s velvet grey curtains. The post-show song is “Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft (The Recognized Anthem Of World Contact Day)” by The Carpenters.

I leave The Ritz feeling fulfilled and grateful that I got to see Mitski live. She is a stunning vocal performer, a talented artist and a wonderful lyricist.