Do you ever love a song so much you wish you could forget it, just so you can hear it for the first time all over again?
That’s what it was like when a few old favorites came up on shuffle, immediately taking me to another place. As blissful as the experience of listening to the still-great songs was, I felt upset at myself for neglecting the music (a note about myself: I will attach feelings to anything and everything. I had hurt the music’s feelings!)
It was then, blasting songs that took me to another place, I decided to go on a quest of rediscovery.
1. SPRAWL II (MOUNTAINS BEYOND MOUNTAINS) – ARCADE FIRE
Ohhhhh, my. Sprawl II is one of those songs that makes me want to let it all go. It’s such an ethereal, fantastical song that’s good from start to finish. Beyond just sounding good, the lyrics make it perfect for either laying on your bed and looking at the ceiling or (to take a cue from the video) standing in a field with your arms open wide, screaming your worries away. “These days I feel my life it has no purpose, but late at night the feelings swim to the surface.” Sprawl II is sad, so sad, but feels warm, making it a perfect song no matter your mood. The familiar synth, pseudo-80’s sound Arcade Fire often promises shows itself in this fantastic, fantastic song. I’m sorry I forgot you, Sprawl II.
2. RETROGRADE- JAMES BLAKE
The song starts with a crooning that promises something good to come, and that promise is more than fulfilled. Blake sings softly until the chorus hits, where his anguish becomes louder, stronger, more powerful. “Suddenly I’m hit!” is a line to be yell-screamed, but blends beautifully with the rest of the song’s earnest, subdued tone. Retrograde deserves to be played on the best quality speakers at the highest setting, because it is a song that fills space and demands attention. When I heard it again, I felt the song’s buzz in every corner of my body. If I could drown in a song, this would be the one.
3. FAMILY FRIEND- THE VACCINES
Unlike the other two more electronic based songs, this one is pure guitar goodness. Clocking in at nearly 9 minutes, the song takes you on a journey. The first half is antagonizing almost, “you wanna get young but you’re just getting older.” The drums pick up, and the song gets louder, more aggressive, demanding attention and emotion. It hits a chaotic peak, then silence. It had been so long since I last listened I almost changed the song, but then the second half kicked in, and I was floating yet again. The second half is stripped back, with the vocals echoing somberly and a piano playing instead of the roaring guitar. Family Friend made me want to do something, be someone. It took me on an emotional rollercoaster, and call me a masochist, but I love a song that can play with my emotions.
4. BLOOD- THE MIDDLE EAST
For years I’ve been saying Blood is one of my favorite songs, so I never really forgot it. But I forgot to appreciate it, to show it the attention it deserved. Blood and I’s relationship was like a loveless marriage, only recently rekindled. I don’t know how to describe it other than beautiful. Everything about it is beautiful, from the lyrics to the composition to the album art. The gentle twinking and rattling in the song give it a mystical, childlike touch that just works. The song sounds light, but it still carries huge weight. Like the others, this song fills space. It’s not a background song in any way, but a song that demands to be played and listened to with rapt attention. By the end, I was “ooo-oh, ooo-ohing” with the song, carried away by it’s brilliance. Blood is one of those songs that makes you feel like everything will be okay. We all need that.
5. NOW, NOW- ST. VINCENT
With her new digital persona the latest on my mind, I had left some of St. Vincent’s older works on the side. Hearing Now, Now reminded me of how consistently good Annie Clark has been, and how even her older songs have a St. Vincent (her latest album) feel to them. The chorus of “you don’t mean that, say you’re sorry,” is creepy, soulless, and so Annie. Another St. Vincent hallmark is the big instruments and big sounds, all coming together at the end in a cacophony that becomes a symphony. No matter the album, St. Vincent has always delivered. Now, Now proves this, and delivers the perfect blend of old and new.
6. ALWAYS GOLD- RADICAL FACE
Ohhhhh, god. Oh my. What is it about Radical Face that makes me want to travel, explore, experience? Their familiar guitar and folksy sound gives Always Gold it’s life. The song is simple, no tricks to it. It doesn’t need any tricks-it’s just that good on its own. “You were always gold to me,” is also a lyric filled with weight. Even if the actual singing comes infrequently, when it does happen it’s always powerful lyrically. This song is one that I had to listen to with closed eyes, playing loudly on the speakers while I let my mind wander into another place. Oh my god, this is just a really good song. I may have listened to it twenty or so times since that first rediscovery, and I’m loving it more and more each time.
Romy Listens 