Staff Pixx 2/13
Looking for new tunes? The Music Staff submits their favorite songs of each week for the Staff Pixx radio show. If you can’t tune in Thursdays at 9 am, find WECB on Spotify for a full playlist, and read below for notes from each of our writers!
Lily Hartenstein
20th Century Schizofriendic Revengoid-man by of Montreal
Of Montreal has captured the frantic absurdity of existence, blending chaotic lyrics of dissociation and insanity with peppy 80’s beats, as is Kevin Barnes’ signature style of extreme contrasts. His recent release UR FUN focuses on love in the modern age, full of confessions of commitment with something just not right in the background. This song seems to be the insidious anxieties of the album come to a head. It’s the perfect explosion of the emotion and fear that comes with romance, and I see it as the perfect Valentine’s Day album for the not-quite-on-board romantic who just wants to dance.
Kate Mettetal
At the Door - The Strokes
After failed releases, bogus re-starts, and consecutive solo endeavors, you may find yourself asking how The Strokes always manage to bounce back to relevance two decades after their career commenced. Their newest release “At The Door” speaks to their efforts stray away from being a cover band of their own songs. Their lineups have remained static for the past seven years since their last release, Comedown Machine, in 2013. The melodic synth intro complied with the artfully placed guitar riffs before the chorus in “At The Door” maintains the nostalgia of one of The Strokes’ classics while bringing a raw passion to the table that has been absent from their releases for nearly a decade.
Mara Tatevosian
Beaten Down by Sharon Van Etten
After quitting music in 2014, Sharon Van Etten moved on to acting, scoring films, and studying psychology. Five years later, she surprised the indie rock world with her uplifting and pop influenced album, Remind Me Tomorrow. Her newest release, “Beaten Down” is different from her last album – it reaches backwards to her previous works, embracing a more muted sound. The song’s arrangements are subtle and atmospheric; the lyrics follow in melancholic simplicity. The second half introduces a new harmony, enhancing Van Etten’s vocals and suggesting a new trajectory for the artist. The song feels a whisper, sharing pain in secrecy – it is restrained, though gripping.
J. Faith Malicdem
JEWEL by Adam Melchor
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Adam Melchor’s newest release “JEWEL” enchants with his intricate guitar-plucking and serenading lyrics. The song focuses on the relationship of his sister Julie, who he had nicknamed Jul, and her fiance. In an Instagram post, Melchor wrote, “their love for each other has always been so true from the start, and I decided to write about it.” Much like his previous releases, “JEWEL” echoes the classic Melchor theme of all things lovey-dovey and sappy, but in the best way possible.
Isaiah Anthony
Meet Me on the Roof by Green Day
In the group’s most easy-going album of the 21st century, pop-punk godfathers Green Day’s new album Father of All… is filled with simple popcorn tracks, climaxing with ‘Meet Me on the Roof,’ a fun, courting rock anthem laced with light vocals and smooth, catchy riffs.
Angelee Gonzalez
Cop Car by Mitski
Following a two-year-long musical hiatus after Be The Cowboy’s release, indie rock singer Mitski returns with an anxious song for The Turning (2020). Beginning with an eerie arpeggio and ending with a fade of electric guitar feedback, Mitski pays a tribute to 90s grunge. She sings “I get mean, I get nervous like a bad dog” and, after crashes of multiple electric guitars, repeats “I will never die.” An unexpected return to her sound on previous albums, “Cop Car” is an accurate depiction of built-up anxiety ending in an explosion.