When I do these playlists weekly, I often only put my musical taste into consideration. However, this week, I mixed the bag up and decided to poll The Mirror staff for their favorite tunes. From classic rock to contemporary R&B, the staff has chameleon-like musical variety.
“When You Were Young – The Killers (Jesse Erickson – Editor in Chief): Kicking things off with the leader of our wolfpack is this Killers’ classic. Brandon Flowers’ vocals transform the instrumental variety into an orchestral symphony of massive proportions, layering an image of youth and the everlasting reverberation that exists in the lifestyle of the college-aged students.
“Shut Up and Dance” – Walk the Moon (Catherine Veschi – News Editor): When I first spun this single on my radio show freshman year, Walk the Moon was just another indie band saturating the market. However, the enigmatic group from Ohio would take the music industry by storm with the aforementioned indie pop track off of their latest record, “Talking Is Hard.” Possessing a U2-inspired sound and a persona equivalent to Matt & Kim, the group is only bound to get bigger.
“Party Monster” – The Weeknd (Gabriella Minos – Coffee Break Editor): Even as someone who doesn’t associate as a rap fan, there is something perplexing and entertaining about The Weeknd’s lyrical styling. The Weeknd spins a tale of love and the partying lifestyle, complimented by a soft electronic beat and enough swagger that drips slowly off the simplistic bassline.
“Burn” – Andra Day (Alexandra Thimble – Assistant Opinion Editor): Broadway show tunes have a soft space in my heart and the music of “Hamilton” has erupted into the American culture in a time when it couldn’t be any more necessary. In the recently released, “The Hamilton Mixtape,” which features modernized versions of the songs from the Broadway musical, R&B vocalist Andra Day tackles the anthemic “Burn.” Never have I become testament to such a powerful vocal performance of a Broadway piece and the cover is one of the few instances in which it outshines the original.
“Born to Run” – Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band (Alexandra Thimble – Assistant Opinion Editor): I go by the motto that you are not American if you don’t like “The Boss.” What more can I say that wasn’t said before about the titular track from the 1975 seminal effort. “Born to Run” is not only an American anthem, but also an anthem for those that seek a rebellious escape from conformity.
“Fresh Eyes” – Andy Grammer (Allison White – Chief Copy Editor): The Top 40 can often be busting at the seams with run-of-the-mill pop tunes and overproduced mixing that takes away from the quality of the music. However, this song from Andy Grammer is the sort of infectious pop that warrants a reconsideration of one’s ideology on Top 40 pop. The upstrokes of the guitar compliment Grammer’s voice in a manner that makes the song catchy as hell.
“Barely Legal” – The Strokes (Brendan Zimmerman – Opinion Editor): I remember sitting in my beat-up Volvo S60 in the Chipotle parking lot with Brendan, talking about the consequential nature of The Strokes’ “Is This It.” Sure enough, he chose one of my favorite Strokes’ songs for this playlist, from that exact record we were talking about only a few nights ago. That driving bassline, along with the breakdown, encapsulates the senses and puts the record toe-to-toe, for me, against Radiohead’s “Kid A” for best album of the early 2000s.
“Little Things” – One Direction (Ariana Puzzo – Managing Editor): Don’t kill me for saying this Ari, but I am not a fan of One Direction at all. However, I must give credit where credit is due, so I compliment the group of Brits for their harmonious vocalization that is pleasing to the ears, as well as the interchange between vocals that plays well with the romantic nature of the song.
“Work Song” – Hozier (Alicia Phaneuf – Assistant Vine Editor): “Take Me to Church” may be the song that popularized Hozier, but “Work Song” is what keeps him high in the realms of indie folk pop. If only I stopped in 2014 to listen to a little known performer called Hozier playing the smallest stage at Newport Folk Festival before I was able to finally see him sub-headline at the same festival a year later.
“Winter Song” – Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson (Alicia Phaneuf – Assistant Vine Editor): Christmas season, I wholeheartedly believe, is when some of the most beautifully composed songs come back into the mainstream music circuit. The collaborative feature hosts two of the most vocally proficient, modern female vocalists, which brings a sense of tranquility and Christmas warmth.
“Little Lamb Dragonfly” – Paul McCartney & The Wings (Juliana Sansonetti – Assistant News Editor): While I acknowledge that John Lennon may be the greatest songwriter to emerge from The Beatles, I also exhibit an immense amount of respect for Paul McCartney and his contributions to music, which are immense in scope. The deep track from The Wings catalogue feels as though it is a b-side to The Beatles’ “White Album,” which gives credence to how the piece stands in the McCartney catalogue.
“Pretty Peggy” – Wolfmother (Colleen O’Connor – Vine Editor): Taking a drastic 180 from the usual frenetic pace of most other Wolfmother songs, “Pretty Peggy” is a nice reprieve that ushers in the more indie pop side of the generally alternative group. I highly recommend exploring Wolfmother’s catalogue, as they have something for any type of listener.
“Caring is Creepy” – The Shins (Colleen O’Connor – Vine Editor): The Shins are one of the more lovable acts on the market due to their mostly acoustic take on indie folk pop and their solid progressive expansions in terms of song structuring and lyrical content. “Caring is Creepy” is a piece of heaven to listen to on the ears, especially as James Mercer peacefully sedates us into a dream-like state.
“Making Breakfast” – Twin Peaks (Andrew DaRosa – Executive Editor): Of course, I would still include my music picks for this playlist and I have picked one of my favorite rising indie rock rocks that I had the privilege of covering last year before their popularity skyrocketed. “Making Breakfast” exhibits a near-perfect formula that blends a delayed-tinged guitar with joyfully obnoxious lyrics.
“Right On Time” – Dawes (Andrew DaRosa – Executive Editor): I end this playlist on one song that I am unable to get out of my head lately. Dawes should be on everyone’s radar as their brand folk rock is addictive and the songwriting talents of Taylor Goldsmith are socially enlightening and beautifully crafted.
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