Through life we might find ourselves caught up in the disappointment or anger of property loss but sometimes the unexpected can be a blessing in disguise.
I came back to my bedroom one day to find I had accidentally knocked over an oil reed diffuser sitting on my desk. It seemed like a small problem, a manageable spill — at first. But a closer look revealed the oil had seeped into my 16GB iPod. As nice as it was to have an iPod that doubled as an air freshener, it was sadly inoperable and gone forever.
I wondered how I would get my fix of music from walks across campus or across Ypsilanti. Rather than buy a pricey replacement, my Android had just enough space for less than 1GB of music and would have to do the trick.
Though reluctant to accept this drastic lack of variety, accommodating this change really helped me find what music I could do without and the tracks I just had to hear.
For your consideration and enjoyment, here are a few of the lovely tracks that made it to my phone to receive heavy rotation.
Beyoncé – “Countdown”
With its percussive marching-band bravado and clever counting down lyrics (Still the one I do this 4 /I’m tryna make a 3 from the 2 /Still the 1), this is undeniably my favorite of Bey’s latest album, 4. Sampling Boyz II Men’s “Uhh Ahh,” it’s a love song that makes you want to get up and dance.
Neutral Milk Hotel – “Holland, 1945”
Numerous friends condemned this band as overrated but in ignoring their advice I let this Nineties indie rock quartet into my heart and eventually my phone’s playlist. With its surrealistic imagery (Now she’s a little boy in Spain /Playing pianos filled with flames /On empty rings around the sun /All sing to say my dream has come) and poppy lo-fi feel, the energy of this song is great for singing-along on road trips.
Radiohead – “Codex”
This beauty off Radiohead’s latest, The King of Limbs, is calm but emotional. It’s a song to relax to; lay in bed with your eyes closed and the song absorbs you with its ethereal keyboards. As much as it’s a soft song to fall asleep to, I use it as an alarm. Oh, the irony.
Skrillex – “First Of The Year (Equinox)”
After Deadmau5 (and special guest, Skrillex) shook the Convocation Center last fall, EMU was happily suffering from dubstep overload. However, if you enjoy the genre or are just getting into it, this heavy gem from Skrillex will have you jumping or banging your head, maybe both.
The Kills – “Future Starts Slow”
This intense and manic garage rock duo (plus drum machine) knocks out another dissonant love song full of heart failure and dysfunction. The message is “get angry all you want but you drive me crazy and I’m not leaving.”
Lady Gaga – “Born This Way”
Love her or hate her, it’s hard to ignore the pop visionary’s inspiring mantra of self-worth, love and equality in the title track from her Eighties disco rock masterpiece. I hope you’ll give her new album a try because if I could praise the album’s tracklist it could be an entire article by itself.
Bread – “Aubrey”
Regarded as one of Bread’s most beautiful and melancholic songs, this tale of Seventies heartbreak features no percussion; just classical guitar, orchestral strings and a music box. This tragic song on unrequited love is sure to stain your handlebar moustache with tears.