Suzanna McMurtry

SONG OF THE DAY – Ben Aqua – “Don’t Play Dumb”

28Mar

By Suzanna McMurtryNo Comments

Advice for Life, Music, Song of the Week(end), Uncategorized

SONG OF THE DAY – Ben Aqua – “Don’t Play Dumb”

https://open.spotify.com/track/4y6aIgCaUbcgWciwUrVHmm DON'T lol don't we know this by now? SMART is cool! KIND is cool! DUMB on purpose is NOT cool. If u smart, listen to this song. It is from Ben Aqua, who has worked with PC Music (audio gold), DFA Records (unknown to me) and has his own "experimental electronic music and art label #FEELINGS". Despite the questionable but likely satirical naming of that label, I am often fond of this kind of music. Which surprises me. Isn't electronic music #MINDLESS? I'm starting to think not!! Imagine the landscape of this track in physical space with every beat and type of sound possessing a different line -- how complex and calculated! This being said, Ben Aqua and those that he might associate with (AG Cook of PC Music) are getting a lot of atte...

SONG OF THE DAY: Neil Young – The Needle and the Damage Done

5Mar

By Suzanna McMurtryNo Comments

Music, Song of the Week(end), Uncategorized

SONG OF THE DAY: Neil Young – The Needle and the Damage Done

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0t0EW6z8a0 I don't think I'm alone when I say that the music of Neil Young has dotted many times in my life. When I was really little I used to hate his voice, not understanding how meaningful and personal that sound was for my parents. His music will always be so tied to the time it was made in whether it be about heroin in the 1970s or his current campaign against GMOs and monocropping. This song is in response to his grief over the loss of more than one close musician friend to the "needle". Neil seems to always have been able to translate intense personal tragedy into something beautiful, without compromising the inherent pain of the situation. This from Neil in a recording of "Live at Massey Hall 1971": "Ever since I left Canada, about five years ...

SONG OF THE DAY: WILLIAM ONYEABOR – “Fantastic Man”

20Feb

By Suzanna McMurtryNo Comments

Music, Song of the Week(end), Uncategorized

SONG OF THE DAY: WILLIAM ONYEABOR – “Fantastic Man”

https://open.spotify.com/track/1ETZhP9orTkDclKEyt0xqm WILLIAM ONYEABOR is hopefully but not likely a name you have heard before. The music of the mysterious man, released in the late 1970s and early 80s, characterizes a unique form of African electronic funk. After self-releasing eight albums during this time, he became a born-again Christian and essentially denounced his whole music career. To add another level of intrigue, there are rumors of his having went to Russia to study filmmaking. After recently being "discovered" by Damon Albarn, David Byrne and other powerful male white British musicians, his music has gotten a little more exposure. There is apparently a short documentary released by Noisey (affiliated with Vice) on Onyeabor and -- someone -- has been trying to write a biogr...

1Feb

By Suzanna McMurtryNo Comments

Music, Song of the Week(end), Uncategorized

STEPPENWOLF, JOHN KAY – “SNOWBLIND FRIEND”

https://open.spotify.com/track/4reGhfOwxDUSSk1btybGCS Even though "Snowblind Friend" is undoubtedly about cocaine rather than snow, it still promotes the kind of vibe you might feel in looking out the window today in Colorado Springs. I heard of Steppenwolf when I literally judged them by their appearance and bought this hilariously 70s-looking record Steppenwolf 7 from Independent Records my freshman year at Colorado College. When my mom first came to visit my dorm room in Slocum and saw it on the wall, she groooooaned. Steppenwolf is one of the many bands that makes her cringe and think of her and her brothers in high school. I loved that. "He said he wanted heaven, but praying was too slow."