Eleven out of ten times, music can give me comfort when I’m feeling low and can’t motivate myself to do anything else than be mopey. When I hear a song come on that I really enjoy I feel an instant shift in mood; like someone just yanked the recoil start in my brain. Here is a short list of albums I have found to be blissful and helpful given our current situation. During these times of solitude and uncertainty, music prevails at healing our souls and giving us some direction to keep going.
Bombay Bicycle Club – Everything Else Has Gone Wrong.
Bombay Bicycles Clubs 5th LP titled “Everything Else Has Gone Wrong” is about “finding hope, safety and comfort during times of despair, when everything is crumbling all around you” says BBC frontman Jack Steadman about the title track to the record. He also talks about his anxieties and how putting on headphones makes him feel “a hundred times better”. I wanted to highlight this album in particular because this sounds exactly like what we all need right now.
Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising
Weyes Blood’s latest release titled Titanic Rising wraps current global issues with a parading march of piano riffs and bouncing bass into a beautifully wrapped package. Some recurring themes of this album are modern issues such as climate change but also themes of movies. At first glance it might sound a bit dreary but overall I find this to be a record that shines with many moments of joyous noise.
Jay Som – Anak Ko
Los Angeles-based indie rock act Jay Som released their third studio album titled Anak Ko last year to much critical acclaim. Full of catchy riffs, soothing vocals and 90s nostalgia, and some slammin’ guitar distortions, this album is a generous one that fits a lot into 9 tracks and 35 minutes. The last two tracks on the record, “Crown” and “Get Well” were appropriately satisfying for me.
American Football – American Football (LP3)
Veterans to making melancholic melodies and vocals that linger, it’s a bit surprising finding this artist on this list. This latest release from the Illinois emo outlet demonstrates a slight shift in their usual sound and produces something a bit dreamier, uplifting. With guest vocals from Paramore’s Hailey Williams as well, this record is well worth the listen in solitude.
M83 – DSVII
I took a long walk one day revisiting this album released this past fall. It was a real joy to be out in the sunshine with my headphones wrapped around my skull and the sounds on this record gave me a lot of optimism. It hadn’t quite hit me yet that it is spring right now until I took that walk with this album that mixes ambient and fluting synths that paint a billboard of fantasy to distract the mind.
~ Posted by Marcos C.
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