Grammy nominations came out this weekend. Nobody asked us for our votes. Hmph.
SAM SMITH — Money On My Mind — as described by chase porter
This song is my new study anthem. I rock back and forth as I drown in Math 51 practice tests and mutter the chorus that so perfectly describes my feeling. Sam Smith understands me; I “don’t have money on my mind.” Far from it. I have finals on the mind. Finals. Finals. Finals. In a first-quarter-freshman fashion (so many Fs…yikes), these tests feel like the most important thing and literally what the heck is going on in the Math 51… Anyways, Smith’s voice has a nostalgic twang to it that reminds me of a time when I didn’t have imminent exams. His jazzy, slow-jam voice carried me through practice test Autumn 2005 (yes, on repeat, for a whole test) and calms me down. This is Smith’s debut single and I can’t wait for his new album (hopefully in time for winter finals please). Back to math…math on my mind. Peace out.
WILLIE COLON Y RUBEN BLADES — Plastico — as described by cecily foote
I’m a quarter Puerto Rican and irrationally proud of it. I’m also sorely lacking in cultural exposure, which I’m pretty embarrassed about for how much country pride I feel. So when the only other Puerto Rican in my high school class gave me a CD as a “Secret Cupid” gift for Valentine’s Day and described it as something all Puerto Ricans know and love, I was ecstatic. I was hooked at the first song, “Plastico,” with its super funky opening and great salsa vibe that absolutely begs for dance. There’s a great swelling of cultural pride at the end of the song, climaxing with Ruben Blades celebrating the pride and determination of his people (unfortunately I only discovered this when I read the English translation of the lyrics because I don’t even speak Spanish :|) and shouting-out to fourteen Latin American countries in turn. Puerto Rico is number two; I always shout along.
NOUVELLE VAGUE — Dance With Me — as described by bojan srb
If the world of cover bands were Stanford, Nouvelle Vague would be the Euro-exciting grad student you made out with at Full Moon on the Quad. They’re cute, take themselves a little too seriously, and will probably text you a ‘sup’ at 1am on the weekend before finals. I have no clue how Dance with Me fell into my iTunes library, but it’s all I’ve been listening to these days. The bossa nova-style arrangement is to die for. The vocalist’s accent is a total toe-curler. And there’s something about a decently used accordion that keeps you wanting more.
DAUGHN GIBSON — Tiffany Lou — as described by will toaspern
I have a dream that someday, I will grow a beard that looks like Daughn Gibson’s voice sounds.
OTIS REDDING — Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay — as described by marc robbins
Otis Redding’s most famous song doesn’t need an introduction. But for some reason there are way too many perfect moments for this classic that I love rediscovering. Sit back, look around, and enjoy the simple pleasures of life and Otis Redding.
OUTKAST — Gasoline Dreams — as described by eric eich
Maybe it’s the rumors of an OutKast reunion that have been floating around these last couple weeks, or maybe it’s that in just one week I will return to sweet and sticky Hotlanta for the holidays, but something has got me tuning back into this hip-hop odd couple’s universe, after many years of letting my attachment to them fall into disrepair (much like dear ole Atlanta’s ill-funded highways). Whether or not we’ll see new work from the group in the near future, the band’s older songs – right now I’m audio OD’ing on “Pink & Blue” and “ATLiens” – haven’t lost a bit of their power, carefree or cantankerous depending on the track. I hardly have room to be nostalgic for them, since I was still learning to tie my shoes when the band hit their peak, but my older brother’s CD collection served me well, and many of the band’s harshest songs do make a mismatched soundtrack for my younger years. “Gasoline Dreams” falls neatly into that category, though the group’s more mellow and playful sounds are near and dear to my heart, too. Enjoy.
ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS — I Fell In Love With A Dead Boy — as described by brittany newell
Hi there. I’m a brunette who enjoys reading, dog-walking, and drowning in 30-minute bouts of intense self-pity. If being a productive type-A citizen of the wider world has got you down and you need a little spitty study break, dim the lights and prepare your glands for this. Honorable mentions include “Who Knows Where The Times Goes” by Nina Simone and “Candy Says” by Lou Reed, but of these 3 heart-heavy, gender-flexible wailers, Antony takes the cake, oh that DAMNED CAKE. In alternate versions, he sings this song with the Danish National Chamber Orchestra. Antony + strings + a room of Scandinavians. Can you possibly think of anything more fantastically depressing? Maybe Phantom of the Opera. Slow fade.
LEE DORSEY — Yes We Can Can — as described by alec arceneaux
Your friendly reminder that, yes, yes we really can, courtesy of one of New Orleans’s greatest musicians (which is really just another way of saying one of the world’s greatest musicians) and a living legend, Allen Toussaint. This is the first version of this song, as performed by Lee Dorsey, one of the unsung heroes of Louisiana’s neverending quest to funk up this decidedly unfunky world. Toussaint’s solo piano version is a little more intimate, which goes nicely with the preciously optimistic lyrics. Cheer up, y’all. Finals are almost over. We’re going to the Rose Bowl. The Saints won last night. Times are good.
BANKS – Waiting Game – as described by lawrence neil
As I’m writing this, I realize that this depressed electrosoul female-and-two-octaves-lower James Blake named BANKS is the same depressed electrosoul female-and-two-octaves-lower James Blake named BANKS that I fell in love with when she opened for The Weeknd in Berkeley this past September. Literally turned to my concert companion and said “Yo I’m in love.” Dark piano chord and ashy voiced verses, EDM-sample-ready angelically touched chorus with a driving saw synth and found sound rhythms. Add to queue.
(‘17, Undeclared) likes chocolate and Lorde. And soccer.
('16, product design) loves drawing and vegetables very much. She's from Austin, she used to have a rabbit named Sinbad, and she's learning Korean. Cecily defaults to folded, in various configurations.
(‘16, English, Editor-in-Chief) learned most of his English from Cartoon Network. What Bojan cares about: Freud, cities, gazpacho, and you.
(‘14, American Studies) is a contributing writer from Denver, CO. He will talk to you about music for longer than you’d prefer.
(‘16, Physics) loves music, movies and trying to feel cultured. He has attempted to watch Gone With the Wind three times.
(‘16, Community & Events Manager) is an overripe Georgia peach with an Internet addiction. See more at http://www.ericeich.com.
(‘16, Culture and Commentary Editor) (also known as Ratty St. John) is in your walls. Her chewing sounds lull you to sleep. Keep abreast of the bastard at rattysaintjohn.tumblr.com.
(‘16, Undeclared, Literature Editor) hails originally from Lafayette, Louisiana. When not gator wrestlin’ or crawfish boilin’, Alec spends his time playing and listening to music, reading, writing, and dominating at fantasy football. He writes for the Stanford Review and is a member of the local jazz ensemble Skeleton Crew.
(‘14, History/Creative Writing, Editor-at-Large) is from Cleveland, Ohio and writes fiction.