Stanford Spring Quarter exists in a bizarre dilemma universe where every day feels like a beautiful afternoon in mid-July where nothing matters except having a cold drink and a pair of sunglasses.. while still still living up to the academic requirements of one of the most demanding universities in the country.
WOOP WOOP. Here’s your soundtrack to the sun.
THE STRANGLERS — “Peaches” — as described by kelsey dayton
The Stranglers offer a great introduction to the eccentric variations of 70s new wave — some of their songs are quirky and upbeat with infectious keyboard tabs, while others have that old, classic rock sound. My favorite subset of The Stranglers’ discography is their heavier, boozier tracks — the ones that make you slump your shoulders in time with the bass without realizing what you’re doing and leave you feeling kind of dirty afterwards. For that pleasantly greasy sensation, you can do no better than “Peaches”- their ‘77 ode to creepy oceanside girl-watching, just in time for the Spring Quarter sunshine.
The lyrics are so unabashedly sexual and lead singer Hugh Cornwell’s voice is so derisively sleazy that the song goes far beyond what could be called “suggestive.” The whole track has the subtlety of a nuclear warhead. In fact, the song is so vulgar that it could very plausibly be a sardonic critique of ultramasculine culture and sexual aggression. And since I can’t help myself from hitting the replay button, that’s the rationalization I’m using.
BLACK MILK — “Glitches in the Break” — as described by chris russ
When you ask about the best hip-hop artists from Detroit, you’ll always hear a few common names (Dilla and Slum Village, Eminem and D12, Danny Brown, and maybe Royce da 5’9”), but for some reason another great Detroit producer/rapper, Black Milk, seems to regularly go unmentioned. Whether it be his collab projects (such as “Black and Brown” with Danny Brown) or his amazing solo projects (such as “Popular Demand” and “Album of the Year”), he combines the Detroit soulful feel with experimental touches and adds in his own lyrics that don’t disappoint. His newest project, “Glitches in the Break”, is no exception to the rule. Expect a mix of heavy drums, light melodies, soul sampling, and a dash of something different. Check out the instrumental intro to the project titled “There Are Glitches” for a taste of what to expect from one of Detroit’s finest.
LE YOUTH — “C O O L” — as described by alejandra salazar
Fresh off of indie music blogs and “Best of SXSW 2014” playlists is the newly minted, Internet-viral “C O O L”. Just the right amount of groove, funk, trap and electronic influence come into play to create the perfect soundtrack for any of your Insta-worthy spring activities of the quarter, including (but certainly not limited to): classic collegiate beach trips, city walks, rush ragers and windows-down-music-blasting car rides up and down picture-perfect scenic highway routes. Simply put, Le Youth has produced an excellent single that’s got to be in the running for the best of the Spring season: it’s sleek, modern, catchy, original and even — dare I say it? — oh, so cool.
GHOST BEACH — “On My Side” — as described by rachel grau
“I belong on a neon beach and the sun // is gonna carry me through the night // with our shadows free we’ll shine // shine forever.” The New York based indie-pop duo get the spring quarter vibes right with this synth-y danceable track from their recent album Blonde.
THE LIJADU SISTERS— “Come On Home”— as described by clara galperin
Forget the rain, yo — spring is here in full, flowery splendor. And what better to accompany blooming trees and intrusive caterpillars than a sunny jam straight from Nigeria. If you ever find yourself in desperate need of counteracting the club edit Ke$ha you hear emanating from the depths of Wilbur Field, I got you with this one.
MILEY CYRUS – “why’d you only call me when you’re high (cover) MTV Unplugged – as described by jeremy gilfor
I’ll be up front – this is not a great cover. For one of those, check out Ke$ha’s cover of Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, it’s Alright” . But despite its lack of greatness, Miley’s hip rolling, tongue massaging performance of the Arctic Monkey’s hit reminds you just how good Cyrus can be when she’s asked to do more than flick her tongue and growl. Girl can sing. Hopefully this song makes you check out the rest of the MTV Unplugged performance, which includes a fantastic rendition of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene”. As Cyrus mentions at the end of the song, thanks to MTV for lettingher of all people go unplugged. That’s brave.
BONOBO — “Cirrus” — as described by jake friedler
This is one of the best music videos I’ve ever seen.
BLITZEN TRAPPER — “Furr” — as described by associate editor max walker-silverman
Furr is kinda woodsy and melodic. Like fall. If you’ve got allergies and bare feet, don’t worry - the path is softer than it looks.
ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI — “Dream a Little Crazy” — as described by editor-at-large katharine schwab
With a retro feel and a bouncy beat, this 2013 release from Architecture In Helsinki is the perfect song to help get your spring quarter jam on. With the beach volleyball courts ever-occupied, a huge baby-blue sky, and the beginning of a sunburn on my shoulders, it appears that spring is here to stay. It makes me want to…well, dream a little crazy.
ACTION BRONSON and ROC MARCIANO — “Pouches of Tuna” — as described by editor in chief lawrence neil
Bronson’s rhyme schemes are out of control. Out of control. From tasty, dense, straight multisyllabics — ‘Strictly cop and gos / until we laid up in the Galapagos / eating tacos / higher than a opera note’ — to image heavy, assonance-leaning internals — ‘Disqus hoody / puff hibiscus / balance be the crispest / baby girl you wilin’ if you sniff this / gotta take a piss test / piss right through your fishnets’ — Bronson brings it on the heavy Party Supplies produced obscure violin sample of rock band Extreme’s 1992 hit. Check out the Rap Genius for some priceless explanations of the lyric by Bronsolino himself, and stick around for the featured Roc Marciano, who comes ready to play as well.
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(‘15) hails from Cotati, California and has a compulsive obsession with all things film, politics, and creative writing. Her favorite pastimes include overanalyzing screenplays while watching TV, hiking, and running illegally through other people’s property.
(‘17, Communication, Music Editor) is a contributor from San Antonio, TX. She believes in making playlists for every occasion and chronically overthinks everything.
(‘16, Computer Science/Spanish minor) has cracked her phone screen more times than you. Talents include folding burritos and typing really fast, and she’s never not drinking coffee.
(‘17) is an Art History major from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
(‘15, Science, Technology and Society) is everything that’s wrong about Stanford wrapped up in a neat little package.
(‘15, Comparative Literature) grew up in White Suburbia, CA and is still trying to get out. His interests include haiku poetry, long conversations, and the re-mystification of our postmodern wasteland.
(‘15, History / Theater and Performance Studies, Literature Editor) is from Telluride, Colorado. His writing varies in genre, as it does in quality.
(‘15, English, Outgoing Editor-in-Chief) likes to write songs about gravity and days that don't end. Katharine is from Pasadena, CA and she's only been to one Rose Bowl game. Ever.
(‘14, History/Creative Writing, Editor-at-Large) is from Cleveland, Ohio and writes fiction.