FMD: 4/28/17 – Leaning into it

A few months ago we talked about "Shake it off" songs, that help you get over the rough patches. Today, I want to go the opposite direction. Sometimes a person craves the songs that hit a deeper chord and help fully open up the emotional expression. I once put together a mix of these songs - not quite sad, more melancholic - but it was lost so long ago that I'm not sure I could list more than two or three of my selections.

If you were putting together such a list, what would it look like? Would you pick songs that are sad in terms of lyrics, or sad in a more sonic fashion? I know that personally the music makes a bigger impact than the lyrics when it comes to this kind of mood music. Indeed, I'd often pick songs that aren't so much "sad"

To kick it off, here's a couple of nominations:

Death Cab For Cutie's "Transatlanticism"
Cloud Cult's "There's So Much Energy In Us"
Chumbawumba's cover of "New York Mining Disaster 1941"
Joseph Arthur's "In The Sun"
"Into the West"
Willie Nelson's cover of "The Scientist"
Neko Case's "I Wish I Was The Moon"

So... what's good for melancholy?

14 thoughts on “FMD: 4/28/17 – Leaning into it”

  1. 1. She Came In Through The Bathroom Window -- The Beatles -- Abbey Road
    2. The Piano Has Been Drinking -- Tom Waits -- Small Change
    3. Transmission -- Joy Division -- The Factory, Manchester Live 13 July 1979
    4. Cherry Came Too -- The Jesus & Mary Chain -- Darklands
    5. Just Because -- Elvis Presley -- The Sun Sessions
    6. Dirty Day -- U2 -- Zooropa
    7. Somewhere -- Hüsker Dü -- Zen Arcade
    8. Bad Days -- The Flaming Lips -- The Fearless Freaks
    9. I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night) -- The Electric Prunes -- Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era
    10. Cut Out Witch -- Guided By Voices -- Under The Bushes Under The Stars

    B1. Maybe Partying Will Help -- Minutemen -- Double Nickels On The Dime
    B2. I Ain't Got No Home -- Woody Guthrie -- Dust Bowl Ballads

  2.  

    2017/04/28 - FMD

    01. “Girl” – Jamie xxIn Colour
    02. “Ain’t It Funny” – Danny BrownAtrocity Exhibition
    03. “Valse Hot” – Sonny RollinsPlus Four
    04. “Cupid’s Trick” – Elliott SmithEither/Or
    05. “I Say Fever” – Ramona Falls Intuit
    06. “July” – LowThings We Lost In The Fire
    07. “Boyfriend” – Best CoastCrazy For You
    08. “All The Way Down” – KelelaHallucinogen EP
    09. “Lullabye” – Emitt RhodesEmitt Rhodes
    10. “Winter Beats” – I Break HorsesHearts

     

  3. It used to be when I was down I wanted to drown in sad, slow songs. Now I save those songs for when I'm feeling pretty okay but maybe a tad sentimental. I was feeling melancholic the other day, and the only thing I was in the mood to listen to was The Offspring.

  4.     a. Northern Parula “Song” (Cornell Essential Set)
    1. Twilight Circus Sound System “Carousel” Horsie
    2. Plastikman “Elektrostatik” Recycled Plastik
    3. The Cinematic Orchestra “Bluebirds” Motion
    4. Ha Ha Tonka “Favor: Demo” Heart-Shaped Mountain Demos
    5. Monster Magnet “Zodiac Lung” Spine of God

    6. Aaron Dilloway “Look Over Your Shoulder” Modern Jester
    7. Coil “Heaven's Blade” Backwards
    8. Jo Johnson “Ancestral Footsteps” Weaving
        a. Red-eyed Vireo “Song and Calls” (Cornell Essential Set)
    9. Autechre “Gnit” Tri Repetae++
    T. The Bug feat. Singing Bird “Superbird” Pressure

  5. 1. Rain Rain Beautiful Rain - Ladysmith Black Mamazo
    2. The Crying Scene - Azrtec Camera
    3. Down in Mexico - Brinsley Schwarz
    4. Back in the U.S.A. - Chuck Berry
    5. Her Eyes Are A Blue Million Miles - Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band
    6. Heavy Chess - Alabama Shakes
    7. More Than a Feeing - Boston
    8. You're Sixteen You're Beautiful - Ringo Starr
    9. Turn That Heartbeat Over Again - Steely Dan
    10. Lil' King of Everything - Los Lobos

  6. Regular melancholy:
    The Antlers, Hospice
    Sufjan Stevens, Carrie & Lowell

    Melancholy with a side of heartbreak:
    Ani Difranco, Dilate
    Liz Phair, Exile in Guyville
    Joanna Newsom, “Does Not Suffice” [on repeat]

  7. Saw Lucinda Williams last night. She is so good. Played the 25 year old Sweet Old Dreams album in its entirety. Criminally overlooked album. Sounds like she's re-recording it for a Fall release.

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