hi, hello!
It’s good to have your eyes and ears. Here’s what I’ve been listening to for the past month.
Okay, let’s cut to the chase - Spotify Wrapped is here. While I’d like to say there were a few surprises, there weren’t. None of it surprises me. It’s very on-brand. Very Andrew Bird. Very Wet (lol). Very Remi Wolf. Very Fleetwood Mac.
Two new things that I saw on Wrapped this year: a listening personality? What the? Mine is The Adventurer, which makes sense I guess since I do this project and am constantly listening to different music. The section with your listening personality shows which adjectives describe you best, creating an acronym similar to a Myers-Briggs personality test. (I’m ENFP in case you were wondering.)
The other new feature I thought was interesting is the Your Artist Messages. It’s a video recorded from some of the artists featured in your Wrapped thanking their fans for listening to their music. Mine featured videos from Whitney, Kevin Morby, and (of course) Andrew Bird.
To come back to the playlist/this newsletter, there’s been a random theme this past month: self-titled albums (Sylvan Esso, Fleet Foxes, Judee Sill, Alohaha, Bon Iver, Soft Hair). All classics from these musicians. For more classic (rock) albums, see Loaded, Magical Mystery Tour, and If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears.
This month, I listened to all four Fleet Foxes albums in the order they were released. I don’t think I could pick a favorite as they each have their own energy and memories attached to them.
Recently when I listen to Fleet Foxes, I think of this quote from a list of music recommendations from Lord Birthday (funny internet person):
“Fleet Foxes - fine but they can stop making new music now, I think we get the idea.”
Yes, we get the idea. But please don’t stop making music, Robin. (Another very funny internet person/musician.) Also thank you to all who do my no context polls on Instagram. Y’all get it. This poll was from Fleet Foxes’s Shore. More of these to come in 2023 :).
Speaking of 2023, I’m getting back to new albums ~ only ~ so expect to have a lot more recs. I’m excited for the year to come, how about you? One month left.
Jess Williamson, Sorceress
FKJ, Just Piano
Rayland Baxter, Imaginary Man
Grizzly Bear, Shields
Angel Olsen, Whole New Mess
The Velvet Underground, Loaded
Mazzy Star, She Hangs Brightly
Tyler, The Creator, CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST
Rostam, Half-Light
Sylvan Esso, WITH LOVE
Molly Sarlé, Karaoke Angel
Sylvan Esso, Sylvan Esso
The Beatles, Magical Mystery Tour
Beirut, No No No
Alohaha, Alohaha
Flock of Dimes, Head of Roses
Andrew Bird, Things Are Really Great Here, Sort Of...
Devendra Banhart, Ma
Chartreuse, Relaxation Tapes For Nobodies
The Mamas & The Papas, If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears
Wye Oak, The Louder I Call, the Faster It Runs
Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes
Soft Hair, Soft Hair
Vince Guaraldi Trio, A Charlie Brown Christmas
Bon Iver, Bon Iver
Jorja Smith, Project 11
Judee Sill, Judee Sill
Fleet Foxes, Helplessness Blues
Fleet Foxes, Crack-Up
Fleet Foxes, Shore
Thanks for reading, thanks for listening.
- emily