Weekly Playlist (2/18/2025)

Photo Courtesy of Cocteau Twins Official Instagram

Lauren McCarty | Contributing Writer

Bryce Russell | Art & Entertainment Editor

Welcome back! We somehow missed last week’s playlist, so this week we have a double sized list, with picks from both contributing writer Lauren McCarty ‘26 and Art & Entertainment Editor Bryce Russell ‘25!

Lauren’s Picks

“Outta-Space” – Billy Preston

Featured in the classic film Muppets in Space (1999) this funky tune released in 1971 captures the essence of that year. This instrumental was created by Preston improvising on the keys and calling out chord changes to his backing band, featuring a George Harrison guitar solo. Preston and Harrison were good friends, as Preston is often called the fifth Beatle for playing the keyboard and organs on many of their albums. “Outta-Space” was named for its far-out sound, which was created by Preston playing his clavinet, an electric Clavichord, which is essentially an electric guitar sounding keyboard and a wah-wah pedal. If you are a Beatles fan, check out “Outta-Space” and other Billy Preston tunes. 

“Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” – The Cardigans

This song is a cover of a song originally released by black Sabbath in 1973. Famous for “LoveFool,” the Cardigans are a 90s pop band with musical talent and knowledge that exceeds their reputation as a “girly pop” band. They released this song on their debut album, Emmerdale, in 1994. Nina Peerson has one of the sweetest voices, and this version of the song is a way to enjoy the genius of Sabbath if you prefer girly soft pop over metal. 

“9th Wonder (Blackitolism)” – The Digable Planets

“9th Wonder” samples the bass from “Love Rollercoaster” by the Ohio Players (a popular funk band from Dayton) and uses drums from “Soul Pride” by the legendary James Brown. The Digable Planets released this song on their 1994 album Blowout Comb. The song is jazzy, like many of their songs. This was the era of jazz infused alternative hip hop, and the Digable Planets were pioneers of this style that connected generations. 

“Heaven or Las Vegas” – Cocteau Twins

The Cocteau Twins are a Scottish group that gained commercial success from the album Heaven or Las Vegas in 1990. They had been making music together since 1979, but this album has become widely popular and inspired a new generation of dream pop and shoegaze. The Cocteau Twins music is ethereal and ambient, especially when paired with Elizabeth Fraser’s angelic vocals. Her vocals are often delivered in the style of glossolalia, which describes a singer making sounds resembling speech – gibberish. This enchanting song is just one tune off of an album that’s wonderful for studying or daydreaming.

Bryce’s Picks

“You Have Bought Yourself a Boat” – MJ Lenderman

Coming off of MJ Lenderman’s 2022 album aptly titled Boat Songs, “You Have Bought Yourself a Boat” gives off strong Neil Young vibes, specifically from Young’s electric period in the late 1970s from albums like Zuma and Rust Never Sleeps. On this song, Lenderman really leans into his North Carolina accent, and when paired with the distorted twang of his electric guitar, it really fits well.

“Suzanne” – Leonard Cohen

One of the most popular by legendary singer / songwriter Leonard Cohen, “Suzanne” has stood the test of time since its release in 1967. Cohen’s poetic lyrics along with his simple yet skillful fingerpicking guitar have cemented “Suzanne” as one of the most beautiful songs of the last century.

“Mystery of Iniquity – Live” – Ms. Lauryn Hill

Despite only releasing one solo studio album and one live album, Ms. Lauryn Hill has cemented herself as one of the most influential rappers of all time with her conscious raps about injustice and the state of modern America. Along with her solo work, she was also a member of the 1990s hip hop trio Fugees, along with Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel, releasing one of the best albums of the 1990s, 1996’s The Score. “Mystery of Iniquity” comes off of her 2002 MTV Unplugged album, where she plays solo acoustic guitar while rapping an insane amount of verses. The song has also been sampled by many other popular musicians since it was released.

“Farewell Transmission” – Songs: Ohia (aka Jason Molina)

“Farewell Transmission” is the opening song off of Jason Molina’s 2003 album Magnolia Electric Co., and sets the tone for the rest of the album. From the first couple of lines, “the whole place is dark / every light on this side of the town,” Molina takes the listener into a mix of Neil Young reminiscent folk rock, alt-country instrumentation akin to Wilco, but with entirely original lyrics that only Molina could have written. Molina, who sadly passed away in 2013, didn’t see much commercial success during his lifetime. However, his music has stood the test of time and has influenced a new generation of artists like Waxahatchee, MJ Lenderman, Wednesday, and countless other indie rock and folk artists.

“Closing Time” – Tom Waits

The closing, instrumental track from Tom Waits’ debut album Closing Time, the title track is the musical equivalent of last call at a smoke-filled, run-down bar. With gentle piano and saxophone accompaniment, and the plucky sounds of the upright acoustic bass, “Closing Time” is one of Waits’ most beautiful compositions. If you ever want a chill song to just relax or read to, this is a great one.