by Gabriella DePinho & Alexa Schmidt, Editor-in-Chief & A&E Editor
The power of music, by nature, is social. In this edition of Jasper Jams, EIC Gabriella DePinho and I are taking you through our very busy week in music. What we listen to typically depends on what our days look like, and we’ll be taking you through our whirlwind of a schedule.
Monday – Alexa’s Pick
Ah Mondays. Mondays mean the start of a new week, and the impending schoolwork and responsibilities, it can be very easy to make this day turn sour. That’s why I like listening to songs that make me happy, and look forward to the rest of the week.
I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) – Whitney Houston
I was first introduced to this song in the gloriously funny and sweet movie, 13 Going on 30, and the sequence of Jennifer Garner getting ready to go out had me hooked. Houston’s lyrics and catchy beat are irresistible, they make me want to grab the first person I see and have a dance party.
lovers’ carvings – Bibio
This song is so cute, and automatically gets stuck in my head for the rest of the day. More of an instrumental piece, it calms me down after having to work for over four hours. A one-man show, Bibio manages to combine five genres together into songs that should be listened to outside.
Joy – Bastille
I got into Bastille with their hit “Pompeii” in middle school, and since then I’ve followed their music and album releases. The namesake of this song and the lyrics put a pep in my step and reminds me that no matter what happens, there’s always someone who has my back.
Tuesday – Alexa’s Pick
On Tuesdays, I look forward to finally calling my parents and telling them about my day after multitasking and trying to accomplish ten things in one day. So I picked songs that reminded me of them.
Tuesday Afternoon – The Moody Blues
Every kid grows up listening to their parent’s music, and I was exposed to some of the greatest artists, such as The Moody Blues. I say this because they mastered the art of storytelling, and lyrics that inspire.
Tiny Dancer – Elton John
My parents and I once sat around the kitchen table and looked up some of the most misheard lyrics in popular songs. Tiny Dancer came up because people thought the chorus was, “hold me closer, Tony Danza,” and so whenever I hear this song, I’m reminded of laughing until I can’t breathe.
Wednesday – Alexa’s Pick
This is probably my busiest day, when I’m running around to practice, to class, to work and then back to class again. I don’t return to my room until about nine at night, so I need some high energy to literally keep me awake.
Swimming in the Moonlight – Bad Suns
I heard this song on the radio one day and I had to Shazam it immediately to know the full story. Since then, I’ve been kickin’ it with the Bad Suns, and their upbeat tune to keep me going.
Gab’s Pick
My Wednesdays always look really different but they’re always big homework days for me. I have two classes and then I go to work for about two hours. With a lot of free time, I usually have meetings to go to, but I also spend time on the 4th floor of Miguel looking for English professors to hang out with.
Do You Wanna Do Nothing With Me? – Lawrence
Often, I find myself really tired or unmotivated on Wednesdays because of the awkward gaps in my schedule or because I’m already tired. This song is fun and definitely lifts my spirits up and also asks the question I always ask my friends. (They usually say no because they all have homework to do, but they’ll come to Locke’s with me)
Thursdays – Gab’s Pick
Thursdays look a lot like Mondays, but I also have work from 1:30 to 6:30. Luckily for me, Fridays are light with classes so as long as I can power through the day, I get to crash at the end and make time for friends, calling my mom, or hanging out in my common room with friends who live on my floor.
Violet Lightning – Lafrantz
Since my Thursdays are long, I like to keep the music I listen to in between classes upbeat. This song has been on all my playlists since I found it last June and it’s a perfect tempo to keep me smiling and keep me going, even when the walk from Leo to Miguel feels impossible to make in ten minutes.
Baby Blue – Grayscale
My suitemate and good friend talks about Grayscale a lot so I finally gave their newest album, Nella Vita, a listen the other weekend and I am so glad I did. I’ve been listening to their music a lot, but this is one of my favorites for walking around campus.
Friday – Gab’s Pick
My Fridays are pretty open after my one 9 a.m. class but my days usually fill up with meetings with professors, interviewing for and writing Quadrangle articles, doing laundry, running errands, taking a well-deserved nap or treating myself to some food at an off-campus spot.
Come Hang Out – AJR
My close friends and I usually have to send each other Google calendar invites to plan hanging out during the week and on weekends. It’s absolutely ridiculous, but it works for us! To everyone else looking at my calendar, I’m busy with who knows what but to me, I’m busy with one of the most important parts of college: making and deepening meaningful connections with friends I cherish. However, I do recognize it’s comical so this AJR song is pretty relatable.
Closing Time – Semisonic
I recognize this song is a polarizing choice, but it’s a good way to wrap up a week. I usually stay up late on Friday nights, but it’s always because I’m having a good time with my friends hanging out at An Beal listening to music, playing Super Smash Bros in someone’s dorm room, or just sitting around drinking tea. Whatever it is that we’re doing, we’re definitely having too good of a time to go to bed early.
The Steps – HAIM
One of my favorite things about music and Fridays is the updated “New Music Fridays” playlist Spotify has. This is one of my favorites from this week’s playlist.
