Magical Mystery Tour: pop music as an essential nutrient

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Over the last several months, life has been complex, challenging and weird.  Friends and family and others signing on to trains of thought and channels of political action that seem wild and incomprehensible.  I’ve been glued to my podcast app (Pocket Casts) seeking to find and download the latest episode of what I always hope will be the explainer that illuminates.  “Help me make sense of this steaming pile of something-other-than-nourishment”.  Alas, as I found myself on the road in July and nowhere near the place where live music was for me a daily treasure chest (New Orleans), it’s been rare for music to enrich my life.  In my home (either our Condo in New Orleans or our small travel trailer on the road), we don’t have ambient music on.  If you want it, it’s got to go into your ears with buds or headphones.  And as I said, Ezra Klein or Sam Harris or Marc Maron or Kara Swisher or whomever are much more likely to be on my playlist than the new Bruce Springsteen album.  I read an article about Gillian Welch and David Rawlings in  the New York Times Sunday Magazine and was inspired to seek out music.  So I did, arranging for a solo dance party at home last night.  I fired up my Bose noise-canceling headphones, cued up a playlist on Spotify (Americana: “The A-List”) and let it roll. Before the list,  I started with a Gillian Welch tune: There’s A First Time For Everything from The Vol. 3 Lost Songs (Unreleased Recordings).  Well, that was beautiful and painful.  You snuck up on me with that one, Gillian!  By the way, if you dear reader have not heard One Little Song by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, well, too bad!  Click the link if needed!

At a meeting this morning, I mentioned my dance party and how much I had enjoyed the music. Herein is the follow-up to that with some more links.  Of course we all have our sets and settings, our proclivities, our resonances.  Not everyone will like these songs (duh!) but I really enjoyed them.  As I mentioned, one of the things I like about dance parties is the opportunity to become entranced by the music.  For me, it’s much like how one might approach a trip to an art museum.  Spend as much time as you like with each piece, then move on.  So much great new music being created, may we be dancing together again soon!

First is Ray La Montagne.  He generously has a link to the song (Roll Me Momma, Roll Me) on his web site:

https://www.raylamontagne.com/

 

Next is Jim James and My Morning Jacket, with the song Feel You:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFl0Kotmj7U

And lastly, The Strokes with The Adults are Talking. I love that groove. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4qsjmLxhow

Or watch them do the song on Saturday Night Live:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go4xJPuVl4c

Finally, Disclosure is the name of the “group” that produces electronic music.  They are brothers hailing from southeast England.  I find that the music is energizing and entertaining, and perfect for using to ride it’s wave’s with your body any way you might want to.  Stretch, dance, exalt, lament,  contract, jump up and down, lie down, sit, ANYTHING!  Just get ready for the next surprise on the next song. 

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