Kate Bush — The Man with the Child in His Eyes
Laura Carlo
The Netflix show Stranger Things is getting a reputation as a reviver of '80s music, as their recent use of music by Metallica and English singer-songwriter Kate Bush has introduced their music to a new generation, including me. After Bush's "Running Up That Hill" gained the attention of the TV audience I started exploring her music. I listened to her 5th album, 1978's The Kick Inside, to check out "Wuthering Heights," but I am so in like with "The Man with the Child in His Eyes" that I am now playing it on repeat. My family says it's too much and won't drive with me now. I'll miss them.
Florence + The Machine — Free
Edyn-Mae Stevenson
There's honestly not a single song on this album that I haven't had on repeat for the last couple of months. The '80s synth in "Free" always hooks me right from the beginning. It's physically impossible to listen to this song and not at least want to dance!
Sebastien Llinares — Satie: Gnossienne No. 5 (Arr. for Guitar)
Colin Brumley
When I think of that first warm, enveloping spring breeze (you know the one), I think of Satie’s Gymnopédies. But it’s summer now, and my seasonal analog, that first warm summer musical breeze, is the sister collection of those works, the Gnossiennes. They’re a little more exotic – they’ve got a dash of that je-ne-sais-quoi that’s just perfect for July. I’ll start you with the least avant-garde; they get progressively more experimental.
Anna & Elizabeth — Old Kimball
Emily Marvosh
Anna and Elizabeth have brought the folk-song tradition into the 21st century, and their haunting takes on ballads from Appalachia and beyond always command my full attention. Their version of Texas Gladdens’s "Old Kimball" is less narrative than many of their choices, but its imagery is just as compelling, and the harmonies are perfectly understated.
Edgar Moreau — Strohl: Great Dramatic Sonata, "Titus et Bérenice"
Tyler Alderson
There's something about the rich tone of the cello that makes it perfect for a "dramatic sonata" like Rita Strohl's, based on the story of Titus and Bérenice. It's the usual star-crossed affair, with duty and the whims of popular opinion keeping Roman emperor Titus away from his beloved Bérenice. Strohl brings the turbulent inner thoughts of the two lovers to musical life, creating a deeply personal and moving drama. This is one of the few widely-available recordings of Strohl's work, making me wish there were a lot more!