Hinder — Lips Of An Angel
Julia Marcus
When I was in 5th or 6th grade, my sister and I finally convinced our parents to buy a PlayStation 2. Amidst rounds of "Dance Dance Revolution" and "Guitar Hero," we'd sing along with remote microphones to "Karaoke Revolution: American Idol." It was the first time I heard Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie Amour" and all six minutes of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody." This Hinder song in particular was one of my favorites to sing. I recently heard it playing over the speakers of an Urban Outfitters, and all those memories of performing for my sister in our family room came flooding back to me.
Trombone Shorty — Buckjump
Brian McCreath
As the warm weather recedes, I’m holding on to the last sounds of summer I pumped through the speakers of my car system on recent road trips. It could have been any one of dozens of Trombone Shorty tracks, but the unstoppable groove of this one won the day this time.
Joanna Newsom — Sprout and The Bean
Edyn-Mae Stevenson
I've always thought that a truly good songwriter must have one foot in reality and the other firmly planted in the ethereal. By those standards Joanna Newsom is more than just a good songwriter - she's a brilliant one. The childlike wonder in "Sprout and The Bean" is infectious and perfect for this strange time of year between seasons. Newsom's music isn't on Spotify, which is just as well because the music video is a feast for the eyes.
Laufey — Tough Luck
Katie Ladrigan
Shout it from the rooftops, Laufey dropped a new album in August: A Matter of Time. From her jazzy start to this stride into pop, Laufey keeps the winning melodies going, especially on the break-up bop, "Tough Luck.” With the addition of a pavement pounding beat, she makes something sad into something to sing about. (P.S. Curious about how to say her name? Laufey provides!)
The Civil Wars — No Ordinary Love
Emily Marvosh
Not everyone may agree with this, but I LOVE covers! It’s fun to see how someone reimagines an absolutely iconic piece, sometimes making it hit completely differently. Exhibit A: this cover of Sade’s "Ordinary Love" by the Grammy-winning Americana duo The Civil Wars. I like the piano commentary. Makes me wish I’d thought to do it that way.
Roger Bart, Disney — Go the Distance
Jamie Kmak
I can’t think of a more fitting soundtrack to wrap up a summer of introspection and life decisions that culminated in a two-week trip to Greece. It's a personal favorite: I was Hercules for Halloween many times as a kid, with growth spurts every couple of years, which means my mom had to personally adjust my Halloween costume sizing each time. Halloween will be here before we know it, and I still don’t have any costume ideas for this year. I wonder if she still has any of those lying around...
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You can enjoy this month's picks below, or listen to the full Instant Replay playlist here.