Wicked Drawl — Tired
Liz Seitz
I've been listening to Wicked Drawl's "Tired." It’s a cool mix of modern, bluegrass, and more. I also love the lyrics "I'm tired of being tired of being tired,” which resonates with me: I can't listen to the news without feeling exhausted.
Los Romeros, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Neville Marriner — Rodrigo: Concierto Andaluza: 1. Tiempo de Bolero
William Peacock
Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo is a close friend of CRB. Beloved by classical veterans and newcomers alike, his Concierto de Aranjuez is a mainstay of classical guitarists everywhere, and his Fantasía para un gentilhombre is a close act to follow it, which is no surprise given that it was written by request for none other than Andrés Segovia, one of the greatest guitarists of all time. So color me surprised when I learned of the existence of his Concierto Andaluz, a stunning masterpiece for four guitarists and orchestra commissioned and premiered by the family guitar troupe Los Romeros in 1967. About this recording in particular, Rodrigo had the following to say:
“It was with the greatest pleasure that I listened to this recording of my Andaluz Concerto. One doesn’t quite know what to admire most – the perfect conjunction of four guitarists sounding like one soloist or the clarity and individual perception of the quartet, admirably accompanied by the orchestra under Neville Marriner.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Basia — Time and Tide
Edyn-Mae Stevenson
Nostalgia won out again this month, and I've had "Time and Tide" stuck in my head for three weeks and counting. Something about that sax solo sends me to the moon every single time. This song "will always stay as good as newww."
The Oh Hellos — Danse Macabre
Kendall Todd
You know what time it is! I trot this one out every year. The indie-folk outfit The Oh Hellos turns Saint-Saëns's eternally spooky tune on its head.
Dijon — Yamaha
Jamie Kmak
No thoughts, just vibes.
Lindsay Mendez, Ryan Scott Oliver — 35mm: The Ballad of Sara Berry
Katie Ladrigan
Look out! It's a murderous high school prom queen, out for blood! From my time working in the musical theatre world, this one is a ton of fun to sing along with while having a halloween hangout with friends. And bonus! The list of Sara's crimes always delightfully remind me of Edward Gorey's ghoulish Gashlycrumb Tinies.
Djo – Purgatory Silverstar
Julia Marcus
For any "Stranger Things" fans out there, I recently discovered that the actor who plays Steve Harrington has his own music! And it rocks! Joe Keery performs under the mononym Djo, and his latest release "The Crux Deluxe" has been the soundtrack to my mornings this month.
WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln, Elena Schwarz — Barraine: Symphony No. 2, Voina: III. Finale
Emily Marvosh
Elsa Barraine (1910-1999) is having a moment, with two big orchestral discs released just this year. If you like the fantastical moods of Respighi, Poulenc, or Stravinsky, or even the goofy Bourgeois Gentilhomme suites, you’ll love her 2nd Symphony. Start with the Finale!
The Lumineers — Ho, Hey
Greg Ferrisi
This one’s a bit of a cheat, because I haven’t been listening to this non-stop, probably since 2012. Every time I hear it, though, I’m taken back to the night my daughter was born.
She was born a few weeks early, and after making a quick appearance to say “hi,” she was having trouble breathing and quickly turning blue. The hospital shipped her off in an ambulance that night to a NICU about an hour away.
I left my wife's bedside shortly after and headed out into an actually dark and stormy night to meet our baby girl in Arkansas. I don’t remember much about the drive, except for the heavy, inky darkness pierced by lighting, the rain-slick, winding roads, and this song cutting through my fears and anxieties along some lonely country road.
Our baby girl is 13 years old today. We heard this song in the car together recently, and you better believe we belted out every “ho” and “hey” at the top of our lungs.
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You can enjoy this month's Instant Replay picks below, or listen to the full playlists here.