#102 of 366: Mice, Billie Marten

If this song isn’t a rainy day cup of tea curled up with a book, I am not sure what it is. Maybe it’s a warm bath with some candles. Both, I think.

Billie weaves a beautiful tapestry of words and sound.

“Watch me as I go and separate, the ones that I am made to love and hate, and slowly counting down my body weight, I’m tired, watch me as I go and separate, the ones that I am made to love and hate, and slowly counting down by body weight, I’m tired, I’m tired, and the stars, they look like little mice, to me, I am my only vice”

Take it slow today. Move to the beat of this song. Observe, don’t absorb.

BGDG.

#101 of 366: AWW SHiT, Watsky, Hollis, Gifted Gab

We’ve reached a turning point in THE BLOG.

Watsky

If you recall way back when when I started this project, see link below this paragraph, I said the Top 100 was in the order that I loved them, or they resonated with me, etc. From here on out, it’s pure discovery and I’ll do my best to curate a fun journey for us the rest of the way!

How about that eclipse huh?! (I haven’t seen it yet. HA!)

Hollis

I think this is a fitting song to kick off this part of The Project. No more rankings. It’s all fun and games and finding new stuff to listen to! If there was ever a song that personified the dap you get from your friend when you get to a party, it’s probably this.

Gifted Gab

So take a few minutes to bop to this song and just let loose.

BGDG

#100 of 366: My Favorite Mutiny, The Coup

The 100th post of the blog AND a solar eclipse on the same day?! Double bonus if I ever saw one!

This song serendipitously was the title credits song to the show I just binged: “Winning Time: Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” and now finds itself falling here in the blog. A nice coincidence!

“…if we waiting for the time to fight, these is thems…”

That’s my favorite lyric. Something about “these is thems”. I’m not being goofy either…I legit love it. Love hearing Talib Kweli on this track too. He’s was an instant favorite when I discovered him like 20 years ago. Fanastic lyricist.

You got something you been meaning to fight? (Not physically!…unless you like box or like, Greco-Roman wrestle or something, in that case, go for it.) You know what I mean! You got something? Might be time!

Love you. BGDG.

#99 of 366: Don’t Hate Me, Lola Young

This song goes hard. Steady. Lola’s voice definitely has a bit of that longing in it. Great performance overall here. Loving that bass line too.

“I think that I love you but it’s hard, just to be around you, you said, “I’m gonna be a big star”, don’t lie to my face, it’s cool if you don’ wanna hang ‘n’ get loose, but my mom wants me back at like 20 to two, and babe, I think that I love you but it’s hard, just to be around you, don’t hate me but you’re not, don’t hate me, but you’re not what I thought you was”

Definitely gives me some late-90s vibes, right? Just a short 2:42 to keep the blood moving today!

Kick some butt today you! BGDG.

#98 of 366: m.A.A.d city, Kendrick Lamar, MC Eiht

In my opinion, there aren’t enough good six-minute Hip-Hop songs anymore. Kendrick Lamar to the rescue.

The highlight of this song, is the switch-up of styles halfway through. First part goes hard enough, but then suddenly we’re transported back to Dr. Dre’s NWA-era Compton and it is incredible.

Kendrick and J. Cole are the guys keeping it as authentic as it was back in the day I feel, but I’ve read they have beef? Not good!

I’m writing this from the past, so I don’t know how much snow we got, but, maybe this is a good song to shovel to today? HAHA!

BGDG!

#97 of 366: Lovin’ Me (feat. Phoebe Bridgers), Kid Cudi

What a mashup of genre here! I feel like the album cover is kind of telling here!

The lines of genre are just diffusing and it’s just….the Sound. I love it. I wish this song was twice as long as it’s 2:45, but something about the brightest stars burn out the quickest, I guess?

This song feels…earnest to me.

“At times, I really didn’t show, what was wrong with me, wrong with me, I told myself I cannot grow, without lovin’ me, lovin’ me, But this is just the hell that lives inside, hmm, tell me now, where to?, please be my guide”

Blends so sweetly into Phoebe’s part:

“I’ve been goin’, goin’ in circles, reoccurring dreams, talkin’ in my sleep, then I’m floatin’ up to the surface, I can finally breathe, I could do anything, and I don’t know why it’s alright, and it’s not at the same time, then I look up at a blue sky, and I know”

I hope this song helps you a little like it did me! BGDG

#96 of 366: The Walls Are Way Too Thin, Holly Humberstone

Holly is right up there with Olivia Rodrigo when it comes to conveying relational tumult. We’re not really in high school anymore with this one though.

I can’t quite nail down if this song is literally talking about three roommates, a remote and their significant other where she has a crush on the roommate, or somehow using it all as a metaphor for a love triangle. Maybe somehow all three? You decide!

“I heard you talking ’til the morning, heavy whispers from the next room, you say it’s never your intention, and I’m just in a bad mood, there was a possible connection, on the table for a second, then she made such an entrance, can’t stand all this tension, can you?, then we crossed paths by the bathroom, but I’d just rather be out of the picture, and I’ll do my utmost to talk to you, but I just wanna be out, I just wanna be out of the picture”

Whatever she’s singing about, she does so like a lonely songbird. I’m here for it, and much more of her catalog. Stay tuned!

BGDG

#95 of 366: Woman, Cat Power, Lana Del Rey

There’s something haunting about Cat Power’s Chan Marshall and her voice. There’s an amazing flexibility to how she wields it, as it can cut like a blade, and caress like a soft hand. It pairs well with Lana’s classic almost-crooner sound.

“Your money’s like a weapon, a tool to get me, you think I’m like the other ones, well, my money’s like a weapon, tool for me, no, I’m not like the other ones, a cage is like a weapon, a tool for me, you think I’m like the other ones, well my cage is a weapon, it’s perfect for me, it’s the one suit they seem to not see, I’m a woman of my word, now haven’t you heard?, My word’s the only thing I’ve ever needed, I’m a woman of my word, now you have heard, my word’s the only thing I truly need”

Little too much on my mind to write today. Gonna go do some drawing. Don’t be afraid to take a time out on something if you need to! BGDG!

#94 of 366: get him back!, Olivia Rodrigo

I absolutely adored Rodrigo’s first album Sour. She is so incredibly adept at synthesizing late-teenage relationship angst in musical form. It’s a pure distillation of it honestly.

The chorus slaps in this song, as the kids say, so here it is!

“I want to get him back, I want to make him really jealous, wanna make him feel bad, oh, I wanna get him back, ’cause then again, I really miss him, and it makes me real sad, oh, I want sweet revenge and I want him again, I want to get to him back, back, back”

Just a romp from start to finish. The standout verse? part? whatever. Half of these songs don’t even follow that kind of logic. Verse just sounds way better than part or section. Anyway, we’re back and it’s this one:

“I wanna key his car, I wanna make him lunch, I wanna break his heart, then be the one to stitch it up, wanna kiss his face, with an uppercut, I wanna meet his mom, just to tell her her son sucks”

Great punky vibe to this song. It’s a bop. (The kids also say that I hear)

BGDG! Love ya!

#93 of 366: When I Wish Upon A Star, Robby Hecht, Jill Andrews

Swapping back to some good old acoustic guitar for this one! It’s actually the song that inspired my “Learn to Play Guitar” playlist. Such a pretty duet. We’ve heard Jill on the blog before, but this is the first time Mr. Hecht has been with us!

“When I wish upon a star, I don’t wish for anything, but I wonder where you are, and I wonder where you’ve been, when I wish upon a star, I don’t wish for anything, if I tried to reach that far, memories are all I’d see, you sitting with a mason jar, at the kitchen table coloring, when I wish upon a star, I don’t wish for anything”

Hecht pairs perfectly with Andrews in this one as their melodies seamlessly intertwine throughout.

Just enjoy the beauty of this song!

That’s today’s intention. Go out and actively search for beauty in the little things!

BGDG