Today, is one of my favorite people’s birthday, so if it was a party today, I’d play one of my favorite birthday songs!

Guilty pleasure…

Last summer, when Charlie XCX released Brat, my teens had it in rotation in the car. It didn’t take long for it to grow on me and then find myself singing the songs around the house calling it my Brat summer. A few weeks ago, instead of a Brat summer, she teased “Turnstile summer” at the end of her set at Coachella. Could there be a collaboration coming? Love a little heavy dance pop.

Song on repeat…

Oso oso is always on repeat for me, especially this song. We saw them live in Buffalo with Anxious in 2022 and I fell in love their easy, sunny melodies and slick vocals. Every song on this album is catchy and an easy listen. They’re also from the beach town my brother lives in (Long Beach, NY) and I can’t resist imagining they wrote this song while on a beach cruiser winding down the sandy boardwalk in the warm evening sun with friends.

Song that helps you concentrate…

I have a hard time focusing when I have on songs that I can sing to, so for work music, I often gravitate to songs with a steady beat and no words. One of my favorites is The Budos Band. I’m also anxiously awaiting their new album. They’re also on my short list of bands I’m dying to see live someday.

Favorite collaboration…

So many to choose from, but here’s one of my favorites: Hamilton Leithauser (The Walkmen) and Rostam (Vampire Weekend). I chose the song “A 1000 Times” because I always listen to it on November 10th, just for the lyrical mention and the song always seems to fit the season: “The 10th of November, the year's almost over”.

Song to introduce yourself by… My first 17 years shaped me into who I am today. I grew up in the Saratoga region of NY and spent my childhood in the Adirondacks, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire. I don’t think I’d been past Utica more than twice before I went to college in Buffalo at 17, and that was to Olean where my Dad’s family is from. I also spent tons of time outdoors, even in the winter- it was basically a family value. A lot of families told their kids to go read a book when they were bored, but in my family you were told to go outside. I’m still someone who needs to be outside, even in the winter to stay grounded. I even hate hot weather.

Also, I can have a bit of an intense personality and have been described as everything from passionate to energetic to anxious to brash. I always have a plate too full, talk too much, overdo it and then promise myself I’ll pull in the reins.

At the end of the day, I love being outside, I love New England and the places and traditions and I love that I’m too much. It’s who I am.

I chose Northern Attitude by Noah Kahan, the first musician to actually capture in words and music what it felt like to grow up where I did.

A song that tells a story…

I’ve been listening to indie folk band, Mt. Joy a lot in anticipation of seeing them at The Borderland Music Festival in September. I really love their sound but what brings it home for me are how their lyrics paint vivid scenes and remind you to look for the best in others, seize the good moments and that life is short. Bathroom Light, off their Orange Blood album, tells the story of a fleeting moment of new love and takes us along for the ride.

A song that makes you feel better…

Gosh this is hard. I think all music makes me feel better. Well, almost. I have yet to find a Dirty Projectors song that doesn’t make me anxious. 😂

My daughter loves Jazz, Funk and Indie, and has recent leanings into math rock. A few years back she introduced me to Vulfpeck and reintroduced me to The Budos Band. Years ago I discovered Tame Impala and bands in the similar fuzzy, dreamy psychedelic rock landscape. I’m now a solid listener of this genre and love it. I had a hard time picking a song but I went with a song by my recent obsession, Glass Beams. They’re kind of new and out of Australia, like Tame Impala. They blend traditional Eastern and Indian sounds with Western beats to make songs you can’t get out of your head. They’re also mysterious, only have 2 EPs and 9 songs, wear beaded masks and I couldn’t wait to see them live (albeit online) at Coachella.. even if I draw some laughs about how out there they are. I can’t wait to see what else they put out.

A song that matches my current mood:

“Do you ever feel like the room is heavy? Like the air is hot and the air is sweaty? Do you ever feel like the room is heavy? And I can’t sleep And I can’t breathe”

It’s May-ish, my job is extremely chaotic and stressful all year, every year, but especially this year and time of year. I teach 7th grade students in a super hot 3rd floor classroom. There’s no AC. It’s state testing season, my classes are too big and there’s a whole lot more. Today was one of those familiar spring days where I’m weighing if I can exist this job 10 more years. sigh

A song that makes you dance:

ANYTHING by Broken Social Scene makes me want to dance! They’re an amazing band (that functions more like a collective)- lots of energy and creativity and a heaping handful of talent that’s spawned many side projects and creative endeavors. Their live shows are an absolute dance party. This song is one of my favorites for dancing.