As this month nears a close, we all seem to be in a relaxed stance. Whether it is because we’re seniors getting ready to graduate, juniors getting ready to be seniors, or just anxious to get out of school, we can all agree that taking it easy is the best way to go. What better way to relax than with some good music? This week’s mix has no defined theme; it’s just 5 good songs to help you get through the week.
Song #1 – Childish Gambino – L.E.S. (Lower East Side) – 2011
Some would say that Donald Glover, also known as Childish Gambino, can do it all. He stars on the NBC sitcom, Community, he’s written for 30 Rock, has emerged as one of the best new stand-up comedians, and somehow finds the time to be a pretty good rapper in his spare time. This song is a standout track from his debut album, Camp. While the album failed to make much of a splash with radio, it has remained in the iTunes Top Ten chart for Hip Hop/R&B albums since its November 2011 release.
Song #2 – The Weeknd – D.D. – 2011
Coming on to the scene basically out of nowhere last year, Canadian singer The Weeknd
(real name Abel Tesfaye) took the R&B world by storm. He released three mixtapes (House
of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence) all of which, through the help of social media
like Twitter and Tumblr, spread like wildfire. The notoriety he gained from these mixtapes
(combined with numerous collaborations with Drake) brought him all the way to the famed
Coachella music festival earlier this month. This particular song, from Echoes of Silence, is a cover of Michael Jackson’s 1988 single “Dirty Diana”.
Song #3 – Foster the People – Don’t Stop (Color on the Walls) – 2011
Upon first glance, indie pop band Foster the People might be the last thing you’d expect to see at a concert alongside Pitbull and Kelly Clarkson. But that’s exactly where they were in December of last year, performing at the Z100 “Jingle Ball”, a show made up of the most popular acts of the year at Madison Square Garden in New York City. All of this was made possible by their single “Pumped Up Kicks”, which took radio by storm, rising all the way up to number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. While not as popular, “Don’t Stop” has seen some airplay, and you may have heard it in a Nissan commercial late last year.
Song #4 – Animal Collective – My Girls – 2009
Coming from one of the most critically acclaimed albums of 2009 (Merriweather Post
Pavillion), “My Girls” is an infectious electro-pop song. It’s reminiscent of MGMT’s “Kids”,
and is Animal Collective’s most popular song to date. The band is  local (they’re from
Baltimore, and their album is named after a popular concert venue in Columbia), and they’re very popular among the independent music crowd, comparable to how Coldplay is popular with mainstream listeners.
Song #5 – The Arcade Fire – No Cars Go – 2007
While this song isn’t from Suburbs, The Arcade Fire’s Grammy-winning 2010 album, it is
indicative of their music and its quality. About as indie rock as indie rock can ever hope to be, the song has many of the staples of the genre. A repetitive heavy hook, a guitar solo for a bridge, and random instruments in the background (an accordion is prominent) are all present, and while some may consider it cliché, the song doesn’t suffer for it.