Muse Clues! #3 (Music Discoveries)

So yesterday night turned out to be a complete waste of my time and energy. Peep the following Tweet below for reference:

Yeah, remind me to stay away from any more church-based competitions. Ironically, I should’ve just followed my own advice and said no. However, I did receive a Twix chocolate bar and pack of M&M’s for my troubles, so wasn’t a total waste.

Moving right along, it is the first Friday (now Saturday) of March – and that means Spring has arrived! And from now on, every first Friday is officially going to be a Muse Clues post, here on FiveOnFridays!

And for those of you who may not be familiar with how ‘Muse Clues!’works, here’s a brief overview.

Yeah, that’s pretty much the gist. I’ll give a brief backstory of how I discovered said songs, and as always give my depiction of each one. Once again, there will be no honorable mentions this go-round as I haven’t really found that many songs that captured my attention since the start of 2019.

Nonetheless, I’m really going to use this month as a means of diversifying my musical palette and delving into some artists and projects I’ve been meaning to for centuries now. But enough flap; let’s proceed to the list!

#5. The 1975 – You (2013)

This is one of those songs I’ve heard here and there, but never actually got a chance to personally experience it for myself. I’ve been prodded time and time again to explore The 1975’s discography by my best friend Mia and from this one track alone, I can understand why.

‘You’ narrates the timeline of a toxic, one-year relationship lead singer Matty found himself in. It chronicles both parties going out of their way to annoy one another, further depleting any remnants of enjoyability left in the impendingly-doomed courtship.

Lines like “You must try harder/ Than kissing all of my friends, you” as well as “And it’s so ironic/ How it’s only been a year/ And it’s not my fault/ That I fucked everybody here” further illustrate the toxicity and spitefulness of the couple’s togetherness.

Vibrant guitar, bass, and drums work seamlessly together to create an ethereal aura. It’s moody, poignant, yet not that complex when you wrap your head around it. It’s one of those songs you listen to after you’ve seen yourself out of an unhealthy situation. You reflect on what was, but move forward knowing that it indeed “… takes a bit more than you”. It takes more than what that other person has done to break you.

#4. Zedd, Katy Perry – 365 (2019)

A few days ago I was venturing through hyperspace (AKA YouTube) and was stopped suddenly in my orbital tracks. Katy Perry has a new song out? “KATHERINE PERRY with Zedd?”, I recall questioning loudly. Clicking on the song, I expected some sort of watered-down EDM production, but luckily this wasn’t fully the case.

This very misty, trance-inducing production takes hold of you and gets you vibing instantly. A twinge of tropical influences sounds unassumingly until the whole thing crescendos on the very bursty and simplistic chorus.

“I want you to be the one that’s on my mind/ On my mind, on my mind/ I want you to be there on a Monday night/ Tuesday night, every night”, Perry admits openly. The lyrics speak to vulnerability, feeling needy, and the anxiety that comes along with these feelings. They’re about hoping to the stars above that the person you’re interested in feels the same way about you, and sometimes it can fry some circuits in the process.

Nifty voice alterations and electronic whistling effects are smoothly integrated in the latter portion of the song, furthering conveying its robotic undertones. And the music video is rather entertaining too! Katy Perry never disappoints in that department. Hence, I’m actually interested to see what she does next.

#3. Wallows – Scrawny (2019)

In wait of their 2019 upcoming album ‘Nothing Happens’, I came across its second release ‘Scrawny’ on YouTube. Mind you, the album’s lead single ‘Are You Bored Yet?’ was okay, but didn’t grab me as much as this track. I didn’t feel myself immediately captured or wanting to spam the replay button as much.

Funny thing is, this song’s sole purpose was to be as lighthearted and humorous as possible, especially considering that the upcoming album was confirmed by the band to be rather tense and introspective. That being so, they devised this song in a few days and it continues to live out its purpose.

The track renders stellar instrumentation and this constantly dipping bass line that just makes you want to groove. It’s pulsing, upbeat, and slightly raunchy with a pretty hilarious hook that I’ve found myself singing a lot lately. “Scrawny motherfucker with a cool hairstyle/ Scrawny motherfucker with a cool hairstyle”, it’d blare self-identifyingly.

Albeit comical, the song does hint themes of self-confidence, self-acceptance, and pretty much owning who you are. It’s memorable and makes me that more excited to listen to their new album.

#2. J Cole – Middle Child (2019)

From start to finish this track manages to just flow. It’s steady, it’s charismatic, and it’s intentional. J Cole’s delivery here is hinged on purpose. The song comes across as something he had incubating in his mind for quite some time now. And finally, he’s allowing these thoughts to transcend the walls of his psyche into the atmosphere.

And honestly, this is probably one of the only Rap songs for the year so far that has managed to catch my attention. Now, I’m not at all familiar with J Cole’s discography, but I know he’s normally regarded as one of the few conscious rappers out there.

“I’m countin’ my bullets, I’m loadin’ my clips/ I’m writin’ down names, I’m makin’ a list”, Cole spits with assurance, letting everyone know that he’s about to lyrically assassinate the competition. And that he does! Throughout the song he pays homage to those that have come before him and acknowledges and accepts those who have just entered the Hip-Hop arena. Going so far as to give advice to the newbees.

Cole also comments on the current landscape of Hip-Hop and uses this song as a means to once again distinguish himself from everyone else. And although I’m not too crazy about the zany, auto-toned chorus, I can live with it because the song speaks profound truths and urges you to be inquisitive and understand more with each listen.

#1. Abra – Feel (2015)

My final entry was suggested to me by one of my best friends, Mia. I guess she felt that the song’s lyrics would resonate with me and help me through a recently trying time in my life. And she was right! There’s just something very high-vibrational and cleansing about it. Purghaps the relatability of it all.

The production here is ambient, slightly distorted at times, but really complements Abra’s savory and sincere vocals. Additionally, it allows the lyrics to have their much-deserved time in the limelight; they speak to you in a simplistically wholesome manner.

“I do not know my way/ But I’ll go bursting through the flames/ Till I get it/ Be damned to be so bold/ I did not see the light/ But I got a taste of what it might be like”, Abra muses with purpose on the first verse. And immediately, I found myself moved by her words of persistence and puissance. I related to the need for wanting and pursuing better for your life, even if you’re not exactly sure how it’s going to happen. You just know you’ve got to keep trying.

Drum beats reverberate amidst a pounding silence giving the song an other-worldly feel. There’s this very mellow snare that pushes the track along nicely. It’s music for the soul. After all, don’t we all want “.. a beat and a hum/ That can make [us] feel/ Human”?

Did you enjoy the list? Which song(s) did you enjoy the most? Let me know in the comment section below.

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Thank you so much for reading and I’ll see you next time on Introverted-Insight!

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