Staff Music Picks: April 2018
None of the ArtsQuest staff would work here if they didn’t live for music and the arts. To share our passion, our programming and social media teams put together a list of new-ish songs they’ve got on repeat this month. We hope you’ll enjoy our eclectic mix of musical tastes and discover some great new tunes!
Ben “The Resident Metalhead” Youngerman
Marketing Manager
“Lightning Strike” – Judas Priest
Judas Priest still rips. Metal God Rob Halford & company’s newest album Firepower merges the vintage Priest sound with 2018 metal sensibilities. It’s another awesome addition to the band’s legendary catalog, even as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame continues to snub them from induction. I can’t wait to blast “Lightning Stike” (and the entire album) in the car with the windows down this Spring! \m/ (*>*) \m/
Patrick “P. Diddy” Brogan
Chief Programming Officer
“Something To Believe In” – The New Respects
This indie blues rock group is all in the family. Literally. Lead singer Jasmine Mullen alongside her twin sisters, brother, and cousins make up this lifelong Nashville family band who plays a mix of ’70s funk and rock meets Alabama Shakes soul and blues. With “Something To Believe In” the group encourages you to have hope in dark times, possibly shaped by their Christian-music-only upbringing. But fear not, the sounds of rock and soul have found their way into all of this groups music and it’s truly wonderful.
Dani “I Stil Listen to Radio” Nightlinger
Marketing Intern
“Celebrate” – Dirty Heads
This song is about the sacrifices artists make to be on tour and follow their passion for music. Instead of seeing their families every night in a warm bed they are sleeping on a small tour bus standing in front of a bunch of strangers they call fans. Kyle Morris from The Unlikely Candidates originally recorded, but the Dirty Heads asked to put their sound into it and it got my attention a lot more on the radio than the first time around!
Matt “Hip-Hop & R&B Boy” Gotzon
Partnership Activation Specialist
“Effortless” – Wale
In the past month Wale dropped his It’s Complicated EP. This is the first project we’ve gotten from the MMG rapper since his departure from Atlantic Records. My favorite track is “Effortless” by the self-proclaimed and fan backed poetic genius. On Instagram he let the world know that this EP was “a story about ‘a’ love life.” Maybe this isn’t technically a personal story, but a beautiful one to listen to none the less. I consider Wale to be one of the most underrated rap veterans in the game. So, if you haven’t heard his stuff before please take the time to check it out. His Ambition album is my favorite to date. Either way you should get “Effortless” into your rotation, if you haven’t already!
Alicia “Better in Boots” Rohrbach
Senior Marketing & Sponsorship Coordinator
“Take It From Me” – Jordan Davis
Jordan Davis released his debut album Home State on March 23rd and I’m pretty sure I’ve already worn it out (figuratively speaking – my copy is digital). He released the catchy, impossible not to sing along to “Singles You Up” last year – which I also loved. I am a fan of many tracks on this album (“Tough to Tie Down”, “Selfish”, “Made That Way” and the list goes on) but “Take it From Me” is my favorite track. It’s fun, catchy, and upbeat – the type of song that has me in the mood for the weather to change so I can listen to it with the windows rolled down. Check out the whole album – he’s definitely my new favorite country artist.
Kimberly “The Wild Card” Koehler
Partnership Activation Specialist
“Say Amen (Saturday Night)” – Panic! At the Disco
Panic! At the Disco is one of the bands that will forever hold a special place in my heart. I have been listening them for over 12 years and they never cease to amazing me with their talent in each album release. While Pray For the Wicked has not been released, Panic! At the Disco’s lead single “Say Amen (Saturday Night)” is fantastic. Brendon Urie is an amazing vocalist and this song showcase his talents once again. “Say Amen (Saturday Night)” has a great foot tapping beat and I’ve found myself humming the song around the office since the single dropped. Needless to say, I can’t wait until June when the rest of the album is released.
Emily “The Funk Junkie” Cummins
Public Relations Coordinator
“Journal of Adency” – Class Actress
I just watched the premier of HBO’s new dark comedy Barry, which stars Bill Hader as a hitman turned novice actor, and in addition to it being wildly funny and weird, I absolutely fell in love with the song Sarah Goldberg’s Sally dances to. I played it a few times on repeat before deciding it was the perfect song to pick for April. That is until I found out that Class Actress released its debut album Journal of Ardency in 2009! So it’s not new, but new to me. I can’t get over the chilling mix of the synth heavy beat and breathy vocals by Elizabeth Vanessa Harper. In 2009 I was almost solely listening to Metric and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs so I’m fairly surprised I missed out on Class Actress, but so happy to have found the trio now.
Cory “Don’t Put Me In A Genre Box” Stelzman
Performing Arts Coordinator
“Bad Bad News” – Leon Bridges
Leon Bridges tends to blow everything else out of the water. His old school sound and killer vocals are what initially drew me to love him with his debut album Coming Home. “Bad Bad News” maintains an old school sound, but instead of the bluesy melodies that you hear in Coming Home this song plays as a jazzy dance number. I’ll say it. You can hold me too it. Leon Bridges can do no wrong. New album out May 4.
Helen “New Wave” Smith
Talent Buyer
“Connected By Love” – Jack White
“Connected by Love” was the first song off of Jack White’s new album that he wrote in a Nashville apartment he keeps to work on new material. I love the psychedelic melody and the gospel feel of the backing vocals from Ann and Regina McCrary. It straddles the line of White’s familiar guitar riffs while delving into a kind of new territory genre-wise. Jack White. What a guy.
Amber “Genre Trainwreck” Galdamez
Communications Coordinator
“Cool” – Felix Jaehn ft. Marc E. Bassy & Gucci Mane
I’ve been a follower of Marc E. Bassy since he was the lead singer of the now disbanded 2AM Club. Therefore my review of this song may be just slightly biased by that, but only slightly. This banger produced by German/Dutch DJ Felix Jaehn features some of his signature tropical-house beats accompanied by the perfectly angelic voice of Marc E. Bassy and rapper Gucci Mane. Can Euro DJs really ever go wrong?
Anne “The Alternative Solution” Sturm
Senior Talent Buyer
“Game to Lose” – I’m With Her
The smooth, nimble, vocals from all three voices of the virtuosic trio of Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, and Aoife O’Donovan provides a perfect balance with the violin in this song. The song is both delicate and bold and certainly displays the talent from all three members of I’m With Her.
Jason “Anything But Country” Merola
Manager of Experiential Programming
“Card Shark” – Mo Lowda & the Humble
Mo Lowda & the Humble from Philadelphia, and more importantly, Pennsbury High School, are back with their second album Creatures bringing the same great sounds that they displayed from their debut album Curse the Weather. Lead singer Jordan Caoila rocks the mic with his signature raspy vocals that gives the band the unique sound that makes every song a hit.
