Katie Kerman – Sports Editor
Jason Isbell, a contemporary folk-country-rock singer, often accompanied by his band The 400 Unit, represents a category of music much overlooked or preemptively judged. Isbell finds himself in a category with Chris Stapleton, The Avett Brothers, and even Orville Peck, and Isbell has earned all this attention and more. Even as you are reading this, you might think to yourself, “I hate country music.” I hope it helps to know that I once felt the same. I used to be hesitant about folk and country music, and I even found myself prejudiced against Isbell when first introduced to his dry, sweet voice. However, Isbell will show you time and again that his storytelling abilities are unmatched. My favorite song of his, “Strawberry Woman,” begins, “There’s a warm wind blowing through the laundromat. A young man is crying in a cowboy hat.” The song continues, “And we walked through weather, and we walked through time. Strawberry woman with her hand in mine.” The background harmonica, lowly humming, places you inside the warm laundromat, searching for your Strawberry Woman. There is a palpable calm, even serenity, to all of Isbell’s music; his songs often evoke physical or auditory experiences of beauty that are frequently meditative. His voice is akin to a well broken-in baseball glove, and his discography sends you down nostalgia-drenched black holes as you doze in and out of sleep, staring aimlessly out at the horizon as his music plays. Whether you listen to Isbell and The 400 Unit or other folk/country, I urge you to add more of this raw, emotional music to your rotation; maybe you will also achieve this meditative Isbell-induced coma.
Aimee Lee – Sports Editor
If there’s only one song I could listen to all day, it would be “Take it Easy” by the Eagles, a worldwide best-selling rock band known for their unhurried, sun-warmed songs that capture the beauty of slow living. Produced in 1972, “Take It Easy” strings together a country-rock rhythm played by drummer Don Henley with vibrant harmonies by Henley and Glenn Frey. “Don’t let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy,” they sing. It is simple advice to which to adhere on days when we feel overwhelmed with what feels like an uncountable number of tasks. Maybe it’s the vivid narrative reflection in the lyrics or the masterful guitar duo that decorates the melody with catchy chords, but the Eagles’ debut single makes for a perfect soundtrack to complement a walk across Swarthmore’s flowering campus or a late-night beach hangout with friends. The lyrics “We may lose, or we may win / But we will never be here again,” teach listeners to value the present moment, no matter how difficult it may be. “Take It Easy” allows us to close our eyes, release from the immediacy of our stresses, and drift through the music, unhurried and unrushed. Life can bog us down and make us feel so small. The Eagles are a musical reminder to literally take it easy.
Ellen Stewart – Social Media Editor
William Forsythe’s “In The Middle, Somewhat Elevated” is widely renowned for changing the contemporary ballet scene. It’s also one of the first pieces of contemporary work I was exposed to at my ballet studio back home. Forsythe’s work originated in 1987 at the Paris Opera Ballet. His choreography breaks the lines of typical ballet body positions, allowing dancers to turn their legs in, flex their feet, and extend their limbs into nonclassical shapes. His music, composed by collaborator Thom Willems, is electronic and high-intensity, encouraging dancers to fill up the accentuating sounds with large jumps and impressive turns. Yet, in contrast to the dynamic and energetic dancing, the set consists of a plain black backdrop, and the dancers wear dark-toned leotards, focusing the audience’s attention on the movement exclusively. I first watched Sylvie Guillem perform a soloist role in the piece during a summer ballet variations class. After seeing her perform, we learned the variation and performed it for each other. I had never before been given the opportunity to move in such an experimental way, where I had to ditch some aspects of my ballet training to truly embody the work. Forsythe is a household name in the contemporary dance world for a reason: any one of his choreographic works is exciting to watch, but I particularly recommend “In the Middle”.
I love these. Keep them coming.