The music we listen to in order to freshen up our music libraries and make us feel warm during these first months of the year are vital, whether it’s some soothing classical for all the relaxed seniors who have finished their college applications, or some lustful tunes to remind you it’s that time of year, and spring is on the horizon. In this issue, I’ll be reviewing several scattered love songs and unique, dignified artists, not focusing too heavily on any particular album––there’s too much music being created as a result of this wonderfully exciting and sometimes tragic experience. I’ll be shedding some light on a few tunes from Yo La Tengo, Sonic Youth, Heart, and Nico from the Velvet Underground.

A few weekends ago I had the unexpected pleasure of seeing Yo La Tengo live at the Rickshaw Stop in Hayes Valley, San Francisco. A friend and I went out for dinner and were returning to her apartment when we noticed a sign that read “Yo La Tengo” as a featured artist, with tickets priced at only $20 at the door. When we got in, they only had a few songs left of their set, but it was all worthwhile when they ended with a song I heard for the first time that night (which is now my current favorite) called “Nowhere Near.” Lead Singer Ira Kaplan sang it slowly and steadily while playing a shiny red keyboard, accompanied by a pastel bass guitar filling the air with such warmth and humid emotion. My friend and I gazed from the back as people slow-danced to the words “Do you know this is real, how I feel around you, All I know is when you smile I believe in everything,” sang by Ira, looking up to the ceiling and shifting between the same two keys with effortless consistency, as if in her own trance. We felt as if we had walked into a mysterious love song that was not only being played, but lived and felt by everyone around us. ‘Twas a night to remember, and we felt lucky to find ourselves in such a setting.

Kim Gordon from Sonic Youth is one of the most influential women in the post-punk alternative rock scene, and music in general. Few can be compared to Sonic Youth, for they were part of one of the first waves of “noise rock”, and their music expresses more of the DIY ethic of their genre rather than a particular sound. I’m obsessed with their version of a love song, with Kim Gordon repeating a phrase over and over until it allows you to feel what she may, becoming more enthralled with each lyric. They are an acquired taste, but their music is undeniably unique, with some songs having as little as 3 lyrics and yet are still capable of taking you on a profound journey, with raspy, liberating vocals and ethereal instrumentals. My favorite line repeated is “You keep me coming home again,” from the song “Reena.”

There are continuous heartfelt, fiery emotions expressed in each song by the American rock-and-roll girl band duo that is Heart. During the 1970s, they made the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine with a scandalous air about them. They are a perfect example of two sisters doing what they do best––getting all the glory and recognition that is deserved of such badassery, starting a conversation and creating rock anthems of love that everyone could listen and relate to with such passion. Their songs aren’t so much sweet and innocent as they are alluring, mesmeric, and sometimes salacious, my favorites being “Crazy On You” and “Magic Man.”

Nico makes the list of my top 10 favorite eerie musicians; her low voice contains such monotone rasp and sincerity. Her German accent and rich, low tone only adds to the maturity and uniqueness of her sound. She and Lou Reed in the Velvet Underground create a natural, effortless quality in their music. My favorite songs of theirs happen to sound the dreariest, but still pleasurable for the ears. For example, the song “Little Sister” by Nico expresses a sort of longing, but promises a bright future. She describes to her sister that she shouldn’t worry or tell anyone, “don’t call me home, little sister…my love and I are fleeing, running into the sun.” It is sweet and sad, all the while enjoyable and stirs the best feelings inside of us pertaining to bright futures and finding comfort in people, not just places.

There’s something about female vocalists expressing their truth through their music and style that draws me the most. While I may be biased, I believe there’s a reason certain songs stick with us the most and have proved to be continuously relatable throughout the generations. Whether it’s a sweetly enchanting love song, an endearing and melancholic tune about heartbreak, or maybe a rebelliously uplifting track from those who refuse to be stripped of their pride, everyone’s felt it, and everyone’s sung about it. There’s no shame in enjoying the music that calls us based on our good or bad moods, for the sole purpose of music is to make you feel something.