Culture
Quarantine Playlists: Emersynn McGuire
< < Back toAlthough gathering for live music will be impossible for a little while, WOUB Culture is trying to keep the groove alive by asking members of the regional music scene about the music they have been relying on to get through these strange times.
Emersynn McGuire is a 21-year-old local musician active in progressive grunge band, The Infinite Improbability Drive and in hip-hop/rock group Electric Guitar. Starting at the age of seven, she has studied under pianist Katherine Fisher, percussionists Turner Matthews and Seth Alexander. She is currently studying guitar with local jazz guitarist John Horne and has since she was nine years old.
1. “Time” – Pink Floyd
The first time I ever really listened to Pink Floyd, I believe I was 12 years old, studying the iconic guitar solo written by David Gilmour in this song. I took note of his bends, his tone, and applied them to my own playing. I hadn’t listened to this song in literally eight years until fairly recently and was reminded of how good it was. Dark Side of the Moon will always be a timeless classic in my eyes, but “Time” takes one into a spacious journey through — you guessed it — “Time” itself. The concept of “Time” has been funny recently, hasn’t it? I don’t even know what day it is.
2. Waltz #2 (XO) – Elliott Smith
Listening to Elliott Smith has been odd for me through the years — I typically listen to him when I’m emotionally going through it, but as of late, his music has been getting me through this period of self-isolation and quarantine. “Waltz #2 (XO)” is my favorite Smith tune. Rarely do we see the waltz (or the shuffle) used in modern music, so this tune holds a special place in my heart for that. It also makes you want to dance and cry all at the same time.
3. “Don’t Go Outside” – Poppy
Poppy went through a resurgence recently, going from an alt-pop singer to fronting a heavier, more hard-rock band. I was never a huge fan of her, but this album changed my mind! This is my favorite song from I Disagree, and it seems very fitting for the times we are currently going through. Her harmonies in this song are impeccable, her band gives a flawless performance, and there’s a pretty rad guitar solo to top it all off. Definitely check this out if you haven’t!
4. “M1 A1” – Gorillaz
Gorillaz self-titled album oftentimes goes unnoticed, and that, in my opinion, is unfortunate. This album is incredible — my personal favorite Gorillaz album to date. My favorite track, “M1 A1,” samples an opening line from Day of the Dead, building up to a classic explosion of messy drums, loud guitar, and Damon Albarn’s iconic accent yelling “M1 A1 / Thousand miles an hour”. This song is one of my favorite songs of all time, and has been since I was in high school.
5. “Exit Music (For a Film)” – Radiohead
OK Computer should be on this list in its entirety, but this song has been stuck in my head lately. The dystopian feel of the second verse, and the vocal performance Thom Yorke gives in the climax of the song makes the music part of my mind incredibly content. This song is bound to give you chills, and if it doesn’t, give it a listen through your headphones at three in the morning and I promise you, it’ll resonate. “We hope that you choke/that you choke.” Man, what a line.
6. “Complicated Game” – XTC
This song is incredible. The song starts at pianissimo, and by the end, it’s an explosion of intense reverb, heavy bass, and lots of guttural vocals. I really enjoy the use of reverb in this song, and how the timing, the strategic rhythm of the reverb adds to the song, and makes it what it is. This song is one of the most unique songs I’ve ever heard, and I think anyone who likes music in any capacity would be impressed with it.
7. “Some Things Last a Long Time” – Daniel Johnston
a. My love for Daniel Johnston stems from my teen years, after reading Kurt Cobain’s comments on him and his art. When he passed away this past year, I was devastated. This song was the one I listened to on repeat, in sorrow, over losing one of my inspirations. His simplicity, the way he presented himself in his drawings, and the way he allowed himself to mess up even in his recordings, is truly inspiring. This song is a great introduction to Johnston’s work, so I strongly recommend it.
8. “French Class” – HalfNoise
“French Class” is a funky tune that came up in my Spotify recommended in my freshman year of college. As a french speaker, this song immediately interested me, and I’m so glad I gave it a chance! A funky-pop tune, this song begins with a french count-off over a banjo riff, and goes into an energetic direction as the song progresses. I’m not familiar with the rest of HalfNoise’s work, but this song is one of those songs you stumble upon and just end up loving.
9. “The Spirit of Radio” – Rush
Losing another one of my inspirations, Neil Peart, back in January was probably the worst for me out of any of my idols passing. When he died, I put on one of my favorite albums of all time, Permanent Waves, and listened to it in full several times that evening and over the course of the coming weeks. “The Spirit of Radio” is an eclectic song, one that someone has to sing and dance to. This tune is one of my favorites of all time, and most people know it, but I wanted to put this on this list for one of my heroes, Peart, and for all of my fellow Rush lovers out there. In these scary times, please remember that songs like this exist. Tunes that can make people dance and scream the lyrics at the top of their lungs, escaping reality for a few minutes. That always helps me retain a positive outlook on the current state of the world.
10. Keep Yourself Alive – Queen
“Keep Yourself Alive” is the first song on Queen’s self-titled album, and the first song Brian May ever wrote for Freddie Mercury to sing. The entirety of Queen is underrated in my opinion, with equally great tracks such as “Son & Daughter,” “Seven Seas of Rhye,” and “Modern Times Rock ‘n’ Roll.” I can’t pick a part in this song that is my favorite because the entire track is incredible, and this is one of my favorite Queen tunes of all time.