It’s been awhile. February was the roughest month I’ve had in a long, long time. But, it isn’t February anymore, and March is my birthday month, so, it’s just got to be better.
If I say it enough, over and over, it has to be true. Right?
I’m obsessing over music again. Writing again. Feeling more like myself again. All good March things. All good things.
Ready for the 5 I’m obsessing over today?
Give Me Five – March, 8, 2021
Listen (and follow along for March’s GM5) on Spotify and YouTube
Song 1: “Can You Do It For Me?” by Jai’Len Josey
“Hey, let’cha love come down, baby
Can you do it for me?”
My daughter Veronica sent me this EP yesterday, and I dove in and kept spinning it, again and again. My girls have the best taste in music.
This track – track 3 – “Can You Do It For Me?” – is my first listen favorite, and my current #1 obsession.
Jai’Len got her start on Broadway playing Pearl Krabs in the “Spongebob Squarepants Musical”. She was also pre-Covid recently in the musical “The Secret Life of Bees”.
You can learn more about Jai’Len’s music, and help support her work, dance on over here.
Cool live version, too (oh my stars, I miss live music/concerts).
Song 2: “Sugar Honey Iced Tea (S.H.I.T.)” by Princess Nokia
“How you want what I have?
You ain’t workin’ yourself.
That toxic energy shit,
ain’t really good for your health.
I think you need better goals.”
Princess Nokia (Destiny Nicole Frasquer) is another discovery via Veronica. This has been a recent repeated car-play and it is a definite ear worm. This song gets embedded in my consciousness and I find that I’m singing it to myself all day after hearing it. It started as a slow earworm crawl, and then, over the last week, it started to evolve into a song-obsession.
I like playing this one loud and dancing around in my kitchen to it.
Princess Nokia’s music is often described as fusion, hybrid, and experimental. She mixes up rap, soul, rock, and house. I love fusion with music so much – especially with soul/R&B/hip-hop.
To hear more of Princess Nokia, and to help support her music, click-click-click here.
LOVE this version:
Song 3: “Eugene” by Arlo Parks
“Hey,
I know I’ve been a little bit off and that’s my mistake.
I kind of fell half in love and you’re to blame.
I guess I just forgot that we’ve been mates since day.
Yeah, I don’t know what to say.”
Arlo Parks is easily my favorite artist of the year (so far), and Collapsed In Sunbeams is my favorite album of the year (so far). I feel HARD for this song after the first time I heard it. It is the perfect unrequited love/falling for a friend song I’ve ever heard.
Arlo Parks (Anaïs Oluwatoyin Estelle Marinho – wow, I love that her first name is Anaïs) is a singer-songwriter and poet from the UK. I love that she is also a poet. I can hear it in her songs. Lyrical poetry. Beautiful.
Have you listened to Arlo Parks yet? I highly recommend.
To hear more, and to support Arlo’s music, go now go here.
Another live version (can you tell how much I’m missing live music?)
Song 4: “Wes Anderson” – Alex Lahey
“We went to the movies,
because I know you like Wes Anderson.
You held my hand the whole time,
and, no joke,
you have the softest skin.”
I happened on this song accidentally. I clicked on it to listen because the title “Wes Anderson” caught my eye. I love the sweetness of this song, the pop-sensibilities, and the new love rush of it all.
I love the lyric, “You’re the best night’s sleep I’ve ever had.”
There’s nothing quite like being able to sleep next to a lover – and sleep well.
Alex Lahey is a new discovery for me. An Australian alt-rock singer-songwriter that I need to hear much more of.
If you want to learn (and hear) more Alex Lahey, and if you want to help support her music, head over here.
Some acoustic “Wes Anderson” yumminess:
Song 5: “Look At Me Now” – Emily King
“Did you see me driving with the windows down?
You said I’d never do it,
well, I figured it out.
Oh, look at me now.”
Another happy accident music discovery. I don’t even remember what led me to it, but I’m glad I wound up at this song. I love the spirit of it, the survivor-ness, the starting over and succeeding (and then some) song-sensibility. It is an indie-pop anthem….something I really need right now.
Emily King is a singer-songwriter, indie R&B artist from New York. Her 2007 album (East Side Story) was nominated for a Grammy. She was nominated again in 2019. I’ve never heard of her until today.
I love discovering new music and I can’t wait to dig into more of her songs.
To learn more/hear more of Emily King, and to help support her music, wander on over here.
And to end today’s Give Me Five…one more live version.
So, what did you think of these 5 songs? Any favorites?
What have you been listening to today?
