Haito's music recommendations 02/23

Welcome back to my blog! This is the segment where I tell you about my month in form of music I have been listening to on repeat.

How have you been? How has February treated you?

This month was kind of chaotic in many ways, which is reflected in this month's playlist. Lots of punk, some acoustic things, Ricky Montgomery, and anime soundtracks. So grab a drink or maybe even a snack, get something to do, and give some of these songs a listen. Maybe you'll find something you like!

Here is the link to my Spotify playlist!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/00Rtcl5URe7EenULPoCcsW?si=01ef9c47dbda4837

This month's cover - The days are getting longer and the sun rises earlier in the morning.

01. So Alright, Cool, Whatever - The Happy Fits (2018)

This awesome song by the band The Happy Fits is kicking off this month's playlist. The first time I heard it was in my Discover Weekly playlist on Spotify, and they really nailed this one. It is upbeat with a good rhythm, has a nice bass line (which I always appreciate), and the lyrics are so much fun!

The part which particularly caught my interest was the little bridge between the verses and refrain. I think the technical term for this style of only vocals with a beat is "anti-dop", but I'm not sure if this applies here as well. But even if I don't know the exact musical term for it, it tickles my synapses and makes me sing along, and isn't that all that music is about?

For: People who want to be happy :D

02. Stockholm Syndrome - Muse (2004)

Following strongly is this absolute masterpiece by the band Muse. I recently re-discovered them after talking with a fellow student about their other songs "Hysteria" and "Reapers" - which are also absolutely worth checking out - and fell into a haze of listening to Muse for three days straight. The result was not only fresh finds but also a new appreciation for their music in general.

The guitars and vocals are pretty lit by themselves, and especially the chorus convinces with an interesting melody, but the drums absolutely take the cake. If I were a drummer I would practice the heck out of this song.

There is another song by Muse coming this month, so hang around if you already liked this one.

For: People who like the rockier songs of Muse and are really into Bombtrack by Rage Against the Machine.

03. Sing - My Chemical Romance (2010)

On the note of 2000s punk rock bands, of course, I had to include My Chemical Romance.

MCR and I go back a really long time. They are what mainly triggered my rebellious phase in puberty and made me more independent, and in this way, they shaped a big part of who I am today. When they had their reunion concert in December 2019 I stayed up all night and cried happy tears while watching the stream, and to date, they are the one band I always come back to even though my taste in music is always changing.

Since I have been following them for quite some time now and they have kept me company through different stages of my life, I often re-discover certain songs of theirs that I maybe couldn't quite appreciate before. This month, that song was definitely "Sing". Not only does Sing have really cool lyrics, which, as you should know by now, is a big factor for me, but the build-up in the first verse which explodes in a banger of a refrain is all I could ever want from a song. And the bridge! It is the perfect balance of catchy and innovative, and all in all just a fun song.

Fun fact: The beat kind of fits my jogging pace.

For: People who like the newer stuff of MCR, or if you want a pop-punk anthem without the punk part.

04. Bye-bye Darling - Børns (2018)

I don't know what it is about this song exactly, but since I heard it in my Discover Weekly this month it hasn't let me go. I can't quite put my finger on what I like exactly, but I think it is a mixture of creative songwriting, the use of instruments to create this nearly church-like, sci-fi atmosphere, and the calmness of the whole piece. The refrain alone is worth sitting through the whole song. Not that the verses are bad, quite the contrary! But the refrain definitely adds that special something - and is so much fun to sing along to.

Also, the bass in this one is awesome. Maybe I'll put together a bass guitar playlist one day since I keep adding songs purely for their bass lines.

For: People who like songs that tell a story, or people who like songs that play around with "unconventional" instruments and vocal variation.

05. My Smile Is Extinct - Kane Strang (2017)

Ignore the title please, I am okay and pretty happy right now. But once again I really like this song for the fun beat. It is an easy listen, and after two punk rock songs and one about how the paperback and the telephone are going extinct, I feel like we need that.

For: People who want something to bob their head to while on the bus.

06. EVERBLUE - Omoinotake (2021)

We all know it: Phases when we don't want to watch anime (right?). After one year of not attempting to watch any new shows and only binging Jujutsu Kaisen, my all-time favorite, I finally got around to giving a few new ones a shot. One of those new anime was "Blue Period", a Netflix Original which follows the story of Yatora Yaguchi, a high schooler who discovers his passion for making art and attempts to get into the Tokyo University of the Arts. Since I really like drawing and art, this anime immediately spoke to me in terms of the storyline. Later I stayed for the interesting characters, the beautiful art style, and, of course, the soundtrack.

"Everblue" is the opening theme song. It is written by Omoinotake and thus has an interesting use of rhythm and instruments, paired with Reo Fuji's energetic vocals. Of course, the lyrics are art-themed, which brings this song to another level.

For: People who like Omoinotake, since it really fits their style. Also for people who want a new catchy tune stuck in their heads.

07. Mr Loverman - Ricky Montgomery (2016)

Ricky made a very sneaky appearance in my life. I didn't know who he was for the longest time, and suddenly I'm having several of his songs in my playlists. Oftentimes I don't really understand what he wants to tell me lyric-wise, but I just love the weird and cheery atmosphere his songs create.

For: People who are a fan of Cavetown or theatrical music.

08. マシ・マシ - NICO Touches the Walls (2016)

Even though I said earlier that Jujutsu Kaisen is my favorite anime, Haikyuu is probably the one I have watched the most and it is tied for second place with Hunter x Hunter in my ranking. The reason for that is that I re-watched it several times with friends and family, and also because I oftentimes start watching the second season because I like that one the most and then get stuck in the Haikyuu fever again. And I have known it longer than Jujutsu.

That being said, the ending theme of the third season really stuck with me, and for the longest time, it wasn't available on Spotify, only on YouTube. I used to rewatch the ending of the episodes several times because I really liked the song! But recently I stumbled upon it on Spotify, and after immediately adding it to my liked songs I listened to it on repeat for the next few weeks. And now it is included in this playlist!

For: People who like Haikyuu. And bands like Burnout Syndrome, Cydergirl, Fujifabric, or Bump Of Chicken.

09. Neutron Star Collision (Love Is Forever) - Muse (2010)

The epic pre-ending, once again by Muse.

For: People who like Muse, but aren't up to listening to rock. It is also a pretty safe gateway to getting into Muse.

10. Only Ones Who Know - Arctic Monkeys (2007)

This takes the chaos in my head, defenestrates it, and leaves behind calmness.

For: People who need calmness.

Thank you for always supporting me and hopefully I'll see you soon (with maybe more than just music posts...?).