The Scout staff has created a list of its favorite songs to listen to heading into the month of March, along with explanations.
Anaiah Davis:
“Lifetime” by Dylan Sinclair
This heartfelt ballad from Sinclair’s 2022 EP “No Longer in the Suburbs” encompasses his desire to maintain a life-long connection with his lover, but fears his impending fame will cause a rift in the relationship. The slow, comforting acoustic guitar coupled with Sinclair’s smooth falsetto is music to my ears.
“Floods” by Lucky Daye
The R&B singer explores heartbreak-induced anguish on this track from his 2020 album “Painted.” The floods represent not only seemingly endless tears, but also his evidently heavy drinking that follows the relationship’s end. Lucky Daye’s soulful vocals float on violin, piano and a casual, steady beat before ending with voice distortion and a drum-heavy instrumental.
Madalyn Mirallegro:
“love is embarrassing” by Olivia Rodrigo
In preparation for my Olivia Rodrigo concert, I have been listening to her most recent album “GUTS” non-stop. While I love the entire album, this song is a stand out. The way Rodrigo perfectly encapsulates the emotion of going through an embarrassing breakup by screaming the ending lyrics is exhilarating to sing along to.
“Femininomenon” by Chappell Roan
Until recently, I have only heard Chappell Roan songs in passing on TikTok. But, after finding out she will be opening for Olivia Rodrigo, I have been binge listening to all of her songs. “Femininomenon” is a hilarious but powerful song about a woman demanding that she deserves love through a “Femininomenon.” Roan mixes a beautifully sung ballad with an upbeat chorus to make this song perfect to blast while getting ready.
Rome Tews:
“Bite Me” by ENHYPHEN
“Bite Me” is from ENHYPHEN’s 2023 album “DARK BLOOD,” but there is something nostalgic that draws me to this track. This is entirely unfounded and frankly incorrect, but this song reminds me so much of 2010s band Big Time Rush. It’s something about the way the lead vocals combine with the background vocals that makes me think of the boyband era of the past.
“SHYNESS BOY” by Anri
My partner introduced this song to me last year and it has been on repeat since. Anri uses a great mix of electric and acoustic instruments but still manages to create a fun and comprehensive soundscape which stands out from the American genres of the 80s.
Rodrigo Trujillo:
“Simple Man” by Deftones
Famous for their powerful grunge performances, it only makes sense that Deftones brings a captivating performance in their rendition of “Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd. While Skynyrd offers rawer vocals, Deftones provides listeners with sorrow-filled punk vocals that wrap you in a blanket of existential defeat. A Deftones classic.
“Binz” by Solange
Solange’s 2019 album “When I Get Home” is packed with angelic vocals and experimental R&B sounds. “Binz” is a quintessential example of Solange’s growth as an artist. The album operates as a sonic appreciation of her hometown Houston, Texas. Through a fusion of jazz and Houston’s “chopped and screwed” sound, Solange creates a gorgeous and unique sound with “Binz.”
Mason Klemm:
“pretty isn’t pretty” by Olivia Rodrigo
It’s no secret at this point, but Olivia Rodrigo’s newest album “GUTS” is filled with hits, “pretty isn’t pretty” being one of them. While I can’t really relate to the lyrics all that much, the hard-hitting guitar and drums makes this a very enjoyable song to listen to and one that I added to my liked songs right away.
“Greyhound” by Pell
The hip-hop, R&B and electronic side of Pell goes all out in this soft song about his trip on a Greyhound bus to see his partner. The cadence of the New Orleans artist makes this a catchy tune and an enjoyable sing-along about a typically monotonous task.
Rodrigo Perez:
“Private Life” by Oingo Boingo
While Danny Elfman is mostly known for his movie soundtrack work on “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and the original “Spider-man” trilogy, his early work with New Wave band Oingo Boingo is underappreciated, to say the least. Coming out of a musical theater group, the music of Oingo Boingo often mixes rock music with pop elements, adding some brass undertones. This is still one of the only bands I wish still released new songs.
“Busy Earnin’” by Jungle
A bit of a nostalgic track, “Busy Earnin’” brings me back to the days where I would spend hours playing “FIFA 15.” I would spend hours adjusting my team on career mode and this song would always make the process more enjoyable. There were so many great songs in that game, but this one has to be the one I highlight.
Latif Love:
“Bittersweet” by Gunna
Gunna, or “Wunna,” as I call him, hasn’t missed since being released from prison. “Bittersweet” is a freestyle that went so well that he released it as an actual song. The freestyle is placed over a slow, guitar-heavy beat. Gunna has many flows, but he chooses a more melodic flow for this song, which sounds like singing. The song leaves fans excited for his upcoming album.
“Cake” by Wolfacejoeyy
I vowed to stay away from songs that blow up on TikTok. They’re often overplayed and low quality, but “Cake” is too catchy to ignore. The production on this track is amazing. The beat forces you to bob your head despite your brain fighting against it. Joey flows on the song effortlessly. After this listen, I’ll listen to more of his songs and dive back into the underground scene.
Ian Cunningham:
“Cherry” by Lana Del Rey
Lana has held a special place in my heart for a long time. She perfectly bridges the gap between pop music and indie rock. As a big fan of both genres, Lana’s work never misses. “Cherry,” from Del Rey’s 2017 album “Lust for Life,” is a melodic rock track that sucks the listener in with Del Rey’s gorgeous, resonant vocals. Her song writing, alongside Tim Larcombe, takes the listener on a journey of love.
“Window” by Still Woozy
Singer-songwriter Sven Eric Gamsky, who performs under the name Still Woozy, is an indie artist hailing from the bay area. “Window” was released in his 2021 album “If This Isn’t Nice, I Don’t Know What Is.” The track is a lo-fi bop that is a must-add to anyone’s study playlist. Gamsky also samples a squeaky sound that turns out to be an unlikely hook to this upbeat study jam.
Davis Kinch:
“The Hills” by The Weeknd
This is old but gold. “The Hills” was, and still is, one of The Weeknd’s biggest hits from his 2015 album “Beauty Behind the Madness.” On this song, he sings lyrics that are darker than some of his other works. He also leans hard into opening up about his flaws as a person. Despite the dark nature of the lyrics I still find myself going back to this song due to The Weeknd’s ability to tell a story through his lyrics.
“family ties” by Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar
Oh man, I remember seeing these two live and the T-Mobile Center exploding as soon as “family ties” came on. On this track, Kendrick uses his amazing wordplay to convey that he hasn’t gone anywhere and isn’t changing anytime soon. Baby Keem, in the first half of the song, tells a story of where he came from and the challenges he faced along the way. The lyrics of the song as well as my personal memories with this song makes for an amazing listen.
Jessica Taylor:
“Alice” by PEGGY
This retelling of “Alice in Wonderland” will get you bobbing your head right away. Not only does it have a good beat, but a phenomenal storyline. The lyrics depict Alice from the classic film and tell a version of the story where she is losing her sanity. The song tells the story as if Wonderland was never real and describes Alice as “madder than a hatter.” This fast-moving, upbeat tune makes me feel a little wild, but alive.
“Slow Burn” by J. Maya
“Slow Burn” is a calmer tune, but really hits the heart hard. The lyrics discuss feeling like love is impossible without war and pain, and the shock that comes with being loved without hardship. J. Maya is an artist who tells her songs through stories. A book fan herself, the song is a reference to the slow-burn book trope. “Slow Burn” takes us through the journey of a main character discovering the beauty of freely given love.
