These are my favorite songs in the 2nd week of 2021
Hi, I’m Matt Schroeder. I am a college student with some extra time on my hands. I listened to over 800 hours of music and 1,100 different artists last year. Several car rides over the years have ended with my passengers complimenting me on my incredible taste in music. So with the pandemic still in full swing and future carpool sing-alongs likely many months away, I decided to share my good taste with a larger audience from the comfort of my own parents’ home. I guess I’m a music blogger now.
Welcome to What Matt’s Listening To. Here are the five songs that I am enjoying the most right now.
Teach Me How To Love — Shawn Mendes
Shawn Mendes comes correct with punchy drums, romantic lyrics, and a solid chorus. His new album Wonder is full of songs of this caliber. And please don’t talk to me during the guitar licks at the 2:16 mark.
Nights On Broadway — Bee Gees
At approximately 13 years old, my first impression of this song was Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake singing it to the tune of the Barry Gibbs Talk Show theme song in their classic recurring SNL sketch. A few years later, it dawned on me that their parody song kinda slapped, and I found the original. Despite my blind spot for music of this era, this groovy 1975 tune is sure to stay on my playlist for several more weeks.
Novacane — Frank Ocean
One of Frank Ocean’s earliest songs is from his not-for-streaming mixtape Nostalgia Ultra. That project is definitely worth a listen of you can find it on YouTube. Novacane is the 2nd full track on that mixtape, after a remix of Coldplay’s Strawberry Swing. In February, the pulsing instrumentals calmed me as I hyperventilated from getting blood drawn. It details Ocean’s addictive relationship with a dental student who pays for her tuition via acting in the adult film industry. Weird concept; great execution.
Valerie - ’68 Version — Amy Winehouse
The uptempo cover of a Zutons song of the same name finds the late singer crooning about a love interest who refuses to reciprocate.
305 — Shawn Mendes
This fast, well-written pop song is a great example of making vulnerability sound like a celebration. Mendes admits that every night he worries that his lover will change his mind about loving him. Like I said earlier, this album is full of high-quality romantic bangers, and this is arguably the best example.
Thanks for reading What Matt’s Listening To: Music recommendations from a regular guy with impeccable taste. Come back next week for five more great songs.