Tag Archives: folk rock

Arachnophonia: John Denver “Rocky Mountain High”

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student assistant Mia (class of 2026) and features John Denver’s Rocky Mountain High album on vinyl. Thanks, Mia!

John Denver

Rocky Mountain High

John Denver - Rocky Mountain High

The Rocky Mountain High album was created to reflect the immense beauty of Colorado and the vast amount of love and appreciation John Denver has for the state. After changing his last name from Deutschendorf to Denver in the early 60’s, his love and passion for the state was further emphasized through this album. The folky vibes really encompass the natural beauty of Colorado and are reminiscent of sitting around a camp fire, as the title track so eloquently points out, and the warm vibes draw people together to celebrate their love.

This album is further enhanced by listening to it on vinyl. This form of media highlights the warmth of the song and the sounds of the instruments. It also seems more conversational between artist and listener as on vinyl it isn’t as refined as through other media types. Especially within this genre, vinyl highlights the common instruments of folk music such as the acoustic guitar and natural vocals which I personally really appreciated when listening.

This album’s release in the early 1970s gained popularity due to the rising environmental awareness of the time. His album was an inspiration to many to go out and enjoy nature and the beauty of the world. He encourages his audience to see the world and its beauty as a transformative experience, rather than by merely recognizing the scenery.

Arachnophonia: Taylor Swift “The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology”

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student assistant Elina (class of 2029) and features a piano/vocal/guitar score of Taylor Swift music from her “The Tortured Poets Department” album. Thanks, Elina!

Taylor Swift

The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology

Taylor Swift - The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology

Have you ever wanted to sit down at the piano and be able to play a popular song that everyone would recognize? There’s something so main character about being able to play music on an instrument, especially if it’s from Taylor Swift.

If that sounds like your vibe, there’s an easy way to make it happen. You can turn that moment into reality by picking up The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology score at the Parsons Music Library.

This collection features all 31 tracks from the album, arranged for piano and voice, with symbols and guitar chord diagrams, with words and music written or co-written by Taylor Swift. This score is your opportunity to dive into the emotional depth of Swift’s music and play along with your favorite tracks from “Fortnight” to “The Manuscript,” to “So Long, London” to “So High School,” and all the others. Immerse yourself in the storytelling of Taylor Swift and bring her songs to life with your own unique voice and talent. It also helps you get better at piano or guitar while you play songs you love, so it’s really a two-in-one.

So if you’re ready to have your own main-character moment at the piano, you can pick up The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology at the Parsons Music Library and start your musical journey today.

Arachnophonia: The Lumineers

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student assistant Susanne (class of 2026) and features The Lumineers’ self titled album released in 2012. Thanks, Susanne!

The Lumineers – The Lumineers

The Lumineers (2012) - album cover

The Lumineers are an alternative-folk band founded by Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites in Denver, Colorado. Their first studio album, titled The Lumineers after their band name, was released in 2012 and features popular hits like “Ho Hey” and “Stubborn Love.” The band’s traditional sound, lively stage presence, and heartfelt lyrics drew in loyal fans from across genres and led to impressive feats for the group. The Lumineers were nominated for two Grammys after the release of their first album, highlighting their potential and influence in the folk (and popular) music scene.

For me, the Lumineers’ music is so special because it brings up childhood nostalgia while still holding present-day significance. I first heard their classic songs on the radio and my iPod growing up, so the lyrics and melodies became ingrained in my mind even as I explored other genres and artists. The past few years, I’ve fallen back in love with folk-inspired music, including the Lumineers’ latest releases. Each of their albums hold true to the group’s soulful and acoustic roots while exploring new themes that appeal to a wide variety of listeners. From “Flowers in Your Hair,” to “Cleopatra,” to “Donna,” to “ROLLERCOASTER,” the Lumineers consistently put out songs with catchy verses and simple chords, allowing their audience to easily sing and play along.

If you’re looking to explore folk music, The Lumineers features tons of hits and is the perfect album to start out. It’s available for checkout in the Parsons Music Library so give a listen if you’re interested!

Parsons Playlist: The boy geniuses

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Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library student manager Amy (class of 2025) featuring solo songs by members of the American indie supergroup boygenius.

The boy geniuses

boygenius - Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus & Phoebe Bridgers

Boygenius, a band comprised of three singer-songwriters (Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus), grew enormously popular over the summer, but the majority of listeners are only familiar with the solo music of Bridgers. As a regular listener of both boygenius and the three artists’ solo works, I wanted to shed some light on some of my favorite songs from each of them.

Julien Baker – “Faith Healer”

Julien Baker – “Appointments”

Julien Baker – “Favor”

Julien Baker – “Turn Out The Lights”

Julien Baker – “Relative Fiction”

Julien Baker – “Something”

Julien Baker – “Ringside”

Lucy Dacus – “Night Shift”

Lucy Dacus – “Hot & Heavy”

Lucy Dacus – “Please Stay”

Lucy Dacus – “Brando”

Lucy Dacus – “Thumbs Again”

Lucy Dacus – “VBS”

Phoebe Bridgers – “Garden Song”

Phoebe Bridgers – “Moon Song”

Phoebe Bridgers – “ICU”

Phoebe Bridgers – “Killer”

Phoebe Bridgers – “Smoke Signals”

Phoebe Bridgers – “Graceland Too”

Here is a link to the whole playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSwAwMtTLDwjQfLqRwk-OVrKObDRJ_pbA&si=5hgSJoVLWAQVpaou

And here it is on Spotify:

Arachnophonia: America “The Complete Greatest Hits Collection”

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student worker Jane (class of 2022) and features the band America’s Complete Greatest Hits Collection. Thanks, Jane!

America

The Complete Greatest Hits Collection

America - Complete Greatest Hits

If you know me, you know I listen almost exclusively to music from the 70’s and 80’s (see my posts about Steely Dan and A Chorus Line, the musical). That’s not to say that I don’t love music being produced today—I do–but my heart lies in my parents’ music. And a band my parents absolutely loved is America.

America has been making music for decades — really. They have 16 albums, not including special anniversary editions, re-releases, or any other specialty disc. They published their first album, America, in 1971, and their most recent album, Back Pages, is from 2011. That might sound like a lot of music, and it is, but we luckily have a Greatest Hits CD, which encompasses almost all of my favorite songs. “Daisy Jane” is one of the sweetest love songs I know (and it’s not just because 7 year-old me liked that my name was in the title).

America - A Horse With No Name single

By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19104741

If you’re a beginner at guitar, start with their arguably most famous song — “A Horse With No Name”. It’s literally two chords going back and forth throughout the entire song. When recently asked, I said that “Ventura Highway” is the song that best represents me. “Tin Man” (based on The Wizard of Oz), “Sister Golden Hair”, “You Can Do Magic”, and “I Need You” are some of my other favorites.

America’s music feels home-y. You can tell they’re really playing their instruments, and it’s so clear through their music that they simply love what they do. Their songs fall under the genre of folk rock, and a lot of them are about the experiences they’ve had in California, which I love listening to if I’m ever feeling homesick about being away from LA.

I actually watched America in concert a few years ago. My mom, my sister and I went together, and we couldn’t believe that after 40 years, they still sounded like their records from the 70s. If you’re looking for good, laid-back, driving with the windows down kind of music, I’d check them out.

(And just a hint: if you like this kind of music, go to the library search website, click on the “Subjects” tab, and type in “Rock music—1971-1980.” You can thank me later)

Arachnophonia : Bon Iver “Bon Iver”

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about items in the Parsons Music Library‘s collection. All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by Music Library student worker, Claire (class of 2020) and features indie folk band Bon Iver’s second album. Thanks, Claire!

Bon Iver

Bon Iver

Bon Iver - Bon Iver

Last semester, I had the chance to attend a Bon Iver concert, after being an avid fan of the band for more than six years. The concert exceeded my expectations. Since the concert, I have frequently listened to Bon Iver’s second studio album, cleverly titled Bon Iver. This album is a departure from the band’s first album, which was self-recorded in an isolated cabin in the woods of Wisconsin. Bon Iver won the Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album in 2012, and the song “Holocene” was nominated for both Song of the Year and Record of the Year, breaking into the alternative music scene in a bold and recognizable way. My favorite song on this album is, by far, “Holocene.” The name of the song is shared with geological epoch which translates to “The Age of Man.” The album also features titles of tracks with names of places, such as Hinnom, TX and Lisbon, OH, which seem to have little to do with the songs themselves. The experience of listening to this album from start to finish is difficult to describe in words, yet it brings about an intense emotional response, allowing listeners to question their own human condition in this “Holocene” we are currently living in.

Bon Iver - Holocene

Arachnophonia: Simon & Garfunkel “Bridge Over Troubled Water”

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about items in the Parsons Music Library‘s collection. All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by Music Library student worker Colin (class of 2021) and features Bridge Over Troubled Water a classic Simon & Garfunkel album first released in January 1970. Thanks, Colin!

Simon & Garfunkel

Bridge Over Troubled Water

Bridge Over Troubled Water

Bridge Over Troubled Water is Simon & Garfunkel’s fifth and final studio album and widely regarded as their best work. Bridge Over Troubled Water hit number 1 on the Billboard 200 in March 1970 and remained there for 10 weeks, sold over 8 million records in the United States, and also earned a Grammy award for Album of the Year in 1971.

Bridge Over Troubled Water is described as the duo’s “‘most effortless album and their most ambitious.’” The album is an eclectic mix of multiple genres, such as rock, jazz, R&B, and gospel, which formed a unique “individual” sound that was met with both acclaim and criticism. Riding the enormous success of their previous album, Bookends, Simon & Garfunkel established themselves as one of the greatest rock duos in the world at the time, before splitting up shortly after the album’s release.

Baby Driver / The Boxer 45

The album has two notable songs that I particularly like and recommend. “The Boxer” is a folk rock selection, and is a narrative, first-person lament that outlines the character of a boxer. The song describes the singer’s struggle to overcome poverty and loneliness, before crafting the boxer character as a metaphor for his life, exhibited in the lyrics “I am leaving, I am leaving, but the fighter still remains.” “The Boxer” was popularized in the instrumental world due to Drum Corps International’s premier corps, the Bluecoats, and their 2008 production entitled “The Knockout,” in which the corps plays and sings excerpts of “The Boxer.” The Bluecoats’s interpretation of the song is widely recognized as one of the most popular segments of any DCI show in history, and is frequently performed by the corps while they tour over the summer.

The second song I recommend is entitled “Baby Driver.” This song played no part in the naming of 2017’s hit movie Baby Driver, but it was featured in the film. The song features an upbeat, rock vibe that sounds quite similar to The Beach Boys, and “Baby Driver” is sure to stick in your head hours after listening to it.

Arachnophonia: Beck “Morning Phase”

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about items in the Parsons Music Library‘s collection. All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by Music Library student worker Colin (class of 2021) and features the Grammy award winning ninth studio album by Beck. Thanks, Colin!

Beck

Morning Phase

Beck - Morning Phase

Released in 2014, Beck’s Morning Phase was a highly anticipated album after years of rumors surrounding its creation, and after news struck that Beck had signed with the incredibly famous Capitol Records. Morning Phase has been noted to sound very similar to Beck’s previous album, Sea Change, as both offer a melancholy and detached sound that Beck feared would drag on listeners’ ears. However, Morning Phase found itself to be widely regarded as Beck’s finest work, and the album earned the coveted Album of the Year Award at the 2015 Grammy Awards.

Beck

Morning Phase is essentially a commentary on what is black and white in the world, and what one should do when the world seems to be crumbling down. The album offers bright guitar playing, beautiful orchestral arrangements, layered vocals, and masterful percussion, all which culminate in each song to create a grand experience that meet many critics’ praise. Particularly interesting on this album is the song “Wave,” which features many of the elements previously stated of the album, and is a wonderful piece to listen to when one just needs to chill out.

Arachnophonia: Simon & Garfunkel “Bookends”

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about items in the Parsons Music Library‘s collection. All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by Music Library student worker, Aly (class of 2018) and features Simon & Garfunkel’s fourth studio album released in 1968, Bookends. Thanks, Aly!

Simon & Garfunkel

Bookends

Simon & Garfunkel - Bookends

I was re-shelving CDs recently while working a slow evening shift at the music library when I came across a Simon and Garfunkel CD. It immediately brought me back to a few years ago, when I went through a “phase” of folk rock, listening to the iconic duo, as well as a few other legends such as Cat Stevens. I then browsed our collection of Simon and Garfunkel selections, and soon discovered that the library offers almost their entire discography.

My all-time favorite album of theirs is Bookends. In my opinion, the 1968 album was released right in the “sweet spot” of Simon and Garfunkel’s musical career. It featured the quirky, iconic single we all know love, “Mrs. Robinson“, from the 1967 movie The Graduate. Some more of the duo’s greatest hits would come later, such as “Bridge Over Troubled Water“, arguably their best-known song. (Fun fact: “The Boxer” would also come in their following album, and Mumford and Sons has a great modern cover of this piece.)

The Graduate soundtrack

My personal favorite off the album is “Old Friends“, which sounds the best when listened to immediately before the closing theme of the album, “Bookends“, since the two songs seamlessly flow into each other. Appropriately, the album starts and ends with this theme, featuring simple harmonies and rich major-7 acoustic runs that could lull you into a peaceful relaxation.

Arachnophonia: Simon & Garfunkel “The Columbia Studio Recordings, 1964-1970”

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about items in the Parsons Music Library‘s collection. All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by Music Library student library worker Emma (class of 2021). Her selection is part of a multi-disc CD set of works by American folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel. Thanks, Emma!

Simon and Garfunkel

The Columbia Studio Recordings, 1964-1970

My CD of choice (from this set): Simon and Garfunkel – Sounds of Silence

I love modern music and radio pop just as much as the next person, but sometimes its nice to listen to things that don’t have auto tuning or heavy bass constantly blaring in the background. Simon and Garfunkel have special place in my heart because I can remember as a little girl hearing my dad play their songs in the car, and my sister singing along. Of course, I wanted to be “cool” like my older sister, so I would dance and act as if I knew exactly what the lyrics were saying. However, as I grew up and develop a better appreciation for good music, I realized just how good these songs are.

Some of my favorite songs off the set are “Cecilia” (I’m a little biased considering Cecilia is my middle name), “Mrs. Robinson,” and “The Boxer.” They are each so different, but so powerful. Their music has a way of making you want to dance around your room and sing like no one is listening, but a lot of songs also evoke a certain poetry and emotion that show just how talented these men were/are at writing and producing music. Although some of the songs deal with serious topics, the way they are written is beautiful, but they’re easy to listen to and they’re very catchy.

I don’t think I’ll ever stop listening to this album, because it’s timeless. Songs on the radio today come and go, but the music of past generations will never get old.