Written by Kayla Martinez
“Mellow Monday”
There is nothing calm, soothing, or good about Mondays. It’s the start of another long monotonous week, the day after a weekend of hangovers and overall just a rough, unpleasant time. Sit at your desk and stare blankly at your computer screen no longer; “Mellow Monday” is here to help you ease into the week, with everything that Monday isn’t, and some sounds to help you find some peace of mind. Sit back, forward, sideways or any way you want, and chill out some.
1. Bob Marley – “Natural Mystic”
You can’t have a mellow time without some Marley. No it’s not typical, it’s a hidden gem that needs some love. The start creeps up on you with a slow, twangy guitar that stays with you all throughout the story told “if you listen carefully”. It’s a great way to ease in to some relaxation time and get you feeling the magic of being conscious. With a little power from the trumpet, it’s energizing in a subtle way to soothe your nerves and bring life to an already book-fried brain.
2. Mac DeMarco – “Another One”
Synths synths synths. There is absolutely nothing like Mac on some synths. This dreamy, soft track takes you to a warm summer day, floating in the middle of a random lake. Effortless in its nature, the simplicity of this tune lyrically and in sound is tender and overall just smooth. It’s the baby of a drum kit and synthesizer coming together and meshing in each other’s souls.
3. Foxygen – “San Francisco”
This song just makes me so happy. Child-like in its essence, it sounds like it’s coming straight out of the summer of 1966. Its lyrics are innocent, carefree, and effortless to follow along to. The chorus is light and playful, helping you shrug off some of the things you can’t control.
4. The Doors – “Indian Summer”
Another hidden gem, the use of a sitar makes the song stand out as exotic on its own. Along with Morrison’s golden vocals, this unique combination calls for a beautiful time finding your Zen. It’s short and simple, with a nice guitar solo and Manzarek’s soft organ; there are no words that can really describe the places this song can take you. Places like India and not your next class.
5. Jhene Aiko – “Spotless Mind”
Jhene Aiko is bringing soul back in the modern world through poetry and R&B. With her last two albums, her style has rapidly developed as laid back, and flat-out soothing. Including light acoustic strums and breezy vocals, this song is all soul food. Its lyrics are pleasing to the ear in its simplicity, and just an easy song to glide through.
6. Tame Impala – “It’s Not Meant to Be”
Baseline baseline baseline. I tend to say it three times because something so glorious needs to be recognized as a gift from whatever heavenly place it comes from. The combination of the baseline and guitar riff on this song leaves me at a loss for words. How two things can come together to form a single immaculate thing is beyond me, but is apparent after the fuzzy intro on this therapeutic track. Parker’s Lennon-like vocals are the icing on this cake, cloudy in its feeling. Ending with the same fuzz it started with, this song is the calm after a storm.
7. The Killers – “Everything Will Be Alright”
It’s been long since The Killers have had any limelight, but let us not forget the great pieces that came from Hot Fuss, including this one which is the last track on the album. After a wild ride through their story telling lyrics about murder and heartbreak, The Killers cool the album down with this hazy tune that serves as a nice change from the rough tides. At first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about this song, especially since it was nothing like the rest with it’s slowed down rhythms and quieter sound. But after a few listens it began to grow on me, and soon actually put me to sleep.
8. Pink Floyd – “Breathe (In The Air)”
“Breathe” is an ending and a beginning, literally. It is the ending of the heartbeat track, “Speak to Me,” and the beginning of its own song. With the buildup to a guitar strum that just opens up your eyes to the world, “Breathe” is exactly what its title claims it to be. There’s just something about elongated strums and soft keys that help slow down my body system. The key to this song is the simple phrase, “Breathe in the air, don’t be afraid to care.” A thousand times yes, sometimes we need a little voice to remind us of such simple things. Instrumentally, this song is wonderfully slow paced, and beyond substantial if you take the time (no pun intended) to take a closer listen. Pink Floyd’s entire Dark Side of the Moon is definitely an album to listen to in its entirety, a bedtime story for the wandering mind.
