Parsons Playlists: Victoria Monét

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library student manager Amy (class of 2025) and features music by American R&B artist and songwriter Victoria Monét.

Victoria Monét

Victoria Monét

Victoria Monét, a talented R&B artist and songwriter, secured three well-deserved Grammy Awards at the 2024 ceremony, including the coveted title of Best New Artist. Witnessing her triumph filled me with absolute joy, as her musical creations, both as a songwriter and a vocalist, are nothing short of extraordinary. Recognizing that not everyone may be familiar with Victoria’s incredible talent, I decided to curate a playlist featuring some of my favorite songs penned by this exceptional artist.

Victoria Monét – “We Might Even Be Falling In Love (Interlude)”

Victoria Monét – “On My Mama”

Victoria Monét – “Coastin’”

Ariana Grande (with Victoria Monét)- “MONOPOLY”

Victoria Monét – “Moment”

Chole x Halle – “Do It”

Ariana Grande – “love language”

Victoria Monét – “Jaguar”

Victoria Monét (feat. Kehlani) – “Touch Me”

Victoria Monét – “Dive”

Victoria Monét – “Ass Like That”

Victoria Monét – “Alright”

Victoria Monét – “Go There With You”

Here is a link to the whole playlist on Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSwAwMtTLDwj_Kf7CeJxvFP8fYXe6OQw3&si=jQAtNl3RU1Dw-lNE

And here it is on Spotify:

Parsons Playlists: Autumn Anthems

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library student assistant Susanne (class of 2026) some songs for the shorter, colder days of autumn.

Autumn Anthems

late autumn

As the days get shorter and the air grows colder, it’s always fun to listen to music that matches the ambience of our weather. This playlist features songs with a range of folk, indie, pop and acoustic roots that take inspiration from the natural world around us. Whether you’re cooking festive foods, hosting a game night with friends, or hiking in Virginia’s breathtaking mountains, this soothing yet upbeat playlist is sure to have you singing along and inspired to reconnect with the earth.

The Lumineers – “Walls”

Mt. Joy – “Evergreen”

Noah Kahan – “Everywhere, Everything”

Taylor Swift – “ivy”

Hozier – “First Light”

Jonah Kagen – “The Roads”

Lord Huron – “Ends of the Earth”

Phoebe Bridgers – “Moon Song”

Wild Rivers – “Thinking ‘Bout Love”

MisterWives – “SUPERBLOOM”

Maggie Rogers – “Fallingwater”

Here is a link to the whole playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU94rco57Zez28BPfSvouKU9LILeLlYdF&si=4pgXfi_0t8nrAW1N

Arachnophonia: Nilsson

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(s) in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Eli (class of 2024) and features a couple of albums by and a biography of American singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson (1941-1994). Thanks, Eli!

Harry Nilsson

Harry Nilsson

This Arachnophonia post is centered around Harry Nilsson, an underrated and somewhat forgotten artist, at least by younger generations. Known for his “pioneering vocal overdub…, returns to the Great American Songbook, and fusions of Caribbean sounds,” Nilsson was an international phenomenon in the early 1970s. Sometimes referred to as the “American Beatle,” Nilsson is best known today for his songs “Without You” and “Everybody’s Talkin’,” both of which have over 100 million plays on Spotify.

Aerial Ballet
Nilsson - Aerial Ballet

I find Nilsson to be somewhat of an outlier in his stardom. He achieved great success, winning Grammy awards for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance & Best Male Contemporary Vocal Performance and produced three international top 10 singles. Yet, Nilsson rarely performed live and never took regular tours. He instead remained relevant through his consistent innovation and unique role within the music industry. Music historians credit Nilsson as the inventor of the “mashup,” thanks to his 1967 cover of the Beatles’ song “You Can’t Do That,” which Nilsson overlaid with vocals from over a dozen other Beatles songs.

Nilsson Schmilsson
Nilsson Schmilsson

Nilsson existed during a transient musical space, providing a smooth link between the psychedelic music of the 60s and the classic singer-songwriter era of the 70s. Rolling Stone lists Nilsson as number 62 on the “100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time,” and The Beatles themselves once revealed that Nilsson was their favorite American artist. In a musical world so dominated by The Beatles, Nilsson managed to differentiate his sound while collaborating with the superstars. He became friends with John Lennon and Ringo Starr and became a strong gun control advocate after Lennon was assassinated in 1980. Nilsson died in 1994 from a heart attack while recording his final album Lost and Founnd, which was posthumously released in 2019.

Nilsson: The Life of a Singer-Songwriter by Alyn Shipton
Nilsson Bio

My personal favorite Nilsson album is Aerial Ballet, released in 1968, while his most popular album is Nilsson Schmilsson, released in 1971. Both are available on CD at Parsons Music Library as is the leading biographical work on Nilsson, Nilsson: The Life of a Singer-Songwriter, by Alyn Shipton.

Arachnophonia: Lady Gaga “The Fame Monster”

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 manager Deisy (class of 2024) and features Lady Gaga’s 2009 album The Fame Monster. Thanks, Deisy!

Lady Gaga
The Fame Monster

Lady Gaga - The Fame Monster (album cover)

The Parsons Music Library has a collection of albums, LPs, and books that can help one expand their musical knowledge. In this digital era, there are many CDs that can be found and one of my favorites that I have reconnected with is Lady Gaga’s album, The Fame Monster.

Lady Gaga is one of my favorite childhood singers, her music was very experimental compared to a lot of the music my family exposed me to. And although I never considered myself a big fan of hers, now I hear her music and become nostalgic. The Fame Monster album in particular has many songs such as “Bad Romance,” “Alejandro,” and “Poker Face” which I consistently heard on the radio. As we get older, the songs that were once the most famous become ingrained in our heads and remind us of our childhood, and that is the case with Lady Gaga’s music for me.

New CDs added: April 2021

New CDs for April 2021

Orchestral, Concertos and Chamber Music

Imani Winds – Imani Winds
Nikolai Kapustin – Piano Music Marc-Andre Hamelin

Nikolai Kapustin - Piano Music

Felix Mendelsson – Mendelssohn – Piano Works Vol. 5 Benjamin Frith
Robert Schumann – Kinderszenen : op. 15 ; Davidsbündlertänze : op. 6 ; Piano sonata no. 2 in G minor, op. 22 Angela Hewitt

Mendelssohn - Piano Works, Vol. 5

Musical Theatre Cast Recordings

Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss – SIX The Musical: Studio Cast Recording
Anaïs Mitchell – Hadestown: Original Broadway Cast Recording

SIX: The Musical

Alanis Morrisette and Glen Ballard – Jagged Little Pill: Original Broadway Cast Recording
Stephen Sondheim – Company – 2018 London Cast Recording

Jagged Little Pill - Cast Recording

Popular Music

Fiona Apple – Fetch The Bolt Cutters
Fantastic Negrito – Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?
Miranda Lambert – Wildcard

Miranda Lambert - Wildcard

John Legend – Bigger Love
Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia
Fito Paez – La Conquista del Espacio
Bobby Rush – Rawer Than Raw
Billy Strings – Home

Fantastic Negrito - Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?

The Strokes – The New Abnormal
James Taylor – American Standard
Thundercat – It Is What It Is
Toots and the Maytals – Got To Be Tough
Various Artists – Harmony In My Head: UK Power Pop & New Wave 1977-81

Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia

Opera, Opera Excerpts, Choral Music and Art Songs

Metropolitan Opera – The Gershwins’ Porgy And Bess

The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess

Gospel Music

P.J. Morton – Gospel According to PJ: From the Songbook of PJ Morton
Kanye West – Jesus Is King

Gospel According to PJ

Arachnophonia: Harry Styles

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 manager Colin (class of 2021) and features English singer songwriter Harry Styles’ eponymous debut solo album. Thanks, Colin!

Harry Styles

Harry Styles

Harry Styles  2017 album cover

Harry Styles’s self-titled debut album marked the transition in Styles’s career from popular member of the boy band One Direction to his own solo work following the hiatus and eventual separation of the teen musical group. During his time in One Direction, Styles amassed an enormous fanbase from around the world, and the split of the group shocked these fans. Zayn Malik was the first member to separate from the group, which may have led to the eventual collapse of the group as a whole, and he started to release his own music in 2015, creating his own solo album in 2016 titled Mind of Mine. Eager and attentive fans turned their attention to the other members of One Direction to anticipate which teen sensation would begin releasing their own music next. Harry Styles would soon find that both himself and his music would become the spotlight of these fans, as his self-stardom rose above all other members and continues to this day.

Harry Styles would lead this craze, as Styles’s first solo album connected well with varying audiences. The album was teased with the release of its first single, “Sign of the Times,” in April 2017, projecting a combination of soft rock and pop music into a wistful ballad that was a completely new sound for Styles. This single is famously accompanied by its music video that was released a month later in May 2017, in which Styles flies over a body of water quite majestically. The full album would follow this video with its release four days later, meeting the anticipation of fans.

Flying Styles

Harry Styles would achieve a new musical direction for the artist, as fans and critics were surprised with the range of musical styles incorporated throughout the album. Songs featured throughout the work include a mixture of pop, British pop, rock, and soft rock styles, being influenced by famous and innovative artists like Queen, Elton John, David Bowie, Pink Floyd, and the Rolling Stones. Overall, I enjoy how each song on the album feels different and refreshing, never becoming too stale in their approach and delivery. There are 10 tracks on the album, and some stand-out pieces to me include “Only Angel,” “Ever Since New York,” and “From the Dining Table.”

Lyrically, “Only Angel” is a strange dichotomy between the love Harry Styles has for himself and love for the girl he references as “angel.” He begins the song by singing “Open up your eyes, shut your mouth and see/That I’m the only one who’s been in love with me,” expressing to listeners that Styles is confidant in being himself and that rampant tabloid exposure on all of his romantic partners are typically blown out of proportion, and he seems to be telling his audience and the media that his public relationships are often misunderstood. This is then contrasted with the chorus of “She’s an angel, only angel/She’s an angel, my only angel,” in which Styles is turning his attention towards his romantic partner that he refers to as an angel. What I particularly like about this song is not the lyrics however, but more towards the production of the Rock pop composition of the piece. This song comes across to me as a modern-day pop version of Elton John.

Ever Since New York” is a tribute to Styles’s late stepfather who passed away following a battle with cancer, after Styles was delivered the terrible news of the affliction while staying in a New York hotel. The song deals with Styles’s grief in the aftermath of his stepfather’s passing, and the feelings he carries with him about how people try to support him, by singing “Oh, tell me something I don’t already know.” This emotional ballad is characterized by the driving force of the instrumentation, which upon initial hearing does not immediately indicate to the listener that this is a song about missing someone who has tragically passed away. However, Styles chose to allow the production and orchestration of this piece to be more gospel-like in nature with a sonic depth of sound surrounding the lyrics, indicating that Styles did not intend to make this piece overly dramatic but rather a strong remembrance of his late stepfather.

Finally, “From the Dining Table,” is another emotional love song but directed towards Styles’s lost love and longing for a past relationship. This final piece to the album relates to the first piece of the album, “Meet Me in the Hallway,” in numerous ways. First, both subjects of the song and lyrics are reflections on a past relationship, in which Styles implies that he put more effort into it and that he is the one who still cares for the lost romance, indicated by the chorus line “Why won’t you ever be the first one to break?” Another connection is that both song titles refer to a sense of home, in which it can be implied that Styles and his partner were living together, and he is referring to significant places in the home that meant something in their relationship. Finally, both songs feature similar instrumentation, characterized by an acoustic guitar and emphasis on Styles’s vocals. The change in orchestration is different across both songs, but the similar feeling of vocals paired with acoustic guitar only emphasize the feeling of longing and desperation that Styles is singing about.

Publicity photo of Harry Styles

Overall, this album is a great listen and while it may not be perfect in my eyes, it certainly won the hearts of many fans that were longing for more music from the most prominent member of One Direction.

Arachnophonia: Sam Smith “In The Lonely Hour”

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 Emma A (class of 2021) and features In The Lonely Hour the 2014 debut album by UK singer Sam Smith. Thanks, Emma!

Sam Smith

In The Lonely Hour

Sam Smith - In the Lonely Hour

I have been listening to Sam Smith since my freshman year of high school, which was now five years ago! His talent is so pure and he can convey such strong emotion through his songs. I love how he has a blend of sad, raw songs and upbeat, happy ones. I guess it depends on your mood… Although, the songs are so good that I’ve found myself listening to his slower ballads even on cheery and sunny days!

I love to sing, so I appreciate any artist that goes above and beyond with their music. I like the type of songs you can sing along to and understand the words to. My favorite album of Smith’s is In The Lonely Hour. At times some of the lyrics seem a bit trite and overdone with repetitive melodies, but nonetheless it is still quit enjoyable even for Smith’s voice alone. He reminds me of Adele and Duffy, two other British singers whom I like.

Sam Smith

Stay With Me” became a radio hit, but one that didn’t get as popular (and should have) was the more lively tune “Money On My Mind” which I’ve definitely had stuck in my head on more than one occasion. I like that his music has a pop, yet soul, flare to it and does not need the kind of auto-tuning that many current pop stars use. His voice is so versatile that many other famous artists have featured him, including the electronic duo Disclosure. In addition, I was so happy to hear that he was singing the theme song for the recent James Bond movie Spectre.

Back cover of "In The Lonely Hour"

Back cover of “In The Lonely Hour”

This album‘s focus was on a lost lover, something Smith seems to sing about a lot. I hope his next album will be about something different, but if not, I am content with the talent he exudes singing about past relationships.

Arachnophonia: Adele “21”

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, Diego (class of 2021) and features English singer-songwriter Adele’s 2011 studio album 21. Thanks, Diego!

Adele

21

Valentine’s Day was this month, and with that there are usually two types of people, those who have reason to celebrate the holiday, and those who celebrate the day afterwards, when all the candy is marked 50 percent off at the store. That being said, I think we can all agree on the fact that there is music that can be listened to in order to enjoy the holiday to its finest. It is hard to call out a certain artist for making love songs, as there are a lot, a lot, A LOT of love songs that have been made throughout history, just like there are a lot for us lonely people as well. However, without any regret, we can take a look at Adele for the sake of love/breakup songs. Specifically, we can look at 21, one of her most famous albums to date.

Released in 2011, 21 was a way for Adele to tell her story about an unsuccessful relationship that she experienced. Having released 19 just two years prior, Adele had already begun to build a very devoted fan base that rushed to pre-order and buy her album. Little did anyone know that this would be one of the best sold albums in history. The album itself was widely praised both by professional critics and the general population. It peaked at number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and had singles that remained on the US album charts for 24 weeks. 21 ended up becoming the bestselling album of both 2011 and 2012.

Adele 21

Moving on to the songs on the album, as you listen to some of the songs, you notice that she seems to go through all of the themes everyone attributes to after a breakup, from anger to loneliness, regrets, and finally the acceptance of what has happened. For example, the song “Rumor Has It” is in response to all the rumors that surrounded the breakup of Adele and her partner at the time. “Rolling in the Deep” was written to insult Adele’s ex-lover for making negative remarks about her after the break-up. As a whole, her entire album tells different aspects of Adele’s relationship, and its subsequent failure. While it does give off a solemn vibe, the album as a whole makes it sound like the opening of a new door in Adele’s life, and after taking the hard road of coping with the breakup, and the fallout from it, she is ready to move on to someone new. The song “Someone Like You” is one of the last songs in the album, a song which Adele describes as one that made her feel free and liberated.

I had to write it to feel OK with myself and OK with the two years I spent with him. And when I did it, I felt so freed.

And that’s what this album is about! It is about being able to make it past a breakup and coming out stronger because of it, it is about learning to forgive those who have hurt you, and it is about cherishing what you have before it’s gone. Adele’s 21 isn’t just for those who have gone through a bitter breakup, or those who miss what they once had, but instead it’s a reminder that there is a such thing as happiness out there, and maybe you already have it, or maybe it’s out there looking for you.

Adele - Rolling in the Deep music video still

Arachnophonia: Sam Smith “In The Lonely Hour”

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 Mary (class of 2018) and features the debut 2014 album In The Lonely Hour by British singer Sam Smith.
Thanks, Mary!

Sam Smith

In The Lonely Hour

Sam Smith -  In the Lonely Hour

I chose Sam Smith’s album titled In the Lonely Hour because he is one of my favorite artists, and one of the songs in this album called “I’m Not the Only One” was the first music of Sam Smith that I was introduced to. I actually found out about Sam Smith’s music a lot later than everyone else because my friend recommended his music to me in the winter of 2014 although this album came out in May. I fell in love with Sam Smith’s music the minute I listened to this song because I loved the unique blend of classic soul, gospel choruses and acoustic instruments which made his music both soft and powerful at the same time. One of my few hobbies is to drive around and listen to music which I especially enjoy doing at night, and Sam Smith is definitely my go-to music on a chilly, wintry night. From this album, “Stay With Me” “Lay Me Down” and “Latch (Acoustic)” are also all my favorites. As the weather is gradually getting colder in Richmond as well, if you are stressed for any reason and are looking for a way to just relax and listen to good music, I recommend this album. It will be a good de-stressing moment.

Sam Smith Stay With Me Video SNL

It was 50 years ago today …

The BeatlesSgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album was released on June 1, 1967 in the UK and on June 2, 1967 in the US. It became the soundtrack for the fabled “Summer of Love” both influencing and reflecting the flower powered youth culture of the time, but its appeal has proven to be timeless.

Beatles - Sgt. Pepper album cover

The Beatles stopped touring in August of 1966, and took some time off. The group reconvened in November of that year and spent over 400 hours in the studio between November 1966 and April 1967 completing the album. (This was a far cry from their first foray into EMI Studios to record their first album in 1963 — that entire album was recorded in less than 24 hours!) This studio time led to all sorts of interesting musical experimentation and since the group had decided they were done with touring, there was no need to worry about whether the songs could be produced live on stage. The album as a whole is a fascinating almalgamation of harmonium, harpsichord, brass band, fairground noises, harp, psychedelia, Leslie speaker tweaking, multi-tracking, tape loops, full orchestra, crashing apocalyptic piano chords, dog whistles and more. The Beatles’ musical ideas required lots of technical innovation from producer George Martin and studio engineers.

Sgt. Pepper gatefold

The eclectic mix of songs was loosely held together by the “concept” of a fictional Edwardian alter-ego Sgt. Pepper Band and the songs are wonderfully joyful. From the psychedelic marching band music that introduces us to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, to the psychedelic imagery of “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” ( title inspired by a drawing by John Lennon’s young son, Julian), to the music hall whimsy of McCartney’s “When I’m Sixty-Four”, to the spiritual tone of Harrison’s sitar-laced “Within You Without You”, to the amazing shifting tones, full orchestral crescendo and avant garde surrealism of “A Day In The Life” (one of the greatest ever Lennon/McCartney collaborations in this author’s opinion), there is much to enjoy, right through to the startling tape loop ending inserted into the run-out groove of the original LPs (and included on CD reissues if you wait for it). The Beatles drew inspiration from varied sources like an 1843 circus poster (“Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite”), a TV cornflakes commercial (“Good Morning, Good Morning”), news stories about runaway teens (“She’s Leaving Home”) or car accidents (“A Day in the Life”).

An alternate take from the Sgt. Pepper cover photo session

An alternate take from the Sgt. Pepper cover photo session

There is just as much to enjoy in a perusal of the album art itself. The cover features a pop art inspired collage of various folks (famous and not so famous) that the Beatles chose as inspirational to them, elaborate gatefold sleeve packaging (with bonus cardboard mustaches and pseudo-military insignia in early pressings) and includes the lyrics to all of the songs printed on the back cover, something that had never been done before with a pop album.

Sgt. Pepper back cover with lyrics

Sgt. Pepper signaled that pop & rock music could also be considered high art or even progressive social expression and more than just disposable entertainment. Musicologists cite Sgt. Pepper as continuing the musical maturation of the Beatles as a group that began with Revolver and Rubber Soul. It was also extremely influential on the development of progressive rock with its emphasis on studio experimentation, elaborate instrumentation and insistence on pushing the boundaries beyond conventional subject matter and track lengths. The album has been an influence on countless others since its release in 1967.

Here’s a sampling of a few of (many) parody takeoffs on the iconic cover:

Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention – We’re Only In It For The Money

Frank Zappa & The Mother's Of Invention

The SimpsonsThe Yellow Album

Simpsons - "The Yellow Album"

The RutlesSgt. Rutter’s Only Darts Club BandRutles - Sgt. Rutter

Golden Throats – a compilation of critically lambasted cover songs

Golden Throats

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band consistently ranks in critics and fans listings of best albums of all time. Among numerous accolades and awards, it is ranked # 1 in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. It’s included in the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry and is one of the best-selling albums of all time.

Whether Sgt. Pepper is an old favorite or if it’s brand new to you, this classic album / cultural touchstone is well worth a listen!

Sgt. Pepper cut outs insert

Sgt. Pepper cut outs insert