Arachnophonia: Ariana Grande “Sweetener”

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 Marissa (class of 2025) and features Ariana Grande’s 2018 album Sweetener. Thanks, Marissa!

Ariana Grande

Sweetener

Ariana Grande - Sweetener

Ariana Grande‘s fourth studio album Sweetener was released in the summer of 2018. Collaborating with other artists like Pharrell Williams, Nicki Minaj, and Missy Elliott, this album is loved by many different audiences. It won Best Pop Vocal Album of the Year in 2019, giving Grande her first Grammy award.

This pop and R&B styled album includes themes of womanhood, romance, and hope in the face of tragedy and loss. The three singles on the album are “No Tears Left to Cry,” “God Is a Woman,” and “Breathin‘,” each charting on the US Billboard Hot 100.

The last track, “Get Well Soon,” is a tribute to the lives lost at the Manchester Arena bombing during her previous tour. There are 40 seconds of silence at the end of this song to commemorate the 22 victims who passed away, bringing the runtime to 5:22 (the date of the concert).

If you’d like to listen to these songs mentioned and more, you can check this CD out from the Parsons Music Library today. You won’t regret it!

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: Karol G

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library student assistant Luis (class of 2025) and features music by Columbian singer Karol G.

Karol G

Karol G

Carolina Giraldo Navarro, better known as KAROL G, is a Latin artist from Medellin, Colombia who has been rising in the music industry as of late. She just won her first Grammy this year and is only continuing to rise in the charts. I have been listening to her a lot recently and wanted to share some of my favorite songs.

Karol G and Peso Pluma – “QLONA”

Karol G – “Amargura”

Karol G – “Mi Ex Tenia Razon”

Karol G and Shakira – “TQG”

Karol G – “Oki Doki”

Karol G – “S91”

Karol G – “Provenza”

Karol G and Maldy – “Gatúbela”

Karol G – “200 Copas”

Karol G and Nicki Minaj – “Tusa”

Karol G – “Bichota”

Karol G feat. Aldo Ranks – “Watati”

Here is a link to the whole playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU94rco57ZexyAvMRXc1h915Dj8QO1VdJ&si=RpGUw3IU-GB94b_F

Parsons Playlists: I Love Hip Hop and R&B

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library student manager Deisy (class of 2024) which features hip hop & R&B tunes from the 1990s.

I Love My 90s Hip Hop/R&B

sade_001

Sade – “Is It A Crime”

Sade – “Your Love Is King”

Nas – “It Ain’t Hard To Tell”

Eve ft. Gwen Stefani – “Let Me Blow Ya Mind”

Ashanti – “Foolish”

Baby Bash ft. Frankie J – “Suga Suga”

Alicia Keys – “If I Ain’t Got You”

Brandy & Monica – “The Boy Is Mine”

Minnie Riperton – “Inside My Love”

Tupac Shakur – “Can U Get Away”

SWV – “Rain”

Here is a link to the whole playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU94rco57ZewZqAt6TdvmpxUhB06ZykkX

Arachnophonia: Amy Winehouse “Back To Black”

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 Amy (class of 2025) and features Amy Winehouse’s 2007 album Back To Black. Thanks, Amy!

Amy Winehouse

Back To Black

Amy Winehouse - Back to Black

Amy Winehouse’s album Back to Black has been my top album since I was 16. Not only is the unique quality of her voice astounding but her lyrics perfectly encapsulate the realities of an abusive relationship.

Back to Black was Winehouse’s sophomore album and the title track, “Rehab,” suggested the album would be nothing like its predecessor Frank (released in 2003). Frank sounded as if Winehouse had taken the lyrics of an artist like Michael Bublé and added a bit of hip-hop to it, the most notable piece was her voice.

These raspy painful notes that begin “Rehab,” a Top 10 hit in the UK and US, point to the three years between Frank and Back to Black being far from easy. After Frank debuted, Winehouse began a very topsy-turvy relationship with Blake Fielder-Civil, a music video assistant. Fielder-Civil has come forward and admitted to being Winehouse’s introduction to hard drugs. The two would get into physical and verbal altercations in public, the catalysis of this being Fielder-Civil leaving Winehouse at one point for his ex-girlfriend.

Fielder-Civil leaving was the inspriation for the song “Back to Black.” It described the dark moments of depression she felt after he left. It also described how she went back to abusing alcohol after he left because she didn’t have anything else to cope with.

Another of her famous singles “Love is a Losing Game,” a long metaphor for love being an unfair game, the song, while quite simple with lyrics like “Know you’re a gambling man/ Love is a losing hand,” is considered to be one of Winehouse’s most powerful songs because of its deep meaning.

My personal favorite song, “Tears Dry on Their Own” is an anthem for those who need the hard truth: it is time to get over it. In an interview with BBC, Winehouse described her inspiration for the song: “I was with someone that I couldn’t really be with and I knew it wouldn’t last. But I think because I knew it couldn’t last, it’s kinda like saying, “I’m upset, but I know I’ll get over it, I guess.”

After a stint in rehab and an arrest for marijuana possession, Winehouse won five Grammy Awards in 2008, an award ceremony she was not able to attend as the US denied her visa on grounds of use and abuse of narcotics. That same year, Back to Black was said to be the second-highest selling album in the world. Winehouse died of accidental alcohol poisoning on July 23, 2011.

Parsons Playlists: Bollywood on the Block

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library student manager Kiran (class of 2024) and features songs presented by UR’s Bollywood Jhatkas and Block Crew in a recent performance on campus.

Bollywood on the Block: The Sequel

Bollywood Jhatkas and Block Crew recently performed their second joint showcase, on March 25th. Here are some of the crowd’s favorite songs/remixes!

Bollywood on the Block dflyer

From Bollywood Jhatkas:

“Dholida” x “Radha Kaise” from Riya Patel Choreography

“Malhari” from Bajrao Mastani

“Garmi” x “Gas Pedal” by UCSC Kahaani

“Oo Antava Mawa … Oo Oo Antava” from Pushpa

“Lungi Dance” by Yoyo Honey Singh

From Block Crew:

“Bia Bia” by Bia

“Kiss Me More” by Doja Cat

“Runaway Baby” by Bruno Mars

“N95” by Kendrick Lamar

“Waves” by Normani

Here is a link to the whole playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU94rco57Zewq3ffMoV5O2XXN-otBQmGE

Arachnophonia: Amy Winehouse “Back To Black”

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 Amy Winehouse’s 2007 album Back To Black. Thanks, Deisy!

Amy Winehouse

Back To Black

Amy Winehouse - Back to Black

Throughout my years in college, I have tried to expand my musical taste by asking friends to introduce me to some of their favorite artists. Along the way, a good friend of mine introduced me to Amy Winehouse, one of the best things in my life. My favorite song of hers has to be “You Know I’m No Good” and “Back to Black.” Her Back to Black album was on repeat for a long time in 2021 as I began to discover more of her work.

If people are interested in discovering new artists and songs, I recommend asking a friend or coming to the Parsons Music Library where there is a large collection of CDs and LPs to look through.

Arachnophonia: Beyoncé in Formation: Remixing Black Feminism

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 Eliana (class of 2024) and features a book that takes a deep dive into the 2016 Beyoncé album Lemonade from a feminist/LGBTQ+ perspective. Thanks, Eliana!

Beyoncé in Formation: Remixing Black Feminism
by Omise’eke Natasha Tinsley

Beyonce in Formation: Remixing Black Feminism

Beyoncé in Formation offers a deep-dive into the lyrics and meaning of Beyoncé’s 2016 album Lemonade through a Black feminist and LGBTQ+ lens, creating a deeply nuanced and complex view of the Billboard #1 album.

Tinsley effectively combines her personal life, renowned Black feminist and LGBTQ+ artists, and Beyoncé’s album into one cohesive story wherein she breaks down the ways in which Beyoncé’s album is not only a Black-empowerment album, but an album that introduces complex feminist and LGBTQ+ ideas rarely seen in mainstream music.

I originally picked up this book because I love picking apart lyrics and delving into hidden messages in songs and music videos, however I quickly realized that it would be about much more than song inspection. I appreciate the way in which Tinsley was able to integrate her life into the greater story of Black feminism in a way that felt raw and real, much like the rest of the book. She doesn’t dance around any subject, and no subject matter is too grandiose to take on. Whether it’s gender and sexuality, racism, or the history of music, Tinsley covers it all.

Beyonce - Lemonade (album cover)

Of course, this book would be nothing without the album Lemonade itself. The CD is also available at Parsons Music Library — feel free to check out both the CD and the book to heighten your experience!

EN Beyonce 2016

Picture of the author (Eliana class of 2024) at a Beyonce concert in 2016

Parsons Playlists: Best of Joji

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today we’re featuring a playlist of music by Japanese R&B/hip-hop artist Joji, curated by Music Library student manager Brianna (class of 2024).

George Kusunoki Miller, who goes by the musical pseudonym Joji, is a Japanese singer, songwriter, and comedian. He began his career in entertainment on YouTube, releasing comedic rap songs under the name “Pink Guy”, and various other videos where he would often star in multiple roles. In 2015, he retired from his YouTube career and began making the music he had always wanted, now going by Joji. When asked how this was different from his previous musical career as Pink Guy, he said “I guess that’s the difference, Joji’s just me.” His debut album Ballads I made him the first Asain-born artist to reach #1 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in 2018. His most recent release from 2020, titled Nectar, reached a peak of #3 on US Billboard 200. Here is a compilation of my favorite songs from Joji.

George Kusunoki Miller aka Joji

Run

Gimme Love

Afterthought

Daylight

SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK

YEAH RIGHT

TEST DRIVE

NO FUN

Will He

Here’s a link to the playlist on YouTube:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU94rco57ZexQP5Fg5DRH4g207vMYUkxF

and here is the playlist on Spotify:

Parsons Playlists: Funky Bass Grooves

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today we’re featuring a selection of songs with Funky Bass Grooves as curated by Music Library student manager Christian (class of 2023).

Parsons Playlists: Funky Bass Grooves

A playlist of some great songs with dangerously funky bass lines.

Fender bass guitar

Marcus Miller – “Detroit”

Vulfpeck – “Lost My Treble Long Ago”

Jaco Patorius – “Chicken”

Evan Brewer – “Actualize”

Alain Caron – “Jack Cannon”

Victor Wooten – “Funky D”

Cory Wong & Tom Misch – “Cosmic Sans”

Flevans – “12 Apostles”

The Fearless Flyers – “Ace of Aces”

Vulfpeck – “Dean Town”

Herbie Hancock – “Actual Proof”

Toconoma – “N°9”

PJ Morton – “Sticking to My Guns”

Anderson .Paak – “King James”

Bruno Mars – “Treasure”

The Internet – “Roll (Burbank Funk)”

Ty Ty – “She Never Really Liked Me”

Busty and the Bass – “Up Top”

Michael Kiwanuka and Tom Misch – “Money”

And here’s a link to the full playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU94rco57Zez1Ij0tblf2GmzrPupu-jPx

Bass guitar up close