I missed you, say it back! I’ve been thinking a lot about failure and what comes after failure. A failed promise to write this very newsletter every week turned into a fear of getting back on the saddle once I had missed one, two, five, eight weeks. But sometimes I’m in luck and the failure I’m experiencing is entirely mine to define and overcome. Another version of myself—who I wouldn’t blame—would have been forever paralyzed by missing even a week of this, let alone two months. Sometimes all it takes is some perspective and reframing to be jolted back to reality and remember that when I’m lucky enough that a failure is defined only by my own standards, I can do a lot to fix it.
Here’s a collection of songs I’ve been listening to this week. You can listen along here.
Challengers is already leaving its mark on pop culture for a number of deserved reasons, one of which is its soundtrack. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (who also scored The Social Network) composed a delightfully energetic original score that perfectly matches the tension and desire in the film. It’s euro, it’s techno, and it’s perfectly positioned for the current musical moment—it doesn’t come as a surprise that the Challengers soundtrack has already been heard in clubs since its release in April.
This track also came out earlier this year and evokes similar euro-techno vibes (in fact, the bass line is eerily similar to the main musical theme in the Challengers soundtrack). It’s really melodic electronic music, with a beat that bounces enough that it’s perfect for a daytime pool party or a night out. The breathy, echoing vocals also serve as a really nice contrast to the crispness of the track’s synths. It’s also a little weird, with some strange electronic sounds that prevent the track from ever getting too repetitive or dull. Instead it feels alive.
This groovy Barry Can’t Swim track samples Brazilian artist Trio Ternura’s A Gira and really leans into the Brazilian music feel that we know and love. The synths build out the harmony to add some depth to the track and complement the higher vocal line. And there’s a lot to like about the rhythm: it’s fast and soft, filling the musical space without being too sharp in the mix. You’re left with a fuller listening experience than if any one element overwhelmed the rest. The high tin instrument plinking throughout is almost treated like a cowbell. There’s clearly a lot of fun behind this track.
This is a delightfully groovy one. Soul music exists so far beyond the quintessential soul hits—which I love, to be clear—and this track perfectly exemplifies the ways this genre can take on new flavors. The island influence here is impossible to miss, with the tight horn section, plucky guitar, and swinging rhythm. The breakdown about a third of the way through strips the track down to each instrument and rebuilds the layers of the song by reintroducing instruments one by one. This slow burn makes it all the more exciting when the horns finally come punching in again. It’s easy to listen to but not easy listening. All around a really smooth track.
I’m such a sucker for a summer anthem, and this is one of my favorites. Really, all of these songs are great for summertime, and this track still sits head and shoulders above the rest as far as evoking sunshine goes. This is so playful and fun, like a handful of people got together in the park and sang what came to mind. And it’s silly, too, with some of the vocalists taking advantage of their solos to put on funny voices. The horns arpeggiate up and up and up, evoking rays of sunshine emerging from the sunny center. And this track was a source of inspiration for another excellent song, Toto’s Hold the Line—unsurprising, given the tinny, percussive piano both share.
It’s remarkable both that this was Tanya Tucker’s first hit and that she was only thirteen when she first recorded it in 1972. She infuses the lyrics with so much confidence and wisdom that it’s easy to believe she wrote them herself or chose to sing this song because it spoke to her own life. It’s actually a cover, which explains why a thirteen-year-old is singing about the challenges of being a misunderstood woman with a free spirit, but the virtue of a well-written country folk song is that it finds new inspiration in a version beyond the songwriter.
Opening with a transfixing a cappella rendition of the chorus and Tucker’s voice cutting through with its alto twang, this song is so easy to fall in love with right away. The verses are laid-back and let Tucker’s vibrato take the spotlight with bass and harmonica serving as her primary accompaniment. Then, a surprise key change in no time at all as the song launches into the first fully developed chorus. It keeps the song fresh and bright, letting the choir shine in the new key. The instruments even drop out again—but it works, because this song is really about the voices, the lyrics, and the emotion they drive home together. Even as they do, Tucker’s powerful delivery is in a league of its own.