May 15, 2025 | Student Submissions, Uncategorized
Gretchen Hartenstein | May 15, 2025
When I started back in 2021, I truly never planned on being as involved with WVUD as I became. I know that’s cliché to say, but to me, it just shows that the most unexpected things happen for the right reasons.
I wanted to go to a school with a college radio station. My dad was a DJ during his four years at Gettysburg College, and for whatever reason, I just thought “That seems like a cool thing to do. Maybe I’ll try that.” So, after much searching, I found the WVUD table at my very first involvement fair and was greeted by the friendly faces of Caitlin and Ilene, the general manager and music director at the time. And boom, I was on the email list. I planned for my involvement in radio to be exclusively a side gig, a stress reliever with minimal commitment. I always assumed that marching band would be my primary commitment. I’d carry on the legacy my sister left for me as a staff member, maybe even a drum major if I were lucky enough.
Fate, as it turns out, had other plans for me. The college marching band turned out not to be the home that I thought it would become. Instead, I found that home in the basement of Perkins, in a little corner of campus that most students don’t even know about.
Once I was trained and started doing my show, I was undoubtedly and irrevocably hooked. How amazing was it that I could have a spot on the radio where I could play almost anything I wanted?? I started to get creative with playlists, putting together songs I never expected to mix and always finding new music to enrich my broadcasts. It was nothing short of thrilling.
But I was a shy freshman. On my first ever show, all I said into the Basement’s DJ mic was the station ID and not another word. And for a while, I was ok with that. Later on, I got involved in the music department and attended weekly sorting hours. I liked the atmosphere and getting to listen to brand new music (despite the obscurity of many of the albums we were sent). In those days, the music department was run by Ilene West. I adored Ilene, as did everyone who met her. She did her show on FM at the same time I did mine on the Basement. Thank goodness for that. I had very little confidence about my ability to operate the board, and on several instances, Ilene got a panicked text from me in the middle of the hour asking for help. But she was always so kind and so willing to help me. Because of her, I thought maybe I would be WVUD’s music director at some point. There were some other folks that I would see at department meetings every week, and while I was still too shy to say more than “hello” when I walked in and “bye” when I left, I still liked seeing the familiar faces every time. It gave me hope that these people would maybe become my friends one day.
I can’t pretend I made friends immediately. That’s never been a strong suit of mine, and usually, it takes a while for me to find the people I want to spend my time with. I so missed having a group of friends, and I didn’t yet know where I would find that again. All I knew was that I was drawn to the station; it was something I wanted to be more involved in, and I just felt this calling to it. So I did a somewhat crazy thing for a freshman that was relatively new to the station…I ran for a board position. I was interested in the music director role, but I felt that I didn’t quite have enough experience to take the position. Instead, I ran for one that seemed chill, straightforward, and needed someone to fill it – program director. It turns out I was the only one who ran, so by default, I was elected. It wasn’t until later that I found out the program director is also the vice president of the entire organization…talk about impostor syndrome.
Being on the board was the best decision I made at UD. I didn’t do it because I wanted to be in charge or make decisions. I did it because I wanted to meet people, to be pushed out of my comfort zone, and it forced me to do just that.
Sophomore year was a blur of moving into an apartment (that I still miss to this day), scheduling shows, and finally starting to feel at home at UD. In other words, it was magical. I was still struggling in the friends department, but it turns out that all it took was one frustrated outburst about students going around me and scheduling their own shows to get two of those sorting regulars to think I was hilarious. Chris M. and Jamie have never let me forget that. Of course, I learned of this well after the fact. It took till the end of the year for me to really bond with those around me, to connect with Macayla and Melissa, Chris Hope, and Dylan (who were sadly lost to graduation that year).
My newfound friends joined me on the board at the end of that year, and I couldn’t have been more delighted. It’s no secret that this was the point when our incoming general manager took me on a date that wasn’t a date…even though it was definitely a date. It’s just part of WVUD lore at this point, and since I see everything in storybook form, it just seems right that it happened the way it did. And we’ve been together ever since.
Junior and senior years were, if possible, even more of a blur than sophomore year was. The Ops Board retreat, Open Mic Nights, Battle of the Bands, long nights in the lounge, co-hosting each others’ shows (more like crashing each others’ shows), meetings that lasted way too long, the occurrence of nuptials between the women of the Ops Board (it’s a long story)…we did it all. There were good times and certainly some rather ugly times, but things always seemed to work out in the end. We went through the sadness of watching other Ops members graduate, but we also got to find friends in the new Ops members who joined us.
Perhaps our favorite running joke is the fact that our experience at WVUD has been scarily akin to a sitcom, and one day, those of us who call ourselves writers will sit down and script it all out. It’s hard to describe without going deep into the lore, but trust that we have pages upon pages of memories, humorous bits, and recountings of situations that were so odd, you truly can’t make them up. It may not be for 20 years, but please do keep an eye out for the debut of our TV show, “College Radio.”
I have no shortage of memories from my time here, and I could continue sharing them until I’ve written a full book (or a four-season TV show). But a very special one that I do want to include happened on our Ops Board retreat at the beach this past September (Chris and Neil – you were there in spirit). After our typical four-plus hour meeting in the morning, we finally got time to suit up and hit the surf. It was a cloudy, somewhat cool day that didn’t call for much interaction with the water, especially for a weakling like myself. As the fish of the group, Jamie took to the waves immediately. I can’t remember who it was that gave in to his encouragement first and joined him. I just know that I was (shockingly) third to go in. The water was quite cold, but I had to admit that I’d missed the ocean. One by one, each of the remaining members on the beach submitted to the peer pressure and made their way into the water, however reluctantly. And then we swam together, diving through waves, splashing, getting pushed around. It was one of those scenes that felt like it should be in that TV show, and I never wanted it to end. That continues to be the first of the many amazing memories I’ve made with this group, even though I was still getting to know some of them.
WVUD filled the empty space in my heart in every way that I needed it to. It gave me a place on campus, a basement hidden away and known only to those of us who call it home. Being on the radio gave me the chance to be someone else…someone who is confident in herself, someone who isn’t quite so afraid to put herself out of her comfort zone, someone who can be cheeky and charismatic (when she wants to be), someone with a radio personality. My show has been my creative outlet, where I get to share my favorite music with others and introduce them to something they’ve never heard before.
But perhaps most important and most difficult to leave are the people who came into my life because of the station. These people are wonderful, driven, silly, inspiring, passionate, and true. From Steve and Dave to all my fellow Ops Board members to every person that has passed through the station during my tenure here – I wouldn’t be who I am today without them. And for that, I will forever be grateful. The fact that my time here is coming to an end still hasn’t really hit me yet. I’m confident that it will, and it’s going to hurt for a long time. But that pain is worth the knowledge that I got to be part of something so special. To my own spin on a quote from Steve Kramarck himself, WVUD is not everything to everyone, but it has been everything to me.
And now here I am, experiencing my full circle moment. I’ve gone through the transition to college, I’ve struggled and found my way, I’ve made true friends, I’ve watched those before me move on…and now it’s my turn. I’m not ready to go, but I don’t think I’ll ever be. I leave my precious station in capable hands, and even though it’s hard, I know it’s time for me to step back and give others the opportunity that I had: the chance to make this organization my own. I’m more than proud to have served the time that I have, and I’m honored to take my place in WVUD history.
After all, this has been my story, and it’s time for new ones to be written.
But it’s not quite over yet. We seniors put great thought into what we will choose as our last song played over WVUD’s airwaves. We see it as our legacy, how we want listeners to remember us, our rite of passage through the golden gates of whatever the WVUD version of Valhalla looks like. Some of us have been thinking about this choice for years. It’s a big decision and not one that any of us takes lightly. My final show will air from 2-3 pm on Friday, May 23rd, the day that falls between my convocation and commencement. If you are so inclined, please do tune in.
May 14, 2025 | Student Submissions
Macayla Cook | 12 May, 2025
As soon as I heard Magdalena Bay’s sophomore album Imaginal Disk, I knew I wanted to hear it live. Released at the end of summer 2024, the album captured all of the excitement of their first LP, Mercurial World, just with more polish. One thing that I adore in music is when weird people do cool stuff, and I think Magdalena Bay is a fantastic example of that. The group consists of lead singer Mica Tenenbaum and guitarist Matthew Lewin, who have known each other since high school and are together, if I remember correctly. Either way, I hope these two continue to produce their weird little songs together for a long time.
The show was in Franklin Music Hall, which is a place I had never been before. As an experienced concertgoer who grew up right outside of Philadelphia, I thought I knew the venues in the city by now, but turns out I was wrong, and Franklin Music Hall is actually a really cute place. It’s general admission, with a massive floor and an upper level boasting a bar. It’s sort of like if the Theatre of Living Arts and The Fillmore had a baby, and as a girl in her early 20s who still appreciates the art of a general admission concert, I was definitely digging the venue.
This was also the first time that I was going to a press pass concert alone. I’ve written reviews of shows before, but always as the reviewer of a duo where someone else took the photos. This time, the only pass was for me, meaning I stood down in that pit and figured out how to use a camera in real time as opener Sam Austins performed.
I would say how the opener was, but in all honesty, I was more focused on trying to figure out the right exposure to be shooting with (I did not figure it out). He seemed energetic. His vest was stylish. I hope he had fun.
Following Sam Austins, the press was ushered to line up against a wall, single file, so that the crew could move around freely while we waited for the headliners. In that time, I made friends with a few other photographers, who were kind enough to teach me how to zoom! Score!
Before I knew it, it was time. The stage lights spun, all pointing to a short woman with dark bangs wearing a blue two-piece set. I remember admiring her ability to pull off parachute pants as she greeted the audience with an identical, soft “hello” to the one the album opener, “She Looked Like Me!” begins with.
The first couple of songs were a complete blur. Mica Tenenbaum is gorgeous up close and a great performer to watch, as girly is simply having the time of her life. She proceeded to skip, twirl, and pose around the stage, and we down in the press junket ate it up. Her voice also sounds exactly like that in real life, meaning her vocals live have the same pouty, dreamy quality as they do on the studio versions of their songs.
At the end of “Image,” the photographers were ushered out of the pit, where a few of us took up residency on a landing of the staircase leading to the balcony. I was a lot more relaxed from there on out, having completed what I deemed to be the hard part of my job (getting usable photos of the band despite having no photography experience). I could do the rest of this; I know music and I know it quite well.
Magdalena Bay are deeply engaging performers. They’re clearly having a ton of fun on stage, and Tenenbaum is a very dynamic lead singer. The show followed the same plot as their high-concept album, all about transformation and the idea of someone’s true form. There were a few slight diversions, as the set was interspersed with a few favorites from other releases, but for the most part, the show was Imaginal Disk.
One of my favorite moments of the show actually came during one of these diversions, when the band was playing “Chaeri” off their first album. Tenenbaum instructed the audience to repeat the bridge, consisting of the simple lines, “three, four, down to the floor/lose control/little more.” As thousands of people continued their chant, Tenenbaum came in with her own lines, working her way up from a whisper to a screaming crescendo. Later on, a friend of mine who was also at the show would say this moment felt to her like a ritual, and I kind of agree, but in a fun way. I could get down with a ritual at the Magdalena Bay show.
The show was wildly entertaining, even for some of the other photographers, who were a lot less familiar with the album than I was. Tenenbaum went through multiple costume changes and props over the course of the performance, switching out her blue set for a red one about halfway through the show before donning a leotard and sheer flowy skirt for the encore. At one point, she performed a full song wearing a sunflower hat. She also wore a bunny mask for a couple of minutes, spent a couple of songs twirling around in a cape, and became the titular character for “Angel on a Satellite” by fitting herself with a pair of feathery wings.
I can appreciate a good costume change, and this diva knocked it out of the park.
Overall, I would absolutely recommend checking out Magdalena Bay’s music and going to see them if you have the chance. Their brand of high-concept indie synth pop is so fun to listen to and even more fun to see live, as they clearly put a ton of thought and effort into their performances. Like I said before, Magdalena Bay is an amazing example of weird people doing cool stuff, and I think we as a society could stand to have a lot more weird, cool art.
May 13, 2025 | Student Submissions
Neil Irungu | 13 May, 2025
On September 15, 2024, Dashboard Confessional performed a headlining concert with opening acts Tayor Acorn and Boy Like Girls at the Met in Philadelphia. Below is a photo gallery of that show!
First Opener: Taylor Acorn
Pop-punk singer-songwriter Taylor Acorn opens for Dashboard Confessional.
Second Opener: BOYS LIKE GIRLS
Martin Johnson (vocalist), John Keefe (drummer), Gregory James (bassist), and Jamel Hawke (lead guitarist) of pop-punk band BOYS LIKE GIRLS open for Dashboard Confessional.
Headliner: Dashboard Confessional
Chris Carrabba (lead vocalist), Scott Schoenbeck (bassist), Armon Jay (lead guitarist) Chris Kamrada (drummer), Kenny Bridges (guitarist/pianist), and Abigal Kelly (backing vocals) of emo-core pop-punk band Dashboard Confessional perform for their fans.
May 11, 2025 | Student Submissions
Neil Irungu | 11 May, 2025
On Friday, November 8, 2024, WVUD reporter Neil Irungu photographed a Melt concert at the Brooklyn Bowl in Philly. Here is a photo gallery of the show!
Opener: Maris
Singer-songwriter Maris opens for Melt!
Main Act: Melt
Veronica Stewart-Frommer (vocalist), Marlo Shankweiler (guitarist), and bassist Lucas Saur of indie-pop band Melt perform for their fans in Philly!
Apr 25, 2025 | Student Submissions
Rachel Wynkoop | April 25, 2025
On April 21st, Ben Kweller made his 5th stop in his Cover the Mirrors tour at Underground Arts in Philly – what a way to spend a monday night.
Ben Kweller is an American singer-songwriter with a sound I find a little hard to place into a genre but I would best describe as indie rock. I first heard of Ben Kweller through his single “Dollar Store” where Waxahatchee (who I’ve been a fan of for a while) has featured vocals. I was blown away. The song felt familiar, like a song that used to play on the radio when you were young, but found again and really heard for the first time. I found out that the album featuring that single, and the reason for this tour, Cover the Mirrors, is the artist’s first album since the tragic passing of his son. The name itself reflects the content of the album with covering mirrors being part of the mourning process in Jewish culture. I’ve kept up with the singles he’s been releasing with features from The Flaming Lips and Coconut Records as well as slowly working my way through his prolific previous work as I impatiently wait for the album release (May 30th – his son’s birthday), and this performance only solidified my anticipation.
Ryman
The opener for this event was a singer-songwriter from Nashville, Ryman. I learned after his set while chatting with him by the merch table that it was his first time in Philly and that he unfortunately had gotten food poisoning the night before. Despite his misfortune, he was there with a positive attitude. Honestly, if he hadn’t mentioned it I would have had no idea, his performance was delightful. He brought a very personable presence to the performance which really backed how much emotion he put into his songs. The music was fun but it was also very honest. He’s freshly 21 and his songs feel like that, which for someone around the same age felt relatable. My favorite song he performed is one I have yet to be able to track down on Spotify so I suppose it’s not yet released, but his latest single “Lucy” was also a favorite of mine with a soulful melody that slowly builds, paralleling the story the lyrics that tell of the trouble of accepting you likely deserve more than what a relationship is offering you. Overall stellar start to the show.
Ben Kweller
Now I’ll be honest, I didn’t know what to expect going into this show – the new album dealt with some pretty heavy themes and it was a Monday night – but the crowd and Ben brought the energy. As soon as he stepped on stage the room electrified, people teeming with excitement. He started off the set solo on the keys with “Thirteen” which is a bit of a slower song but only played into building the anticipation of the rest of the show. That song also features a harmonica solo so it won me over instantly. He brought out the rest of the band he would perform within a smooth transition during the second song “Falling.” Everybody, both on stage and in the crowd, really felt like they were having the time of their lives and the energy was completely infectious. You could tell many of the people there had been fans for quite some time now and had a firm dedication. Now Underground Arts isn’t the largest venue with a capacity of 650 people, but it felt like every person in that room knew every lyric. Playing into that Ben led the group in a sort of three-part harmony for “Family Tree” and I’ll be honest the crowd sounded really good, as also noted by the bassist who happened to be Chris Mintz-Plasse (McLovin from Superbad, of whom I seem to have gotten no pictures of). The show alternated between songs with the band and solo performances and even when some of the heavier and slower songs were played the concert never felt like it was dragging or disconnected but rather took those moments and stride and quickly got right back to the excitement. He played the new singles, some requests from the crowd, and even an unreleased one off the new album. Intermixed with the incredible performance were little anecdotes –how the unreleased song was originally written with his son and what it was like finishing it after his death. The concert was rounded out with an encore of “Dollar Store” and one of my personal favorites “Wasted and Ready” (maybe not the most polite song, but it’s really fun and catchy). Overarchingly the concert felt like a testament to the themes covered in his upcoming album, a testament to a long-lived career and feeling your grief but not standing in it for too long, rather carrying it with you as you continue to move forward and live despite it all, relying on love to keep you moving.
Apr 9, 2025 | Student Submissions
Intro & Compilation Edits by Macayla Cook
After a frigid winter, spring is finally here, and we here at WVUD couldn’t be more excited about warm weather, blooming flowers, and the end of seasonal depression. In keeping with radio tradition, here are the Ops Board’s picks for the perfect songs to ring in spring this year!
James Kelly, General Manager
“Solar Power” – Lorde
As soon as the warmer weather hits–and my sinuses decide they hate me–it’s all sunshine and open sunroofs. I was a bit late to the game with Lorde’s latest album from 2021, but since I’ve first listened to it, it’s become a pavlovian response when the thermometer ticks over 70 degrees. It’s warm, beachy, and if you try hard enough, you can feel cold sand under your feet. What? It’s not summer just yet, so that crap’s gonna be freezing.
“August 10” – Khruangbin
Driving with the sunroof open and this on the radio after it reaches warm temps is also pavlovian, much like the response to warm weather that girls obsessed with their tanning regimen have. I’ve said it before, Khruangbin is great for any occasion, season, or get-together. In this instance, use it to remind yourself that it’s only going to get warmer out. Might as well get a head start on feeling excited about it, yeah?
“Carolina in My Mind” – James Taylor
The best part about this song is that “Carolina” could be anywhere or anyone. Where’s the place you take yourself in your head to clear your thoughts? To remind yourself not to take yourself too seriously, or that life doesn’t have to always be hard? James Taylor has a way of putting a melody behind some of the most resonating lyrics ever put on the sleeves of records. When it’s finally warm enough to tolerate being outside, my mind goes to my “Carolina,” where I’m with everyone I love in the places that I love. Have a listen, so you can go and find yours.
Gretchen Hartenstein, Program Director
“SUPERBLOOM” – Misterwives
When I think of spring-coded songs, “SUPERBLOOM” is what immediately comes to mind. Not only does the title lend itself to spring, but it hits you with an energetic beat that you can’t help but move to. To me, it feels like coming alive again, reminding me that I’ve made it through winter and warm, sunny days are ahead. Plus, what’s not to love about some heavy-duty horns?
“Anyone For You (Tiger Lily)” – George Ezra
“Tiger Lily” is simply bright and happy and exactly what we need as we head into springtime. Its peppy piano riff feels like the warm sunshine that we’ve been craving on these cold, cloudy days. Nothing is better than the first time you get to roll the windows down in the car again and this song is what I want playing from my speakers when that day comes.
“Wild Roses” – Of Monsters and Men
While not as bright in nature as the previous songs, “Wild Roses” takes me back to a point during my time here at UD when the earth was waking up and so was I. It was the moment when I finally felt like I was home. I’d found my people and my place, or perhaps they had found me. I embraced that rebirth with open arms and I have a feeling that spring is always going to be a reminder of that time in life.
Melissa Wood, Promotions Director
“Devils in the Canyon” -The Strike
Picture this: you and your friends are in a slick black convertible (top down, of course) coasting through an endless maze of plateaus and rolling hills. Above you, a sea of constellations floods the cloudless night sky. As you cruise down the empty highway ahead of you, the cool night breeze blows through your hair, and you cannot help but feel at peace, like all’s right with the world. This is the image that comes to mind whenever I listen to this song. To me, the upbeat nature and sense of freedom this song evokes within me is why I associate it with spring. It’s like you’re letting go of all your burdens and embracing the change that life brings.
“Carried Away” -Passion Pit
This song is yet another upbeat vocal heavy tune that I feel does a perfect job encompassing the warmth and joy that follow the onset of spring. Whenever I hear this song, all I can think about is strolling in a peaceful meadow filled to the brim with bright yellow and red daisies, the sun shining gently on my face. If you’re looking for a bright and happy song to lift you to the sun in your spirits, I definitely recommend this song.
“drive all night” – joan
Like my first recommendation, this song reminds me of the feeling elicited when driving late at night. Here, however, I am not with my friends, but with a love interest, and I am not in a canyon, but on the edge of a small town, about to leave it forever to start a new beginning. To me, this song offers a warm feeling with its saturated and reverbed vocals, as well as a bright atmosphere with its upbeat tempo that screams “spring is here!”
Rebecca Lewis, Production Director
“striptease” – carwash
carwash is no stranger to making beautiful indie pop music. This song, “striptease,” is an example of a perfect song to play while driving, whether you are driving on windy backroads, hills, or long, flat highways. It sets a calming tone, perfect for those late spring nights. If you are interested in just vibing along with some sweet indie lo-fi tunes, give this song a listen. It will not disappoint.
“Piedmont” – Destroy Boys
As an avid Destroy Boys fan, I had to include this song. Spring is the time for blossoming new life and love, and sometimes, life may not always live up to the grand expectations we set for it. For when things seem to be going every way other than the way you want, “Piedmont” is a perfect song, delivered first in a calmer tone than most other Destroy Boys music, before ramping up later on. Springtime is a time of uncertainty, as we are still figuring out how the rest of the year is going to look, and this song highlights those feelings of uncertainty.
“Let the Sun In” – Wallows
This song perfectly encapsulates spring to me. The song beautifully combines the bands normal indie music style with tasteful trumpet music, creating a fantastic “dancing in a meadow in a sundress” vibe. It could be argued this song is more summer than spring, but as we are “letting the sun in,” it feels like a perfect segue from the darkness of winter to the blossoming beauty of spring.
Sophia Shull, Music Director
“Sure As Spring” – La Luz
Everything about this song screams springtime. From the title to the album art and instrumentals, La Luz delivers this melody in the form of a warm breeze and the smell of pollen in the air. Go outside, close your eyes, listen to this song, and breathe in the fresh air. The keyboard solo also ties the whole song together!
“BUTTERFLY” – MARINA
What better way to start spring than a new MARINA song? Marina Diamandis is no stranger to glitz and glam. If you’re looking for some girl pop, this is the song for you! Be sure to enjoy the freshly bloomed flowers swarmed by beautiful butterflies (and plant native milkweed to attract endangered monarch butterfly species, while you’re at it)!
“Mind Crawler” – Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats
The perfect song to drive to on a cool spring night. The WVUD Music Department is very familiar with Unc’s groovy tunes, and “Mind Crawler” is no exception! Enjoy the vibrance of spring while listening to this psychedelic beat.
Sanaa Mason, Sports Director
“Kiss of Life” – Sade
Honestly, if this song could be injected into my bloodstream, I think antidepressants would be needed less, but it could also be that this song, accompanied by the increasing amount of Vitamin D outside, is just its own cure. It’s soft, it’s calm, it sounds like a really, really good strawberry, and frankly, it could not be more perfect.
“Who Let the Dogs Out” – Baha Men
Of course, as soon as the warm weather appears, the men show out with their dogs…I mean feet. The unclipped toenails accompanied by 6-year-old flip flops truly lets me know that spring is upon us. “Who Let the Dogs Out” is a question I ask myself every year as soon as the weather is over 60 degrees. It is truly a spectacle.
“Rose Colored Lenses” – Miley Cyrus
In class the other day, I heard that someone blocked Miley Cyrus on Instagram after her crazy phase, and I am so glad that never happened to me because this song is pure magic. Rose colored lenses are often seen as a bad thing, but, let’s be honest, as soon as the sun begins to come out, a lot of our worries seem miles away. This song is the perfect transition song to blast while driving down the street, tanning on The Green, or my personal favorite, screaming out the window of your car as you pick up your mother from work.
Macayla Cook, News Director
“Put Your Records On” – Corinne Bailey Rae
My mom always cleaned to this song when I was little, and it still reminds me of the first day after a long winter when you can finally open the windows and enjoy the breeze. In my mind, spring is a time to finally get outside, let the sun hit your face, and ultimately remember that life is worth living (shout out seasonal affective disorder!).
“These Days” – Wallows
Wallows has a sound to me that is just so quintessentially warm weather. Whenever Newark finally gets its first 70-degree sunny day, you can find me listening to Wallows in the grass, a book and a cup of matcha in my hands. Also, this song comes from an EP that is quite literally called Spring. It’s the perfect spring song.
“15 Minutes” – Sabrina Carpenter
I have been bumping Sabrina Carpenter in every season of my life since “Can’t Blame A Girl for Trying” came out in spring of 2014. Judging as the deluxe version of Short n’ Sweet just came out boasting this absolute feat of pop production, I find it only fitting that we celebrate spring with Sabrina. Consider “lot of pretty boys, lot of funny business” to be my official mission statement for the coming months.
Chris Malinowski, Training Director
“Spring” – Two Door Cinema Club
Usually, I’d be one to recommend a song off of TDCC’s debut album, Tourist History, but when an opportunity to use a song with “Spring” in the title arises, you just have to grab hold of said opportunity and firmly grasp it. “Spring” is a simple song with a melodic guitar riff that captures the essence of the season but with underlying tones of a long-lost love. Also, I’d highly recommend the album that this song is from, Beacon, as I would also consider that a spring album too.
“Shutdown” – Joywave
Is it really a certified Chris song section if I don’t reference Joywave at least once? “Shutdown” is a track off of Joywave’s second album, Content, and I wholeheartedly believe that it’s a song that captures the rejuvenation of one’s feelings and emotions, especially if they were plagued by seasonal depression during the winter season. As an added bonus, there is a section at the end of the song where it feels as though you’re sitting at the park with birds chirping and the wind blowing outside and to me, that means that it’s finally spring.
“On Your Own” – Vacations
To me, “On Your Own” has been a staple within my alternative playlists since it was released back in 2019. I’m not fully sure why but there’s something about this song that captures a spring-like essence. From the catchy guitar riff to riveting chorus, there’s a lot to love with this song and it takes me back to spring of my junior year of high school, when I originally started gauging alternative and indie songs off of YouTube.
Neil Irungu, Treasurer
“eight (feat. SUGA)” – IU
A remnant from my BTS obsession (that I hope comes back), “eight” is an old friend that calls you up out of nowhere to hang out because you haven’t seen them in a while and you rush to answer. IU’s airy vocals make for a bubblegum-light experience which, when accompanied with SUGA’s production and rapping feature, is a fun contrast. It’s a pretty easy listen, and I think it captures that breezy, simple happiness that I get whenever it starts warming up outside. The sun comes out, and I bask in the sun like a lizard and remember life is worth it because I get to experience good music and a gentle breeze.
“Cross The Street” – Junior Varsity
This song popped up when I was trapped in Instagram Reels because the band was promoting it, and it jolted me out of my cage and right into my Apple Music because I had to have it on loop. It remains the only Junior Varsity song I’ve listened to, primarily because I know I’ll fall into a whole rabbit hole about them and I have no money to spend on merch right now. The bass line is addictive; the hazy vocals in the verses and the crowd-chanting-together effect in the chorus bring me the kind of joy Marie Kondo talks about. This is a song that convinces me I can dance even though I inherited my father’s moves (standing there and bobbing like a buoy).
“Lost” – Frank Ocean
The minute you put this song on, I’m jamming. The bouncy synth, the low background vocals in the chorus, the bass, the drums. Everything in this song is a sip of happiness for me, and I’m completely unapologetic about it. I also associate it with warm drives with my friends to the Newark Reserve, since WVUD alumna Eden Asmelash introduced me to Frank. Even my mom–my incredibly picky mother–loves this song. It transcends generations. Bless your ears today and listen to this song when it’s warm outside with a refreshing drink of your choice.
