The Perfect Playlist - Taylor Stewart

Nervous Breakdown: when the only way to keep your adrenaline up is to work yourself into a neurotic frenzy, these near - psychotic tracks will make sure you don't fall asleep at the wheel or your desk. No disco.


Everybody's Got Something To Hide - The Feelies
Motorik, German for "motor skill," is a propulsive 4/4 drum pattern popularized in 1970s Germany by acts like Neu. Though The Feelies have more of an overall post-punk/jangle pop style, this particular album has cleaner guitars and more percussion experimentation. The motorik rhythm here is great for this playlist, and has kind of a jittery feeling paired with manic melodies and opaque lyrics. It's also the perfect starting song, because of how it begins so bluntly.

Outside World - XTC
Nonstop-upbeat, tense, jerky, and ska revival-esque, this song shakes off the last of any lull you may have been experiencing. The aural equivalent of an afternoon cup of coffee.

Through Being Cool - Devo
This song has an interesting story behind it. The album New Traditionalists brought a new look for Devo, who wore self-described "Utopian Boy Scout uniforms." This song was written as a reaction to their newfound fame from "Whip It," an attack on their new fans that misinterpreted the song—and Devo's—message. With an almost uniquely electronic sound, the feeling of paranoia-dance-party is rampant through this song. 

Debaser - Pixies
Pixies are the most grunge-y of these artists, although this song may not be the best example - it's still a great song, and the drum part especially is very fluid. the jagged guitars and stop-start dynamics combine with with melodic pop hooks to create a less structured sound than the previous songs. Here, the playlist is transitioning from ultra-synth to a more raw sound, although still structured.

Psychotic Girl - The Black Keys
It's easy to call them counterparts of The White Stripes - but the Black Keys are their own distinct thing; a tougher, rougher rock band with a purist streak that never surfaced in the Stripes. This song completes the transition from structured and neat to eerie, haunting, and more blues-y - I felt like I had to include an extra here. It makes curtains all the more fitting and better to end.


Curtains?! - Timber Timbre
Not exceedingly fast or upbeat like most of these songs, it's still super eerie and should be in a Scooby-Doo episode. Especially the ending. The whole sound is beautifully restrained, rooted in swampy, ragged blues - creating a spooky, cinematic atmosphere. A slightly calmer way to end before you return to the real world.


*note: sorry for the six-song thing, I had to do it