Old Music Wednesday: 6/11/25
What This Is
Spotify and other services offer AI-curated playlists and recommendations, pushing new music into listeners’ ears every week. The goal of Old Music Wednesday is to counter that by digging into the backlog with 5 songs released anywhere from 1-100 years ago and giving a brief annotation for each one, explaining why it’s special and providing context.
Click the album covers for the Spotify links!
“No Magic” by Sam Blasucci,
Real Life Thing, 2024
Sam Blasucci is a breath of fresh air in the synthesized, artificial world of current music. Feeling simultaneously fresh and nostalgic, the piano-led 70’s alt-rock instrumentation pairs perfectly with the lyrical tale of lacking magic and emotion in modern romance. This was easily my favorite discovery from last year, and now it can be yours too.
“Manhattan Youth” by Been Stellar,
Been Stellar - EP, 2022
Been Stellar is a band on the rise, springing from the new york college indie scene post-covid with this EP. “Manhattan Youth” is an anthemic, dancable rock song about being lost and disillusioned in NYC. Early 2000’s inspirations mix to create a fresh, original tone to match Sam’s Dylan-esque poetic lyrics.
“Nowhere to Be” by Remember Sports,
Sunchokes, 2016
Poetic in a different way, Remember Sports’ lyrics feel like exerpts from a lovesick angsty teen’s diary, intimate and direct. The lo-fi grunge guitars and fem vocals evokes Bratmobile and the other Riot Grrl amateur bands of the 90’s in the best way possible. Full of youth and longing, it’s a vibe for certain.
“I Married Myself” by Sparks,
Lil’ Beethoven, 2002
I’ll admit it: Sparks is too weird for me sometimes. However, it’s songs like this, that create a perfect blend of classical music, synth-pop, and melodrama that make me like them. A theatrical ballad about retreating into yourself and away from external romance, it’s melancholic in a very honest, real way.
“Miniscule” by Lealani,
Fantastic Planet, 2019
Lealani is self-described in her lyrics as an alien and a robot. Her music is wholly original, keeping an analog, tactile feel while utilizing fat, distorting synth pads. It was amazing to see live, the dexterous dance on the synth pad on par with a vinyl-scratching disc jockey. The lyrics on this album are just as original, emotional with a surreal sci-fi flavor.
