Music for your Mind

So, music. It can range from soothing lotion for your senses, or a truly horrifying rash your doctor can’t explain. Around this time of year, we could all use some of that nice music for the soundtrack of Finals Week. So if you don’t have time right now to sit down for a whole movie for a pick-me-up, here are some musical choices you can find in the library right now to soothe your inner savage student!  CDs are on the main floor, around the corner from the copiers.

Sarah McLachlan-  Surfacing   [M1630.18.M335 S8 1997]

I swear, Sarah McLachlan really does do other things besides make sad shelter doggie commercials that can ruin your whole day. Her voice, which is often rather sad and haunting, can also be pretty calming given the right mood. Her 1997 album Surfacing is pretty much the ultimate “chill” CD. It`s songs are not always super happy, but they have a very analgesic effect, especially when you're just sitting there, trying to make yourself get up to go grab your books. Plug in some Sarah, and just let it flow. Just don’t watch anything with sad puppies while it`s on.

Janis Joplin-  Super Hits [M1630.18.J656 S8 2000]
Well, sometimes you don’t need your music to be mellow. Sometimes you need it to be angry. Or at least loud. And that’s where Janis Joplin comes in. Janis has one of the most emotional, soulful voices you're going to hear, or at least one of the most well known. This CD has many of her biggest hits, like Cry Baby, One Good Man, and my personal favorite, Piece of My Heart. If you're already a big Joplin fan, this CD might seem a little repetitive, especially if you like her more obscure stuff. However, if you want her biggest hits all together, or are just getting into her music, check it out. It's filled with anger and pain and emotion, and is just the kind of music you can scream along to in your car when finals stress is threatening to explode your head.

A Celtic Tapestry   [M1744.C452 1997] 

Maybe it's just me, but there is something about Celtic music that just takes me to my happy place. Maybe it’s the quick changes in pace, maybe it’s the way it can be infused with so many other genres I love, like blues, rock, or ska. Or maybe I just love a good flute solo, I don’t know. But the point is, the whole genre just makes my worries go away, at least for the 3-ish minutes the song lasts. Luckily, the library has a really big collection of Celtic music. Maybe not the most recent collection (most of it recorded in the 90s,) but it's hard to call any Celtic tunes dated when they're based on music that's maybe thousands of years old, going back to the days of oral tradition! If you're interested in going Celtic, this CD, with a good mix of sounds and instrumentals, is a good place to start. Especially if you want to try to find that happy place.

CP