Dear Rocka readers,
This month I finished writing a piece I’ve written in my head for a year now, shifted my gears into fall listening habits, and turned my listening feed off at night to listen to “Country Girl (Shake It For Me).
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Last August, I randomly went to a show in Los Angeles when I was in town for just about a day. I saw Been Stellar and couldn’t quite pin why they stood out so aggressively to me. There were a handful of acts who performed that night at Baader House, but they stood out. Every time I’ve listened to “Louis XIV” in the car or on my afternoon walks, I ask myself “why is this so special?”. I struggled even writing the article, despite having a bunch of notes and having followed the group’s major growth arc over the past few months. I sculpted the piece around the theory (and now buzz word) of the “inner child.” I think Been Stellar captures the nuanced experience of growing up so authentically, and I can’t wait to see them flourish. My favorite detail of the piece and our conversation is the differences between how the US interacts with music versus UK & EU. Maybe I should move? You can read my feature here.
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The song I’ve been obsessed with as of late is Leonard Cohen’s 1986 track,“Famous Blue Raincoat.” I actively heard this song a few weeks ago after many years of listening to Songs of Love and Hate. I’ve always been familiar with the song, but for some reason this song stuck out to me. Ice pack Velcro-ed around my head with a hell of a migraine, I sat straight up in my bed to look more into it. The song is about as ambiguous as it sounds, flowing with mystery and guided by Cohen’s signature eerie vocals. I find it enchanting. I’m still trying to figure out why it has chosen right now to stick with me. Here is an article I found about its history/meaning/ other covers. This is my favorite stanza:
And what can I tell you my brother, my killer
What can I possibly say?
I guess that I miss you, I guess I forgive you
I'm glad you stood in my way
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The seasons are shifting and I’m afraid of winter. Nothing drains your life forces more than a midwest winter. But until my face is frost bitten, I will marinate in autumn. I’m trying to find the balance between enjoying life while also realizing that my current situation (which I’m not very fond of often) is temporary. Everything is temporary. These songs are an attempt to strike that feeling of life always seeming like you’re in limbo. Check it out.
Until next time.
Rocka out,
Alexandra
(+the rockamag team of S, J & T)