Stevie Wonder said in his song “Sir Duke,” “Music is a world within itself; it's a language we all understand.” This is what ‘The Rewind’ is all about. Music carries different meanings for everyone, and it is really cool to dive deeper into it.
'The Rewind' was a niche I developed in the spring at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire where I discussed album releases, single drops and anything else musically related for the corresponding week in history.
Without further ado, The Rewind: University of Wisconsin-Madison edition.
“Songs In The Key Of Life”
On Sept. 28, 1976, Stevie Wonder released his 18th studio album “Songs In The Key Of Life.” The album was only the third to debut number one on the Billboard Pop Albums Chart and the first album by an American artist to do so.
The album features some of his arguably most recognizable songs including “Isn’t She Lovely,” “Contusion” and “Sir Duke.” This is definitely an album everyone must listen to in their lifetime. There’s a reason Olivia Pope praised the album in “Scandal”.
“Body Paint”
The Arctic Monkeys released their single “Body Paint” on Sept. 29, 2022, which was later featured on their seventh studio album “The Car.” This album was the first from the English band since 2018’s “Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino.”
This song and album really pushed the Arctic Monkeys in a different direction. Their earlier works captured teenage angst in the indie-rock genre, but “The Car” pushed back on this.
As someone who drained their bank account to see AM on their 2023 North American Tour, it was a different experience than other tours I’ve read about. This album has a “lounge-act” feel which allows the band to experiment without the pressures of the music industry.
My dad, who went to the concert with me, described it as “Kings of Leon performing as a lounge-act with David Coverdale of Whitesnake in an English accent.”
While I would have described it as an amazing experience seeing my all time favorite band perform, my dad had a different opinion.
The death of Tom Petty
On Oct. 2, 2017, the world lost award-winning musician Tom Petty at 66 years old. Petty found major success in his solo career and in his stints in Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Mudcrutch and The Traveling Wilburys.
Petty initially became interested in rock music after meeting Elvis Presely in 1961 and later went on to win three Grammy awards. I will be eternally jealous my dad saw Petty live several times in his home state of Florida.
“The Crane Wife”
The Decemberists released their fourth album, “The Crane Wife,” on Oct. 3, 2006. This is one of my favorite albums by the Portland, Oregon band. It is based on an old Japanese folk tale.
The story talks about a man who finds a wounded crane and nurses it back to health. When released, the bird turned into a woman and offered to be the man’s wife. The album is filled with whimsical lore, which I love.
“Soy Pablo”
On Oct. 5, 2018, Norwegian music project Boy Pablo released their debut album “Soy Pablo.” This album is on the shorter side, clocking in at just over 21 minutes, making it a quick but enjoyable listening experience.
Its style is similar to artists like Dayglow, with a warm pop bubbly feeling. It sounds as if it should be in a soundtrack for a coming-of-age movie.
