After my first job at MTV working as a music programmer, I can't stop trying to matchmake people with music they might like. So, I wrote a book called Record Collecting for Girls and started interviewing musicians. The Music Concierge is a column where I share music I'm listening to that you might enjoy, with a little context. Follow me on Twitter or Facebook, or leave me a comment below and tell me what you're listening to this week.
Dolly Parton "A Woman's Right"
This week, thanks to Dolly Parton and WNYC's More Perfect podcast, we all get a reminder of why we're in the resistance. The latter teamed up with a bunch of artists to create The Most Perfect Album, stocked with songs about each of the Constitutional Amendments. Parton, whose music, career, and message has been strongly in favour equality for women, takes the issue of the 19th Amendment on this track lauding the fight for women's right to vote (and how men thought the issue was, in Parton's words, "a joke") . Nobody kicks Dolly out of the voting booth.
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Christine and the Queens "La marcheuse"
Christine and the Queens released one of the must-hear pop albums of 2018 today. I personally am so drawn to the French-language version of the track "The Walker." The project is a Sasha Fierce-esque performance from French producer Hélöise Letissier, who crafted Christine as her androgynous pop star armour to explore a gender neutral world. And while her pop beats are undeniably masterful, this relatively stripped down, intimate track is what really hits the mark.
Mountain Man "Rang Tang Ring Toon"
Another stellar album worth spending some time with that's out this week comes from the folk trio Mountain Man. The group spent some time in North Carolina putting together their long-awaited first album. This track is only a teaser; if you like haunting vocal harmonies sung from the female point of view, don't miss them.
Disco Shrine "Up in the Air"
Tales of immigration feel like they're very "of the moment," but, honestly, the stories of migrants make up the history of the world. However, Disco Shrine, an Iranian indie pop musician and DJ puts her unique musical spin on this age old story, crafting a song about her parents' struggle as they migrated from Iran to America. It's light-hearted music paired with happy lyrics punctuated with some realness about the doubts and fears immigrants face when starting over in a new culture.
"Ruth B. "Rare"
Ruth B.'s voice caught my ear by being utterly different from what most divas aim for these days; she lives in the lower registers so that when her voice lifts up to the midrange it sounds absolutely heavenly. But what made me stay were her self-confident lyrics that to address the anxiety of life in the swiping era of dating. Adding this to my "you are good enough" playlist.
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