Music to Atone To
relatable music that seeks to atone and lift the spirit with brent faulkner
featuring artists like
Brittany Howard, Declan McKenna, BROCKHAMPTON, Janelle Monáe, John Legend, Bruce Springsteen, Gary Clark, Jr.
Perhaps you’re like Alexander – you’ve experienced a “No good, very bad day.” Maybe, a difficult situation in life extends beyond a bad day. A break-up with your significant other has got you down. The loss of a family member has you feeling mighty low. You’ve lost your job, and now, you must rebuild and rebrand. Bummer! All of these unfortunate life experiences and more are captured by the songs featured on this playlist.
This playlist needs no genres; it’s a collection of relatable music that seeks to atone and lift the spirit. Some music reflects pain and misfortune that devastates, but ultimately, it’s therapeutic – a means to move forward.
Face to Face – Rex Orange County
12 November 2019
“I grew up, you grew down, we found out / Everything matters now (Everything) / We grew up while you let yourself down / I want out.” Alex O’Connor, better known as Rex Orange County, is totally stressed out…
Devil – Tyler Glenn
5 November 2019
“I think the devil made me / Do it, do it, baby / I found myself when I lost my faith…” Hmm, interesting Tyler Glenn (frontman of Neon Trees), very interesting. “Devil,” the superb, final song off of Glenn’s 2016 solo album, Excommunication, finds Glenn coming to terms with sexuality and religion, specifically, the LDS (Mormon) church…
Skinny Boys – Myylo
22 October 2019
“I know that it’s so easy to let your body get you down.” Truer words have never been spoken, Myylo. The thing is, more often than not, it is women who seem to discuss their body insecurities as opposed to men…
Georgia – Brittany Howard
15 October 2019
“I just want Georgia to notice me / I just want Georgia.” No, Brittany Howard isn’t referencing the southern state, but rather a crush named Georgia. Brittany Howard, best known as the frontwoman of Grammy-winning alternative collective Alabama Shakes, hasn’t previously dived into sexuality…
The Principal – Melanie Martinez
1 October 2019
“Sneaky, greedy, money seeking / Always peeping, fucking creeping /… What if I had told your mother / Her son was a cruel motherfucker?” Safe to say, alternative pop artist Melanie Martinez is not a fan of ‘the principal’…
Rikers Island – Raphael Saadiq
23 September 2019
“Too many n***as in Rikers Island / Why must it be? / Too many n***as in Rikers Island / Set ‘em free.” Those bold lyrics are central to “Rikers Island,” a gem from Jimmy Lee, the superb comeback album from R&B standout, Raphael Saadiq…
White Privilege – Sam Fender
16 September 2019
“I wanna copy what you eat, how you look, who you fuck / Wanna be anybody but me.” The final line of the aforementioned lyric, excerpted from the first verse of “White Privilege,” hailing from British singer/songwriter Sam Fender, ultimately becomes the refrain…
Dearly Departed – BROCKHAMPTON
4 September 2019
Kevin Abstract is the first to reference Vann, over the dramatic, emotional, minor-key backdrop, never mentioning his name. The most direct and reference occurs as he raps, “What’s the point of havin’ a best friend if you end up losin’ him?” …
Faith – Bon Iver
27 August 2019
“I should’ve known / That I shouldn’t hide / To compromise and to covet / All what’s inside / There is no design.” Perhaps without a reference point, it’s tough to dissect the aforementioned, excerpted lyrics…
Big Black Dog – Bad Religion
19 August 2019
“We are alone / And all is one / The father daughter devil and son…” Hmm, the excerpted lyrics from the first verse of “Big Black Dog” seem to speak to an authoritarian and his closest disciples if you will… let that sink in…
Sofia – Clairo
7 August 2019
“Know that it isn’t right, but you could be my one and only.” What alt-pop artist Clairo (Claire Cottrill) is referencing is her attraction – her same-sex attraction. On her mature debut album, Immunity, she tackles a host of topics, including two songs that explore sexuality…
Now as Then – Tune-Yards
29 July 2019
“Oh, don’t trust me / That I won’t take all the money and run.” Reading into the lyrical excerpt from Tune-Yards’ “Now as Then,” vocalist Merrill Garbus seems to be referencing thievery. Without any context, one might analyze these lyrics as being pretty basic. That said, “Now as Then,” which appears on the alternative duo’s 2018 album I can feel you creep into my private thoughts, is much more intriguing and complex than the aforementioned lyrics might suggest…
Slightly eccentric with interests that seem to know no ends, restless ‘Renaissance Man’ is the best way to characterize Brent Faulkner, a native of Kentucky. A certified music educator, multi-instrumentalist, and composer known for his incredibly sharp ear, he lives and breathes music of a variety of styles. In addition to passion for educating, performing, and writing music, he’s equally passionate blogging and writing about it, managing his own site, The Musical Hype. When he’s not intensely analyzing music, you can find him reading or watching a movie, reality television or some sporting event