Ballads Baby

Can we talk about ballads?

Hey everyone. Welcome to the first newsletter… or technically second? Either way, thanks for being here. 

Professionally, this week has been a sad one.

Personally though, things have been great. I’ve got my lovely wife, my amazing daughter, my supportive family, my friends. So many things to be grateful for.

But professionally, I’m a certified sad boy.

Let’s get in to the music (what you’re all here for). So the rotation this week has been deep. Not necessarily sad, but definitely in my feels.

This ones all about Ballads baby.

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I think ballads get a bad wrap sometimes. A genre people know, but usually on the back burner. I feel like people who would say “Jazz is elevator music”, are the same people who say “ballads are so boring.” Those are probably the same people that think Raising Canes is amazing or think Dutch Bros has the best coffee (am I being mean? I’m sorry). 

I really think more people like them than they realize. A ballad is such a broad term too, I mean the definition is literally, “a song that is slow, sentimental, or romantic”...that’s like so many songs.

Maybe trying to define what bucket a song falls into is just subjective anyway. I call something a ballad when it makes me feel a certain way. Sometimes that's love, sometimes it's sadness but at the end I’m always left feeling like “oof, run that back.”

Let me just talk about the ones that are always on my mind.

If It’s Magic - Stevie Wonder

Stevie’s was in his bag with this one.

This one’s off of the “Songs in The Key of Life” album. Some stand outs on this album were Sir Duke, Isn’t She Lovely, I Wish, As, and Knocks Me Off My Feet.

Songs in The Key of Life is definitely not a deep cut Stevie record, but If It’s Magic feels like a deep cut song. I didn't hear it until I was in high school but when I did, it gave me a new appreciation for him. I’ve always been a “music first, lyrics second” kind of guy… but the lyrics of this song are just so powerful they can’t be ignored.

It's a song about love, but it doesn’t feel like a love song. It's like a critique on how we treat love. I love how Stevie is talking all about love, but never actually says the word “love” in the song.

Unlike me, who just used the word Love 6 times in two sentences.

This song feels so full and its literally just vocals and a Harp accompaniment. Talk about space. Highly recommend this one with good headphones, a cup of Earl Grey, looking out your window at the sunrise. A ‘day starter’ if you will.

Gone Away - Roberta Flack

Like I said before, we don’t talk about Roberta Flack enough.

She’s probably a top 10 artist in my eyes if I really had to put a list together.

This song is off of her second album “Chapter Two” (perfect title).

Roberta Flack is widely known for the songs Killing Me Softly (which Lauren Hill & The Fugees covered on their album “The Score”)

and Feel Like Makin’ Love. Both are absolute bangers.

I want to talk about Gone Away though cause I personally think its one of her bests and it doesn’t get enough love.

The opening verse is:

“I try to reason, and I tell myself you'll return
But you are gone and I know, I know, I know you're gone
You were mine for only a minute
And if I hurt you I didn't intend it”

A breakup song with the onus on herself. Take notes T-Swift.

Truly though this song has so many instrumental layers and it feels like she’s taking us on a journey through her regret. The instrumentation subtly builds until it reaches a peak at the last instrumental capped off with a guitar solo that feels from a different genre. Highly recommend listening to this one with a nice Merlot and maybe put your phone in another room so you don’t call your ex.

Everybody Wants To Be You - Niki & The Dove

Pitch shifter is in full effect on this one.

If I’ve made you a playlist in the last 8 years, there’s a huge chance I put a Niki & The Dove song on it. Specifically off of the album “Everybody’s Heart Is Broken Now”. And I’m not apologizing about it. I love this album.

It’s so catchy, so upbeat and I don’t get that “album fatigue” listening to it over and over. Mostly no skips on this one.

The track I want to talk about though is “Everybody Wants to Be You”. This song is absolutely dripping in reverb and effects in the best way. Has an 80’s flare to it but not in an ironic way. Like a John Hughes movie but everyones smoking. An edgy 16 Candles.

The whole song builds on itself instrumentally crescendoing into drums letting loose and a tasteful key change. (*chefs kiss)

Recommend listening to this one loud, with the lights dimmed; drinking water (stay hydrated).

Ok. That’s all I’ve got for today.

I hope you all listen to these songs and tell me what you think of them. I want to know your thoughts. What should we talk about next?

Xo, Jay

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Also, I put together a playlist of Ballads I was listening to this week. Check it out here.