Dank Music to Burn Up Your Spotify

Here are some music suggestions by Fall '15 Weenie Daisy Holland. Enjoy the selections, and be sure to check them out!

1.     BØRNS

            This guy. What a god. Contrary to popular belief, BØRNS consists of just one guy who writes his own songs, plays several instruments, and also sings like an angel. Garrett Borns (stage name BØRNS) is a musical artist from Michigan, although his EP Candy and most recent album Dopamine give off the sweet, sunshiny vibe of his new home in Los Angeles. His songs utilize elements of synth-pop and indie alternative to create an upbeat backbeat that somehow fits perfectly with Born’s smooth falsetto. Lyrically, most of his songs focus on the deliriously blissful helplessness of falling in love, although my personal favorite “The Emotion” focuses on the intensity of one’s feelings and the ways they manifest themselves. After watching several acoustic versions and live performances of his songs on YouTube, one can’t help but fall prey to this man’s sheer talent.

Notable songs: Electric Love, Seeing Stars, Dopamine, Past Lives

2     Jukebox the Ghost

            If there was ever a band that could low-key pass for a musical troupe, it would be Jukebox the Ghost. With a peppy use of piano and clever lyrics, the catchy tunes of Jukebox the Ghost could pass as songs from a musical. The band consists of a trio of three guys (Ben, Tommy, and Jesse) who formed a band during their time in college. Interestingly, Jukebox the Ghost often plays on the contrast of its upbeat piano-backed instrumentals with its tragic, forlorn, and frustrated lyrics. A good example is their song “Victoria” which centers on the “poisonous”, unrequited love of the singer towards his love interest, Victoria. Between the theatrical cries of frustration from the main singer, Ben, and the effortlessly coordinated piano and guitar instrumentals it’s hard not to love that song (or the band, for that matter).

Notable songs: Hold It In, Girl, Sound of a Broken Heart, The Popular Thing, Hollywood

3     Saint Motel

            Quickly gaining fame after the release of their EP My Type, Saint Motel has acquired a mass following of fans who enjoy their retro, yet indie rock sound. The band is led by lead singer A/J Jackson, whose smooth, lulling tone and sleek falsetto perfectly complements the highly organized use of instruments. Saint Motel maintains a clean, calculated sound through its expert command of its instruments—and while the traditional guitar/drums/piano combo is noted in their songs, there is also a heavy presence of brass instruments, especially trumpets. Aside from their music, the band is also very gracious towards their fans—holding “Fan Appreciation Fridays” to feature weekly fan artwork on their social media pages.

Notable songs: Benny Goodman, My Type, Cold Cold Man, Feed Me Now

4     The Zolas

            Based in Vancouver, the Zolas are headed by Zachary Gray and Tom Dobrzanski, who have been creating music together since they were teenage boys in the school choir. Two main things stand out about their music: their masterful use of multiple instruments, especially the piano; and the depth and originality of their lyrics. The pianist in the band, Tom Dobrzanski, is especially talented in the way that he “demands” recognition through his masterful piano solos without taking over the whole song or drowning out his bandmate, lead singer and main guitarist Zachary Gray. Gray, for his part, possesses the rawness and sheer passion needed to match the mood of his lyrics, which utilize imagery and first-person reflection to comment on themes like romance, loneliness, vulnerability, and the frustration of unrequited love. While their sound has evolved over the years, their masterful use of varied sounds and thought-provoking lyrics still remains.

Notable songs: You’re Too Cool, Invisible, Strange Girl, Cab Driver, No Talking

~Daisy Holland

Sticking Together Through the Seasons

By: Skyla Sale

“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.” 

     This quote means so much to be when I think about the many friends that I've made while being a part of Texas Spirits. On my first day, at Tap In, one of the seniors came up to me and said "Are you so excited?! You just met some of your new best friends!" When she said that, I had no idea what she was talking about. How could I even fathom that the people I had just met were going to be my best friends? 

     As time went on in Spirits, life was also going on for each of us. In my pledge class, degree paths altered, boys came and went (some stayed), fashion changed, it snowed in Texas, we had a bomb threat, families and friends from home went through tough times, and many other seasons went by. Yet all the while, we had each other. 

     Our pledge class had some groups like most classes have, but when we were able to get together for a Spirits event, we always had an absolute blast! I'll never forget the Weenie Oahu that we pregammed when we first became actives. Or spring break, or even that random potluck where someone made 25 plates of spaghetti. 

     Sometimes people would be sparse--but when they came around, you cherished every moment. Sometimes people (probably me) would be asking so many questions that you couldn't tell if they were interrogating you or trying to catch up. So many laughable moments, and so many sister moments. Being in a group like Texas Spirits does more than allow you to meet amazing women. It also provides you with unforgettable memories with people who will be in your heart forever. <3 

Red River Reflections

(Guest Blog by Holly Cook)

     This past weekend I took the daring trip to a little ol' place called Dallas, Texas to take part in festivities known as "Texas/OU Weekend". You might ask yourself, "Daring? To watch football?" and to that I would answer "Quite so." You see, it's no secret to the university and well, the rest of the nation, that in recent years UT football has had it's fair share of struggles. This struggle really reached a low point when over this current season we accumulated our worst record since 1956. So to journey up into a territory, swarming with boisterous Oklahoma fans ready to laugh at your pending loss, I would say is a dare.
     When stepping onto the fair grounds, it was apparent that the number of Oklahoma fans far out weighed the Texas ones. Many, when making the decision whether or not to come up, decided no, saying "I don't want to waste all that time just to see us lose... badly." Many others just wanted to see Drake perform Hotline Bling for the second time at ACL. (But who could blame them?) Now I must admit, while I did attend the fair and travel to Dallas I was one of those who did not make their way into the Cotton Bowl Stadium. The tickets themselves can get pretty pricy, especially on top of all the other expenses that go into the whole weekend. But I wasn't really going to miss out on anything, right?
     While chowing down into a large fried spaghetti and meat ball sometime during the first quarter, I heard the cannon go off earlier than expected. While I thought time was just flying by, as it might when enjoying the wondrous fried foods offered at the fair, I soon realized that the cannon sound was no ordinary quarterly ring. Then, in the near future, another boom of the cannon went off. At that point my curiosity was answered when a man deck out in lovely burnt orange screamed "Texas up 14-0!" At that point the group I was with decided that we should probably find a tent and go watch the game. (After the dog show that was about to begin though.)
     So, as everyone now knows, the horns ended up winning 24-17 with some intense back and forth "TEXAS/OU SUCKS" action during the game's entirety. Of course, the later being the correct use of the phrase. While, I wasn't basking in the glory of victory inside the stadium, I could still hear The Eyes of Texas ringing throughout the fair. It's the kind of thing that makes you proud to be a Longhorn and the kind of feeling you hope to get after every football game. While I doubt many games in the future will rival the upset of the Red River Showdown of 2015, I hope the excitement and belief can carry us through the season. Maybe if in the future we ever find the horns with "the worst season start since 2015" (which we can all agree on not wanting this to happen) we can still come early, be loud, stay late and wear a lot of burnt orange with pride!

Also, it's 10:54 and OU still sucks. (Sorry, I just had to.)