What Oberlin Professors Are Listening To
Compiled by Hayden Asiano
Oberlin College and Conservatory has some great traditions that have stood the test of time. Excellent musicianship, academic scholarship, and being relentlessly hipster. Armed with Birkenstocks, noise-canceling headphones, and a dream – our students have the ambition to take on the world. Or maybe just Brooklyn. Regardless, you can’t go far on this campus without overhearing conversations about bands you’ve never heard of and genres that don’t exist.
We here at WOBC 91.5 FM wanted to turn these conversations over to our dear professors to see if we might learn a thing or two. At such a musical college, it tracks that our professors have some really excellent taste, and they were all too happy to share it with us. (Honestly, it was really cute how excited they were.)
Kathryn Metz - Comparative American Studies and Music Studies
Is listening to Love is the New Black by Anthony Hamilton
“Anthony Hamilton's pipes take me beyond this world. Hinting at Al Green (with whom he sings alongside Corinne Bailey Rae in another album), Teddy Pendergrass, and Maxwell, Hamilton has a gorgeous, impassioned range as he explores heartache with the perfect balance between vintage 70s vibes and 90s neo-soul. It's so cozy - Hamilton makes me want to curl up on the couch with my tea steeped in bittersweet nostalgia, reminiscing younger days.”
Bob Bosch - Math
Is listening to Terraformer by Thank you Scientist (progressive rock/metal)
He says he grew up listening to ’70s progressive rock like King Crimson, Yes, and Genesis. Acknowledging the eccentricity of the name Thank you Scientist, he says “We’re running out of band names, so they’re just sentences now. Kinda like Fiona Apple albums.”
Rishad Choudhury - History
“The Indian artist Lifafa has been more-or-less on repeat on my Spotify this month. The song "Wahin ka Wahin" is a favorite: its Hindi lyrics offer a highly sardonic take on right-wing nationalism. His "Nikamma" is also very good, IMO. Also, what's now unfolding in the Middle East has been on my mind. I've been listening to the Palestinian-American oud player Clarissa Bitar, in particular her provocative and poignant piece: "Homeland Security.”
Brian Alegant - Music Theory
Like a true music theory professor, Brian Alegant is a voracious listener “OK. I went back and looked at my Tidal list. I listened to about 100 hours of music last month; it’s not easy to summarize. It’s probably just easier to list the composers because there are tons of pieces by each and the list would otherwise get really long. This is most of my month: Monteverdi, Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart, Bach, Rachmaninoff, Ravel, Debussy, Scriabin, Schumann, Sibelius, Duke Ellington, Schoenberg, Jörg Widmann, Machine Head, Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Korngold, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Conrad Tao, Suzanne Farrin, Kian Soltani, Irish fiddle music, Hildegard von Bingen, Genesis, Beatles, Saariaho, Carter, Britten, and a handful of student compositions.”
Erik Inglis - Art History
Is listening to George Jones Salutes Hank Williams (60’s country covering late 40’s country)
Kari Barclay - Theater
“Cuerpa” by Ana Macho
“This gorgeous reggaeton bop has been on my playlists for the past few months after a friend sent it to me. Its title, "Cuerpa," is a feminine version of the Spanish word for body, cuerpo, and it's by a trans Puerto Rican artist who turns it into an anthem to celebrate the body and gender nonconformity. Much recommended!”
“Broken Horses” by Brandi Carlile
“I saw Brandi Carlile perform at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Valley National Park this summer, and she totally blew me away. I'm a big fan of folk music, and Carlile's music blends the country and bluegrass I listened to as a kid in rural Virginia with a queer and punk sensibility. Her memoir and audiobook of the same name are also great.”
“3 Minutes” by Mashrou' Leila
“Mashrou' Leila creates amazing danceable music that speaks to themes of gender, queerness, and political resistance. I saw them in San Francisco, and they gave one of the best concerts I've ever seen. They write in Arabic, and one of the lyrics in this song translates to, "Why bother being instead of becoming?" "3 Minutes" is a beautiful homage to living honestly and without fear.”
Martin Thomson-Jones - Philosophy
Is listening to “Theme from Ernest Borgnine” by Squarepusher
He also mentioned the Squarepusher side project Shobaleader One
Veronica Vriesman - Geosciences
“I first heard the song "Built By Nations" by Greta Van Fleet a few years ago, and I've been hooked by their bold sound and unique vocals ever since. They are often compared to Led Zeppelin, but apparently, that wasn't Greta Van Fleet's influence or intention. I recently saw this band when they were in Cleveland last month, and I'm even more of a fan after seeing them live. There are just three of them, but they put out such a big sound. It's also kind of cool that the singer and guitarist are twin brothers and started this band out of their garage as teenagers in 2012.”
“Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats songs are a go-to for me when I'm looking for some easy and soulful vintage R&B. I especially love the songs "How to Make Friends", "Howling at Nothing", and "You Worry Me". They also have a very enjoyable NPR Tiny Desk Concert.”
“I listen to Natalia Lafourcade most mornings. Natalia is a Mexican folk and jazz singer. "Hasta la Raíz" and "Lo Que Construimos" are perfect for morning coffee or to accompany some light work. If you've seen the Pixar movie Coco, then you've heard Natalia in the song "Remember Me".”
Hal Sundt - Writing and Communication
“As of late, I've been listening to a fair bit of British rap, like Stormzy, and also instrumental tracks from film scores like Ocean's 13, Road to Perdition, and Finding Nemo.
Valeria Coccia - IES abroad in Milan
“The first song I'm listening to the most these days is "ONE MORE TIME" by Blink 182. It's one of the new songs of their last album, the first one with the group with the original lineup. They have been my favorite group since I was nine years old, when "What's My Age Again?" was released. On October 6th, I saw them live in concert in Bologna, Italy, for the third time, and it was one of the best concerts I've ever seen.
The second song I'm listening to in this period is "Black Friday" by the British singer Tom Odell. I often listen to his music because I like the combination of voice and piano. I'm going to Tom Odell's concert next year in April in Milan and I can't wait.
Another song I've been listening to lately is "DORMIVEGLIA" by Italian Indie pop artist Ariete. Dormiveglia is the state between sleep and wakefulness and in this song, the artist is in love, but she's afraid to let herself go completely because she's afraid to suffer. I'm not in this situation, but I appreciate the rhythm and the lyrics.”