Max's Music Mondays with Oranje Space & my April Recap

getting straight to business today - i am injured and doing my best ok!

Welcome to Max’s Music Mondays. My ~music discovery newsletter~ where I get too excited about songs I love. I hope you love them too. If you do, you can follow along on spotify and please be sure to absolute smash that dang subscribe button! tysm :) Your paid subscriptions go towards supporting the artists you read about here too!! That’s right(!!), the artists who made This Weeks Songs are getting paid!! <3

Hello hello hello !!!

I am writing to you in some mild discomfort after pulling something in my neck/back this weekend. We (me) are on the road to recovery but folks, it has been humbling!! The body reminding you just how powerful it is when it doesn’t work like you want it to. There’s a lot to say/explore there, but tbh, it is hard to keep my head up for too long so I am working hard to just get this one written well and out the door! More time for philosophizing when I’m healthy again.

In the meantime - this week’s song is SICK as hell. As always, thanks to the paid subscribers, this artist is getting a little cash as a sign of our gratitude. If you want to make that gift even more generous, you can make a big impact for $5/mo or $50 for the year. As always, if you’d like to, but financially you are unable to right now, just let me know, we’ll make it work no questions asked.

We’ll close out with my favorites from this past month too. Some juicy stuff down there, something for everyone I think! Hope you’re all doing well, and your bodies are feeling strong. Talk soon.

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This Week’s Songs

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Oranje Space - The Go Around

So heartfelt, so human. This one really sings to me. Oranje Space standing front and center to start, guitar running to catch up as he chuckles reflecting on the opening line. On his current situation. Just makes this song feel so inviting and earnest immediately. Nothing overly perfect, nothing overly buttoned up. Just a beautiful arrangement with some honest things to say. The mix is great, you can hear these tender vocals landing gently on the left and the right. With more subtle layers tucking themselves in there too. Always a little more to discover.

The whole thing is so warm, simple pieces connecting just right to make a special moment. The verse ends on a high note, Space singing:

Slow down, I breathe in and I know how 

If I can summon your voice 

I can get you right next to me 

The tiniest little harmony sneaking in there at the last second. The birds just as impressed as I am, coming to life to color the moment even more. Carrying us into the next scene, the footsteps landing as if Space was running back to whoever he’s singing about now. The birds watching him go while these chords continue on calmly. It quietly wraps up. Everyone taking a breath before we begin again.

Space letting a little more emotion out, and the song begins to open more too. These adlibs add so much character and texture to the verse. More harmonies finding their chance to add depth to the song too. Frustrations building, hoping for the page to turn on whatever is bringing him down. This verse falls into form with the first, tapping into his heart, summoning this other person in his mind to keep him calm and whole through it all. It’s so loving and sweet and I really fell for this one with one listen.

The foot steps trade for drums, this modest kit continuing the song’s momentum, powering us through some final chords. Mostly a chance to soak it all in. I’ve been falling for songs like this lately. Songs breaking beyond the studio walls, sitting with nature, finding people to give it more life. It all feels a little more alive, a little more special, and this one works so well for me. I hope you enjoy it just as much.

Follow Oranje Space on IG / Spotify

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What I’ve Been Listening To This Month

I’m always checking Discover Quickly to keep tabs on my listening, and this past month looks just as I suspected. Drowning in the Feist and Wednesday albums, never straying far from Charli and Dijon, with a sprinkle of Remi and Vampire Weekend and Blondshell for good measure. Some of those and plenty more here in my monthly recap.

Some screenshots from DQ:

Send me screenshots if you use it too!!!

anyways, i keep all these songs here

MUNA - One That Got Away

How dare they??? Another perfect song from the perfect band. Another time they’ve flipped the traditional love/heartbreak song on its head and delivered a hit. Massive, bright, dance-y, full of amazing sounds. An 80s smash that feels timeless today too.

Joy Oladokun - Taking Things For Granted

I cannot wait for this album. Oladokun writes such great songs.

In the schoolyard when i was a kid / i gave everyone my address, said come on over and it / turns out that nobody did / swimmin alone’s how i spent my eighth birthday.

Goodness gracious. FROM THE TOP ROPE!!!!! A song about loneliness and appreciating the little things, the things beyond the surface. The chords in this one are so beautiful, the drums cruising on, Oladokun’s melodies so stunning through out. The waves of harmonies/bgv’s are seriously special too. Feels like a great windows down screaming-to-let-it-all-out song.

The Japanese House - Boyhood

This song is dominating my month. Anytime I’m like “hmm what should I listen to” I end up here. The production is fantastic, TJH just crushing the performance from start to finish. A gnarly number looking back on a relationship that didn’t work out, TJH considering whether or not they could’ve changed to be the person this ex was looking for. Then swinging away from that instinct looking for the right person who will love them as their true self. By the end, that statement turns - feeling less like “could I have been someone else” and more like “you idiot… you could’ve had me!!”, dancing and spinning in the sun throughout it all. Emotional and sweet and so fun. It’s got me going nuts and honestly, I’ve been to scared to play the new single after reading the lyrics once…. tune in next month to see if I’ve worked up the courage.

Wednesday - Quarry

Yeah, everyone is talking about it and yeah, it’s as good as everyone is saying!!! I was instantly charmed by Formula One an opening lyric that could’ve come straight from my partner’s journal. But this is a ‘new favorite with every listen’ kind of album, and these days I am BANGING Quarry. The song rocks so much, moving from light and bright to heavy and dirty with ease. As with the bulk of the record, the songwriting is so wild and one-of-a-kind. A collection of stories and specifics that fall all over the melody.

These tableaus pulled from reality all so clear and so real yet told so plainly. When they busted in they found that her house was a front for a mob thing. Perfect. This band rocks and if this one brings a smile to your face, pleasssse rinse the album and have some fun.

Feist - I Took All Of My Rings Off

As I mentioned last week, Feist’s record Multitudes has had my ear these past few weeks. Really a special and unique album. This song is so fucking beautiful. A stunning acoustic tone, with growing sounds and instruments piling up, falling from the sky.

Full of beautiful imagery, taking off these rings, walking them straight outside and burying all of it “out of my ears, off of my fingers, and out of my dreams” leaving no trace of the past, planting seeds for a better future. Then the song warps, into this expanding, dream-like scene. With slow chords and glistening light to fill the air, it feels like quicksand. It becomes a chorus of sorts, certainly the climatic moment, Feist’s voice stacked upon itself, the whole thing pulled into the future and back to the past. The whole song shaking for just a moment. Some synth work colors around this incredible guitar as we settle back for another verse. Darker and more determined. Having a moment of better understanding, putting the rings back on, and appreciating that the birds were the only ones who really saw this. Who have seen the truest Feist there is. Beautiful!!! Weird!! Exciting!!!

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Sorry for a slightly abridged version. DON’T THINK FOR A SECOND IT MEANS I LOVE THESE SONGS ANY LESS. I love em so much I’m battling through the pain to make sure you know it. Ok back to my ice pack. What’ve you been listening to this month?

Off next week - back in May with some gems.

Max

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