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Song of the Day #5,272: ‘Miss Mary Mack’ – Liz Phair

When today’s random selection first popped up, it appeared to be a track from Liz Phair’s 2010 album Funstyle. I knew that album was a lot more experimental than her previous pop-centric releases, but this song sounded more like something from the indie pioneer’s 1993 studio debut Exile in Guyville.

Turns out this cut came from a bonus disc included with Funstyle that compiled tracks from a series of early demos Phair recorded under the name Girly Sound. Released before Guyville, these songs were captured on a four track tape deck in her bedroom.

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Song of the Day #5,271: ‘Alien Superstar’ – Beyoncé

The second album, in addition to Rosalia’s Motomami, to appear on all three New York Times critics’ ‘best of 2022’ lists is, predictably, Beyoncé’s Renaissance. This album has been a huge critical smash since it dropped in late July.

I have to admit I haven’t listened to the album all the way through since the day it came out. Back then I wrote that, while I recognized its appeal for its target audience, I didn’t count myself among that audience.

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Song of the Day #5,270: ‘La Fama’ – Rosalia feat. The Weeknd

It’s that time of year when critics start rolling out their “best of” lists, with albums usually first out of the gate. Unlike movies, you don’t see a ton of new music releases in December, so it’s safe to lock in your favorites.

Seeing those lists pop up made me realize how little new music I’ve discovered this year. That’s been the case for awhile now, actually, in contrast to years when I’ve had a couple of dozen new releases to consider. I think there are two main reasons for the change.

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Song of the Day #5,269: ‘Seven Nation Army’ – Device Orchestra

Today’s song comes courtesy of one of those viral video projects that make the internet so fun. If you navigate past all the online hate speech and misinformation, you might be lucky enough to land on an electric toothbrush performing White Stripes’ ‘Seven Nation Army.’

To be more precise, it’s “two electric toothbrushes, two credit card machines, two typewriters, and one steam iron,” according to the Finnish YouTuber who came up with Device Orchestra, a channel dedicated to music covers performed on household items.

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Song of the Day #5,268: ‘Songbird (Live)’ – Harry Styles

Apparently Harry Styles also felt that ‘Songbird’ was a fitting tribute for the late Christine McVie, because he performed the song during a concert in Chile last week.

Styles has been a vocal fan of Fleetwood Mac for awhile, and a collaborator and friend to McVie’s bandmate Stevie Nicks, so it’s no surprise he felt the need to honor her at his first live performance following the announcement of her death.

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