Defining Five is a series at Haymarket Whiskey Bar, during which, each month, four people from the Louisville music community pick five songs that have moved, inspired or impacted them, and then they play them during a DJ set. After each event, LEO Weekly will publish an interview with all five to provide context as to why each song was selected. (Stay tuned to Haymarkets Facebook page for updates.)
Aaron Craker (Frederick The Younger)
Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana from the album Nevermind I was in fifth grade. It was one of those songs that I remembered where I was when I heard it. I guess up until that point I wasnt really into music. But I remember being in the car with my sister and my mom, and it came on the radio, and I just remember exactly where I was when I heard it, and I was like This is what music is. Tired of Sex by Weezer from the album Pinkerton I dont really know why, but I just love this album. I love the songwriting, and I love how Rivers Cuomo he doesnt moan all sexy like Eddie Vedder he just squawks. Its just a great album." Exit Music Radiohead from the album Ok Computer I remember that Ok Computer was just really out of left field at the time. I listened to that album repeatedly for a year, especially this song. Oh Well, Ok by Elliot Smith from the album XO His songwriting is completely on a different level than anyone else that Ive ever heard in my life. Girl The Beatles from the album Rubber Soul I think if it wasnt for the Beatles, I never would have started playing piano. I learned Sexy Sadi on the piano, and then I decided to major in piano, so I was a music major.Shane OBryan (Vodoo Economics)
Date with Ikea by Pavement from the album Brighten the Corners The artist that Ive been compared to the most is Steve Malkmus, the lead singer and guitarist of Pavement. I really appreciate their whole attitude toward music he really doesnt have a good singing voice, but he still makes it work. Which is why I feel I compare to him I dont have a great voice, but I try to make up for that with my lyrics, which is what Steve Malkmus does. Pink Triangle by Weezer from the album Pinkerton Im not a huge Weezer fan, but the album Pinkerton is in my top 10, ever. I love the droning guitar. I love the lyrics. That album is unbelievably-genius lyric-wise. Mr. Grieves by Pixies from the album Doolittle Maybe my favorite album of all time. Its definitely up there. I love their energy and strangeness. I love people that can write songs that dont fit that verse-chorus-verse-chorus thing theyre weird and abstract as songwriters. Last Goodbye by Jeff Buckley from the album Grace I figured that I would choose one love song. Im not a big love-song guy, but that album, that song in particular, is the realest, truest explanation of love in my opinion a true feeling of loss that he expresses. Every time I listen to that album I find something new in it. Slow Country by Gorillaz from the album Gorillaz "When it comes to my style of songwriting, Im all about the word play. Im all about counting syllables, making everything line up almost like a hip-hop style. So Gorillaz was my foundation of hip-hop I love the hip-hop on it, I love the catchy chorus."Charlotte Boyd (Yoga Instructor / Vocalist)
Cry The Mountains White by Dayle Stanley from the album Cry The Mountains White Its just a wonky American folk album with incredible female vocals. It reminds me of being little and whimsical. Sugar Magnolia by The Grateful Dead from the album American Beauty My dads family plays music together, and, every summer on Cape Cod, that is one of the songs that they play, ever since I was a child. Sugar Magnolia just reminds me of family, being together, summertime. Bogoroditse Devo by Rachmaninoff "It's a very old choral piece. I sang it in high school. I wanted to choose something from my choral singing days that's kind of how I got my start and interest in music. That one is beautiful and sad and simple."No Intention by Dirty Projectors from the album Bitte Orca I choose that because that was sort of my first introduction to what I would label as vocal intricacies making themselves present in rock music that I had never heard before. That band and that album mean a lot to me, because it helped me find my interest in singing choral music within my love of rock music, which had never been connected in that way, and that continues to make it self present in other albums and bands, but that was the first occurrence of that for me. Im From Nowhere by Neko Case from the album The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight... Shes my favorite. Shes an idol. Shes a powerful woman, an amazing musician, an amazing vocalist, an amazing lyricist. Thats one of my favorite songs of hers."