In this weekly feature, a different LEO staff member will share 7-10 of the songs theyve got on repeat right now. (Songs by Louisville artists are marked with an asterisk.) Got a track that you think wed like? Let us know at leo@leoweekly.com or at the authors email below. You can also keep up with our Tuesday Tracklist and Listen Local picks on our Spotify.
Carmina Burana Tempus est iocundum
Ive been in a big Carmina Burana mood lately. I wrote about this choral epic in 2021 (back when I was still an intern at LEO!), when it was helping me get through the pandemic. What I said then about my favorite song from the work still holds up:
Those opening notes the high-pitched womens voices in sync with the tambourine set up the rest of the piece so beautifully and brightly. Each quo pereo! is a burst of pure joy. Even the way that the baritone soloist glances at his female counterpart gives us the sense that were not just an audience to a song, but to two characters in their own scene.
The best part, though, is that gorgeous, weighty totus floreo, which means I am wholly blooming. In this concert hall stately and high-walled, yet warm and earthy like a medieval tavern the phrase rings so beautifully that I am tempted to tattoo it onto my arm.
Eden Espinosa Woman Is
In my pre-journalism life, I was a performing arts photographer, and one of the most prestigious gigs I got was working at Williamstown Theatre Festival in 2018 as the company photographer. As part of my role, I got to photograph the world premiere of Lempicka, an incredible musical, written by Matt Gould and Carson Kreitzer, based on the life of the bisexual Polish painter Tamara de Lempicka.
The shows been on my mind lately because I recently found out, to my elation, that its officially going to Broadway in March! That was always the plan, I think, but the pandemic put a dent in things for a while. Im so happy its finally confirmed.
Anyway, I wont spoil what happens in the show that this song follows, but it comes after a beautiful moment.
Indiana Evans “No Ordinary Girl“ (Theme from H2O: Just Add Water)
My biggest stress of the last few weeks has been finishing the yearbook for the summer camp I worked at this year. As such, songs that I had on repeat during the summer have been popping up on shuffle on my Spotify more often than they did before, as if to taunt me. Or maybe its just a coincidence.
Anyway, this is the theme song to that show about an Australian girl who could turn into a mermaid. I dont think I ever watched it when I was a kid, but some of the staff at my camp apparently did, because this song featured in our get-to-know-your-counselor show.
Martin Garrix and Jay Hardway Wizard
Were almost at the first anniversary of one of my favorite stories Ive ever written: a profile of the wizard Devin Person, who lives in Louisville. I listened to a number of wizardy songs during the most active part of my writing process, one of which I wrote about a month ago, and this is another. Truthfully, theres not much about it that is wizardy, per se, besides the title, but its one of the few EDM tracks I have in my library and I just dig it.
Pyotr Tchaikovsky “The Nutcracker: Mother Gigogne and the Clowns”
What can I say its nearly Nutcracker season.
Charly Bliss Love Me – (Soft Serve Trilogy Pt. 1)”
Though this altish, poppish song is cool because the singer has a unique voice, its especially cool to me because Im good friends with the guy who plays the main bully. (And, funnily enough, his name is Billy.) He appears in two of the three videos in this trilogy.
Houndmouth “Hey Rose” *
This was the first Houndmouth song I ever listened to, and it wasn’t difficult to understand why they’re so beloved. They’re alt-blues with an occasional tinge of country, and this song is so upbeat and catchy. Unfortunately, not all members of the lineup featured in this song are still with the band, but this track is one of their best. It’s got some lovely harmonies.
This article appears in November 21, 2023.
