Far Out 40: Blue Monday? What Blue Monday? The ultimate calming playlist
Don’t worry, Blue Monday is merely an invention by a UK travel company to try and lure people away to sunnier shores despite lean post-Christmas financial times. However, were not too gung-ho and evangelic to dismiss that there is nothing to the January blues. Which is why we’re offering up the mindful gift of a playlist, the great balm to the mechanical grind of modern life.
So, the commercialised theory goes that on the third Monday in January, things reach the trough of the yearly cycle: the buzz of Christmas is long gone, back holidays remain lightyears away, the reality of being back to the grind is taking its toll, the daylight is dreary, the weather is frigid and cold, the finances are faltering, and the New Year’s resolutions lie in ruin once more… and it’s a Monday. Essentially a shit storm coalesces.
But the pertinent point is that it’s only a day. And I personally am off work. Granted, not everyone is but that’s the circle of life: As the fella once said, ‘sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes it eats you’ and as Massive Attack sang, ‘The world turns on its axis, one man works while another relaxes’. And pithiness aside, that truly is the beauty of music, it preserves moods and moments in amber so that we can not only reach transcendent exultancy but also find a form of empathy—even with smug bastards blabbering about a day off.
With that in mind, we’ve handpicked the juiciest fruit for when it comes to the moments when you need to be gently whisked away from woe. These aren’t ‘Movin’ on Up’ maelstroms of happiness – we wouldn’t be as misguided as to grate you with that – these are mere chirping birds that take you out of yourself for a moment. These songs are the funny dogs on the train that cheer you up almost without you realising on your commute home after a tough day.
From the lilting ambience of Washed Out to the hushed tones of a ukulele oddity from The Who, these anthems will hopefully embalm you in a sense of returning wonder when the world gets a little bit too much for you, whether that be on Blue Monday or any other time of the year. Give this playlist a whirl, listen to the sweet tones of Odetta, pop your feet up with a brew and peacefully unwind like someone in a shower gel advert.
The ultimate calming indie playlist:
- ‘Sunblind’ – Fleet Foxes
- ‘Falling Back’ – Washed Out
- ‘Reach Out’ – Sufjan Stevens, Angelo De Augustine
- ‘Filled With Wonder Once Again’ – Bill Fay
- ‘One Fine Morning’ – Bill Callahan
- ‘People Everywhere (Still Alive)’ – Khruangbin
- ‘That Summer Feeling’ – Jonathan Richman
- ‘Witchi Tai To’ – Harpers Bizarre
- ‘My Angel (Malaika)’ – Harry Belafonte, Miriam Makeba
- ‘Look Who’s Talking Now’ – Orlando Weeks
- ‘Write a List of Things to Look Forward to’ – Courtney Barnett
- ‘Opium Tea’ – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
- ‘Time is Tight’ – Booker T. & The M.G.’s
- ‘Sailing On’ – Toots & The Maytals
- ‘Don’t Watch Me Dancing’ – Little Joy
- ‘Stay High’ – Brittany Howard
- ‘Blue, Red and Grey’ – The Who
- ‘Fire By the River’ – Harumi
- ‘Love is Blind’ – Jo Mama
- ‘When The Truth Is…’ – Hamilton Leithauser, Rostam
- ‘The Ecstasy of Dancing Fleas’ – Penguin Café Orchestra
- ‘Parade’ – Kevin Morby
- ‘Have You Been Good to Yourself?’ – Johnnie Frierson
- ‘The Moonbeam Song’ – Harry Nilsson
- ‘Touchdown’ – Nina Hynes
- ‘Drivin’ on 9’ – The Breeders
- ‘Crying, Laughing, Loving, Lying’ – Labi Siffre
- ‘Agoraphobia’ – Deerhunter
- ‘Astral Weeks’ – Van Morrison
- ‘Sketches for Summer’ – The Durutti Column
- ‘Hit or Miss – Live’ – Odetta
- ‘Wakin’ on a Pretty Day’ – Kurt Vile
- ‘Slow Drive’ – Moon Panda
- ‘Memphis Soul Stew’ – King Curtis
- ‘Hear the Rain Come’ – Sidestepper
- ‘Suddenly’ – Drugdealer, Weyes Blood
- ‘Go Where You Wanna Go’ – The Mamas & The Papas
- ‘Love Survive’ – Michael Nau
- ‘Big Cheeseburgers & Good French Fries’ – Blaze Foley
