Music Swap 

Music is an entry to the soul, it shows a person's true colors and feelings. But, it’s even better when you can share this joy with a friend. Haley and I, Caitlin, have done just this. We exchanged two songs that we both love and gave them to the other to listen to. We will each give our opinions on each other’s songs, while also explaining why we chose both of our songs. 

Haley songs:

The songs I chose were "Ruthless" by The Marias and "Dontmakemefallinlove" by Cuco. I chose Ruthless by The Marias because it sounds ethereal and peaceful. Her voice is very relaxed and this song helps give me peace of mind. I love quiet-sounding songs and this song fits perfectly for me. Her voice amazes me, and she has a powerful voice that really stands out to me. My second song choice was "Dontmakemefallinlove" by Cuco. This song is upbeat yet the lyrics sung don’t match the cheerful tone of the song. The way he mixed both aspects is astonishing, telling a sorrowful story with an optimistic beat truly shows how talented he is.

Caitlin’s Opinion:

"Ruthless" by The Marias: I did enjoy this song, I thought it was very calming. I loved her voice and how unique it was. The lyrics were great, I especially loved the lyric “Please forgive me for feeling this strong but it feels just like angels in my head.” Toward the end of the song, there is an instrumental part. That I also enjoyed and the trumpets fit the feel of the song. There were some things I didn't quite like about the song, but they were very minimal. For example, in the song, her voice goes very high and sometimes becomes unclear and sounds like noise. All in all, this is a wonderful song to help someone relax, it transports you to a different place, not just with the vocals but with all the backing instruments and rhythm. On a scale of 1-10, this song is an 8/10. 

"Dontmakemefallinlove" by Cuco: This was my favorite out of the two songs given to me. I love how upbeat it is, even though the lyrics tell a different story. At the beginning of the song, he immediately starts singing, which I prefer in most songs. My favorite lyric was, “Lonely nights like these, you just stumble in my head.” Cuco’s voice has always been great, but I especially love it in this song. Since this song is faster than a lot of his other popular ones. The chorus of the song is the best part, in my opinion. It is very catchy and the instrumental after it was peaceful. If I were to change anything though, I would fix how repetitive the song can be. Overall, this is an exceptional song, with a good message in the lyrics, nice vocals, and an immaculate beat/rhythm to back it. On a scale of 1-10, I give it an 8.5/10.

Caitlin’s Songs:

The songs I chose are "Change" by Djo, and "Liar" by Paramore. I chose "Change" by Djo because of how entertaining this song is. It has unique but good vocals, and an amazing beat. It is very energetic and makes me feel more upbeat every time I listen to it. I love Djo personally, all of his music amazes me, this is just one great song out of his whole discography. I also chose "Liar" by Paramore, because of how soothing the song is to me. It has a sadder message than some of their other songs, but that is what I love about it, it’s real, and it tells a real story. It is my favorite song from their new album that came out in February. Hayley William’s vocals are also extraordinary, and the chorus of this song is sensational. 

Haley’s opinion:

"Change" by Djo: This song is very electric and upbeat, every lyric sung has its own beat. The story the song tells is exceedingly interesting and the way it’s told in the song makes me want to learn more about the story behind it. I love how the beat builds up at the beginning of the song, although the immediate singing doesn’t interest me too much. My favorite lyric in this song is “In your eyes, the man that I could be.”  There is a nice part in particular where the beat quiets down and allows the beat to build back up which adds a nice touch to the song. The song is louder than what I’m used to and the electric background noise is pretty repetitive. All in all, this song feels as if it’s telling a story in a fascinating way and the way the music builds up excitement is excellent. On a scale of 1 through 10, I rate this song a 7/10.

"Liar" by Paramore: The calm intro to the song allows for a soothing mood while listening to this song. I do love the band Paramore yet I have not heard this song up until now. My favorite lyric in this song is “ And all the ways I’d keep you safe, I keep you safe from me.”  The metaphors and comparisons used in this song allow the song to show her true feelings by comparing them to painful moments. The story is told exceptionally and her voice is beautiful. Her voice matches the tone of the song so well and the male voice coming in at different points of the song definitely created a nice and subtle sound. A small piece of the song that didn’t interest me too much was the repeated lyrics near the end of the song. Overall this song was beautiful and I will definitely continue to listen to this on my own. On a scale of 1 to 10, I rate this song an 8.5/10