Monthly Mix - The Tortured Poets of my Teenage Years.

A 90’s music mix made just for you.

Dearest Friend,

I’m sure that even if you are not a Taylor Swift fan (it’s OK, you’re still welcome here) you will not have escaped news of the release of 11th studio album “The Tortured Poets Department” next week.

When I first heard the announcement at ridiculous o’clock in the am having stayed up to watch the GRAMMYs, my first thoughts turned to what genre it might be? What stories might be told? Will it be a “folklore”style telling of (supposedly) made up tales or a more “dishing of the dirt” variety. I honestly think she could do a covers version of the “In the Night Garden” soundtrack and I would love it (and oh, now I think of it, Taylor Swift, if you’re reading - PLEASE do that, it would be all sorts of fabulous).

The waiting weeks that have passed have seen my thoughts turn to the title. Initially I had hoped it might be an album full of collaborations of current day tortured poets - Lana Del Rey, The National, Bon Iver, Moby, Ólafur Arnalds, Billie Eilish, Florence Welch, Brandon Flowers (Pressure Machine was a departure for The Killers for sure but slots him into this category solidly and I would argue that he’s carried depth quite stealthily into The Killers bangers and big hits for years - also, a mashup of both their versions of The Man could be fun, I digress…), the inevitable Coldplay appearance. My musical sphere has grown small of late thanks to the head injury and so I am sure there are countless I have missed, but those were my initial thoughts. When it transpired (quite quickly thanks to leaky internet holes) that this wouldn’t be the case, I thought of how this will soundtrack so many young lives and the musicians of my own youth.

And so formed a Department of the Tortured Poets of my Teenage Years. Jeff Buckley snuck in because although he didn’t form part of my teenage experience I’m leaving post-it notes across the universe for other teen versions of myself to find him. I know that 16 year old me would have been utterly in love with his music. In the words of Swift - “a real fucking legacy”.

I wasn’t cool enough for J.B, Massive Attack snuck in during my late teens. I was lucky enough to see Depeche Mode on their 86-98 tour (my first intro to the truly massive spectacle that can be arena shows), conversely I saw Heather Nova at a tiny show at the Glee Club in Birmingham (UK) and it was beautiful. All had a lasting impact. All there for the young loves, heartbreaks, friendships and stories of my youth. Many of them surfaced thanks to the likes of Dawson’s Creek and in wild contrast, the cinematic brooding elements of Baz Luhrman’s Romeo + Juliet soundtrack (Leo DiCaprio sitting on a wall, that scene, you know the one, beautifully accompanied by Radiohead).

I think Heartstopper and The Summer I Turned Pretty are the new versions of all that? The OC and One Tree Hill bridging the years between. I digress again (and the use of music to portray emotion in teen tv and film is a whole subject in and of itself), but now I wonder what came before? Buffy, My So Called Life? And before them? That’s a rabbit hole I’ll enjoy some other time. For now…

As always, the mix comes in under an hour and a half (because that’s all you can fit on a C-90 tape and I’m old-school about the idea if not the delivery vehicle of the thing), and I managed to keep to 19 tracks, because, teens.

Tell me who your tortured poets were over on Notes… And more importantly, am I missing out on teen shows of the moment that tell me what I should be listening to?

With love, the tortured teen variety of course,

V.V

P.S If you love a list or don’t have Spotify, the playlist is below.

1. Home - Depeche Mode

2. If It Makes You Happy - Sheryl Crow

3. Hand in My Pocket - Alanis Morisette

4. I Don’t Want to Wait - Paula Cole

5. Fade Into You - Mazzy Star

6. You Could Make a Killing - Aimee Mann

7. What Would Happen - Meredith Brooks

8. World on Fire - Sarah McLachlan

9. Sullen Girl - Fiona Apple

10. Down So Long - Jewel

11. Heart And Shoulder - Heather Nova

12. Liquid Diamonds - Tori Amos

13. You Look So Fine (2018 - Remaster) - Garbage

14. Sinking - The Cure

15. Lilac Wine - Jeff Buckley

16. Glory Box - Live - Portishead

17. A Place Called Home - PJ Harvey

18. Unfinished Sympathy - Massive Attack

19. Exit Music (For A Film) - Radiohead

The Monthly Mix is a love letter to the mix tapes of my youth. Carefully curated and crafted, just for you. You can find more playlist joy right here. To make sure you don’t miss the next one…

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This month’s mix. Love it? Hate it? Recommendations? I’m here for all of it, please do share your thoughts in the comments below.