Variations on a Theme: One Hundred Songs of Solitude

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We have long been making mixtapes, but have found that the loose themes of seasons/covers songs are not fruitful enough to post regularly. Variations on a Theme will be a monthly post where we make a list of songs that fit a specific topic. We hope to get creative with the themes, so expect a wide range of weird and wonderful subjects explored through songs. The second, and most important part of this feature is reader participation. We want to hear the songs that we have missed or forgotten, so yell at us on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr, send us an email, write us a letter! We’ll share the suggestions, and if we get enough we might even make a Readers Mix to go along with our own.


 

It’s Valentine’s Day. This could trouble you because: A) You are alone and will most likely die alone and frequent televisual reminders of romantic love only serve to heighten your dejection; B) You do have a partner and still feel alone, a sorry situation made worse by the extravagant and expensive and essentially empty gifts lavished upon you in the name of Love; or C) You find the consumerist notion of creating an anxiety relieved only by the purchase of tacky goods an insult to your idea of Love which is no doubt deep and meaningful and near enough unique. This is a collection of songs for those who reject Valentine’s Day for whatever reason. The mood is summed up by Owen Ashworth in the opening song, ‘Only Way to Cry’:

“A man goes to the movies & buys every seat in the house. He cries alone in the darkness until the end credits roll. He says I know it seems extravagant but have you ever tried? Man, it’s the only way to cry.”

I’d have to be lonely on a whole different level to write out the full tracklist but the artists included are: Casiotone For The Painfully Alone, Damien Jurado, The Twilight Sad, Broken Social Scene, Moderat, Swans, The Middle East, Bob Dylan, Alice Boman, Tame Impala, Dolorean, The Mountain Goats, Stars, Flume, Psalmships, Hip Hatchet, Gold Spectacles, Seekae, Bipolar Sunshine, Leadbelly, Aunts, Jack Garratt, Frightened Rabbit, Huck Notari, Phosphorescent, BADBADNOTGOOD, Japandroids, The Hotelier, Will Sheff, Theodore, Rhian Sheenan, Kissing Fractures, Josh T. Pearson, Graham Wright, Arca, Holy Fuck, Strand Of Oaks, Hauschka, S. Maharba, Pink Mountaintops, Donovan Woods, Talons’, Sharon Van Etten, Titus Andronics, Kindness, Coma Cinema, La Dispute, Speedy Ortiz, Angel Olsen, Beyonce, John Talabot, OutKast, Frank Ocean, Dolly Parton, Four Tet, Bahamas, Damon Albarn, Robyn, This Will Destroy You, Burial, Jimmy Eat World, Bonus Eventus, Fog Lake, Beat Radio, These Arms Are Snakes, Malcolm Middleton, Johnny Cash, Sean Atkins, Meursault, Adieu Caribou, Dawn Golden, Soosh, Andy Shauf, Keith Kenniff, Sylvain Chauveau, Lo-Fang, Robbie Bankes, Right Away Great Captain!, Paul Baribeau. Diet Cig, The National, Loscil, Stupid Loser, Windmill, Jeremih, Sekuoia, Rivergazer, Small Wonder, Rivulets, Palace Brothers, Mitski, The Antlers, Teebs, Photay, Red Sparowes, Alex G, Yours Are The Only Ears, Tom Waits, Silver Mt. Zion. Patterson Hood.

One Hundred Songs of Solitude from Wake The Deaf on 8tracks Radio.

P.S. Please don’t sue us Penguin Books / Garcia Marquez estate!