Music tastes vary immensely depending upon region. Whether you’re moving back to Eugene or are new to the area, this playlist features 10 songs by artists from the Pacific Northwest and beyond that serve as great party starters or are just illustrative of the campus’s eclectic musical climate.
Arctic Monkeys – “Do I Wanna Know?” A fine introduction to the Arctic Monkeys’ brilliant album AM (as well as the band itself for those unfamiliar with their work — go in reverse-chronological order along their five albums), “Do I Wanna Know?” practically conjures up images of college students confidently strutting through the front gates of campus — yet its lyrics do not express victory but rather uncertainty and sexual frustration. It’s awkwardly triumphant, just like the first few weeks of college.
The Kingsmen – “Louie Louie” Probably the college song of all time as well as one of the great Oregonian songs. The Kingsmen hailed from Portland and were so wasted upon recording that the FBI spent 18 months trying to figure out whether the words Jack Ely incomprehensibly slurred were dirty or not. There are many excellent covers, particularly Joan Jett’s, but the Kingsmen version deserves its definitive status.
The Decemberists – “Yankee Bayonet (I Will be Home Then)”
The Shins – “Phantom Limb”
Blitzen Trapper – “Black River Killer”
A trio of songs from three essential Portland bands that illustrate the autumnal, wordy, pop-savvy rock style that has come to define Northwest music in the last decade or so, “Black River Killer” in particular seems omnipresent around campus. I’ve been serenaded by it while drinking coffee, partying in the woods and doing intensive laps in the rec center swimming pool.
Snoop Dogg – “Tha Shiznit” You will be hearing a lot of Snoop in college, so I strongly advise you to become acquainted with his discography (or at least Doggystyle). Though “Tha Shiznit” isn’t exactly a deep cut, it’s an underplayed song that fits the vibe of just about any social gathering — stoned or sober. People occasionally respond adversely to the fake radio-station intro and may give you dirty looks if you play it at a party, but when the song kicks in, they’ll realize their mistake and you’ll seem that much cooler to everyone there.
The Melvins – “Revolve” An essential Northwest band as well as a fun and somewhat underappreciated one, the Melvins hold a special place in my heart for bringing me out of my classic-rock-radio shell and thrusting me into music geekdom. Their gargantuan catalog runs the gamut from doom metal to experimental noise, but their work for Atlantic Records in the early 1990s shows they’re a fine party band — albeit an incredibly bizarre one.
Vampire Weekend – “Campus” When you come to college, this song will sound joyful and happy and will make you think of how cool “sleeping on the balcony after class” must be. By the time you’re a sophomore waiting in line at Common Grounds with all the people you hated and/or dated your first year, it’ll take on a totally different meaning and you’ll probably dig it significantly more.
Tame Impala – “It Is Not Meant to Be” At their current level of fame, Tame Impala may be the easiest band to bond with people over. If you play this in your dorm, people who recognize it will think you’re awesome and people who don’t will be interested to know more. Also, keep in mind that its parent album, Innerspeaker, is a surefire stoner-stimulator as well as of the best rock records of recent years.
Loscil – “Dub For Cascadia” Pretty much any Loscil song is perfect for walking around in the torrential rain by which you will doubtlessly be greeted. “Dub For Cascadia” has the benefit of both having “Cascadia” in its name and being really good, ranking among the better tracks on the ambient veteran’s excellent 2010 release Endless Falls.