By: Jillian Putnam-Smith

Finally, some scientific backing to the funk most feel around this time of year:

“If you woke up Monday morning feeling like your life was particularly in the toilet, you may have validated the formula that claims that the third Monday in January is the most depressing day of the year.

Cliff Arnall, a psychology professor at Cardiff University in Wales, came up with the following formula to determine Blue Monday for 2009:

• 1/8W+(D-d) 3/8xTQ MxNA

The variables relate to things like weather, debt, Christmas bills coming due, failure of New Year’s resolutions, and the need to take action versus general motivational levels.”  (source: CTV.ca)

Here are some songs to help lift you out of the funk and a few to help you dig deeper in (in case you’re a masochist or just happen to enjoy a sad song or three):

Depressing:

J. Tillman, the drummer extraordinaire for the Fleet Foxes, has released 3 solo albums and the most recent, Vacilando Territory Blues, is named appropriately.  It is dark, expansive and solemn as all hell.

From Pitchfork:

“Tillman’s stories sound as elliptical as his music, as if the lyrics demand such sparse arrangements. “Everything moves so fast,” he sings on “Steel on Steel”, “leave no time to ask, does nothing last? Do all things pass, just ash to ash?” These songs whisper loudly to slow the world down, to preserve a moment and all its emotions, whether they’re pleasant or– more likely– painful.”

J. Tillman
“Steel on Steel” (mp3)
from “Vacilando Territory Blues”
(Western Vinyl)

Buy at WV Shop
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The album that topped many Best Of lists in ’07 (even some Best Of lists in’08) features warped vocals, described by the artist as “angelic and haunting”, set against crackling waves of echoes and ambience:

Burial
“Ghost Hardware” (mp3)
from “Untrue”
(Hyperdub)

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Uplifting:

Blue Giant might have the word “Blue” in their band name and this song title, but this is a bright, shiny and anthemic Southern rock tune:
Blue Giant
“Blue Sunshine” (mp3)
from “Target Heart EP”
(Amore!Phonics)

Buy at Amore!Phonics – buy direct from the artist!
Buy at eMusic Selects Blue Giant!
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Record label Ghostly International and modern cult classic programmers, Adult Swim, have paired up for a compilation of new music and art.  One tune on the comp, “Light Powered” by Deastro, has a crunchy, marching beat that’ll kick your ass out of bed.  Take a listen and tell us you don’t feel reinvigorated:

Deastro
“Light Powered” (mp3)
from “Ghostly Swim”
(Ghostly International)

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