Music To Sleep To

Music has a way of serving different purposes for people in their lives. You might spin a record to help you get over a rough breakup, or to get yourself mentally psyched for an athletic competition. And of course many out there use a R&B album or two to set the mood in the bedroom (which I never understood, considering how difficult it would be for me to maintain an erection while Barry White's booming voice blared in the background.) Another way music can be used is to battle a dreaded case of insomnia. There's nothing like unassuming, low key grooves to lull one to sleep, especially when a glass of skim milk can be hell on the stomach. Here are some records that are great but when the time's right, play like Audio Ambien when you're trying to get some Zsss.



Slowdive (Just for a Day,Souvaki, Pygmalion)

English band Slowdive were one of the marquee names to emerge from the "shoegaze" era of the late 80's and early 90s. Steady with soaring vocals and elements of chamber rock, think My Bloody Valentine without any trace of balls. The songs were atmospheric and epic like, like the soaring "Shine" and the wall of sound of "Morningrise". The lethargic approach of Slowdive makes any of their records an easy choice to conk out to, but they still warrant a listen when wide awake.



Calamine (What We Forgot to Remember,2006)


The band Calamine is mostly known for providing the theme song to the old Adult Swim show Sealab 2021, with their style of indie pop defined by the distinct vocals of singer Julie Stepanek. The follow up their upbeat debut Calamine EP, What We Forgot to Remember, took nearly six years to be released and has a vibe as dreary as a week long stretch of rain. The record never picks up momentum, from the reluctant optimism of the opener "These Days" to the damp "More Sad Robots" and 'The Truth About You."Intentional or not, Stepanek and the otherTeam Calamine members created a complete sedative of an album that's perfect to listen to on the ipod when your loud next door neighbors are having a awkward Youtube party next door at 3am.




Elliott Smith (Any fucking album)


I would like to start off by saying Elliott Smith is one of my favorite artist of all time and a patron saint to any emo wimp whose contemplated the meaning of existence or openly cried in front of their dad. But there's rarely an exciting moment in the wistful icon's back catalog, it's not like Either/Or will ever be used by law enforcement on full blast to get criminals out of their hiding places in hostage situations. Songs like "Someone I used to Know" and "Miss Misery" are legitimate works of art, but if you're in desperate need of shut eye (and too proud to masturbate) put on some Elliott and wake up the next day entirely refreshed.