Life in 10 Tracks with Claire Rousay
Life in 10 Tracks is a new feature series that is all about being injected into a moment in someone’s life through music. In it, passersby reminisce on the tracks that remind them of bad haircuts, breakups, and all of the joyful, poignant moments in between.
Claire Rousay is a San Antonio-based musician whose artistry and melodic music are transcendent. She’s a percussionist, but her experimental style lends to a lush sound that is imaginative beyond the limits of what you might dream. Her just-released album, a softer focus, demonstrates this. The project is a collaborative, multi-layered one, with visual artist dani toral creating the album’s floral artwork and meditative visual narrative. We’re ecstatic to enter Claire’s world and to have her share her musical inspirations.
♫ listen to claire's playlist
The first time I heard this song I listened to it 15 times in a row.
I had just broken the heart of someone I never wanted to hurt. I had no one to talk to about it because the person I hurt was the one I would have talked to. She was and is still so kind to me. I don’t deserve it but feel less alone than I did in that moment.
“S.W.I.M.” by Midwife / Listen to the album Forever (The Flenser, 2020)
This was my favorite song to play on piano when I was eight years old. My mother is a piano teacher and I always gave her a hard time as a student. This piece was my first experience with ‘intentional dissonance’ in music performance.
Changed my life.
“I’ve Got Music” by Faber Piano Adventures Level 1 / Listen to the album Faber Piano Adventures: Classics Series
motherbear is a musical project based in Saint Louis, MO. My first time hearing them was at FOAM in Saint Louis on a tour I was on. They played after me, acoustic, on the floor of the bar — you could hear a pin drop the entire performance. They played “Neither Was I” as their last song in the set. I was weeping 2⁄3 of the way through the song. I left to smoke a cigarette outside and collected myself before walking back inside. One of my best friends, Alex Cunningham, booked the show and designed the poster.
“Neither Was I ” by motherbear / Listen to the album wake (motherbear, 2018)
This was my favorite song for the whole Winter of 2016. I was primarily in Massachusetts living with my girlfriend at the time at her house in South Hadley as well as her parents’ place in Boston. Her roommates and family were all amazing and put up with me for some reason.
I played this song on my phone while I showered every morning and no one ever complained. The pitched up vocals at the end still wreck me to this day.
“Train” by Coastal Car / Listen to the album Lossless (Already Dead Tapes and Records, 2017)
The version of “Blue Moon” on Billie’s Solitude LP is my favorite. There is a truly unhinged trumpet solo 1⁄2 way through the song that is so so funny to me. Brandon Lopez and I were on tour in Texas playing as a duo and he showed me this recording of “Blue Moon”. Broke my brain.
Thanks, B-Lo.
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holiday / Listen to the album Solitude (UMG Recordings, Inc., 1956)
I heard this for the first time like 5 months ago and it fucked me up. What a perfect pop punk song.
I was a little disappointed though when I looked the lyrics up. What I heard as “it’s my fault that it’s at a bar” is actually “it’s my fault that it fell apart”. The bar line is cooler. I’m keeping that one for myself.
“My Friends Over You” by New Found Glory / Listen to the album Sticks and Stones (UMG Recordings, Inc., 2002)
The squeaking and spray paint samples on “Drain You” were my introduction to ‘found sound’ additions to pop recordings. Obviously, this has stayed with me for years.
“Drain You” by Nirvana / Listen to the album Nevermind (Geffen Records, 1991)
This was my favorite song in 2010-12 when I was touring as a drummer with my old indie rock/garage band. We wanted to be as cool as Nice Try but never got there. Also turns out your best friend can also be a piece of shit. Lesson learned.
“Feels Right” by Nice Try / Listen to the album convinced (Nice Try, 2014)
I had a burned mix CD of Kenny songs as a kid. My mom loved him. We would jam out to this on long drives in the minivan as we drove to and from Canada to Texas.
Now this song just makes me cry. I cannot listen to it casually these days. Last time I did I was sobbing for an hour.
“The Good Stuff” by Kenny Chesney / Listen to the album No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems (BMG, 2002)
Relient K was my favorite band as a teenager. There were a lot of limits on what I was allowed to listen to as a Child of God. Relient K was the most ‘punk’ music I could find at the time. The Two Lefts Don’t Make a Right... CD was the first time I used my own money to pay for music.
“In Love With The 80s” is a song that really really meant a lot to me. I wanted to be a badass skater with piercings and tattoos so badly. I wanted frosted tips. I wanted to finger a girl during summer break. I wanted my band to be famous.
“In Love With The 80s Pink Tux To The Prom” by Relient K / Listen to the album Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do (Gotee Records, 2012)
words and images provided by claire rousay
header image by dani toral