STAFF PICKS: UNPLUGGED
Each week, staff members compile a themed playlist and spotlight some of their standout picks. For this grey, rainy week, we selected some acoustic tracks.
“Death of the Phone Call” by Whatever, Dad
By Mateo Christians
If you were to tell me a year ago that my #1 song of the summer would be a soft, wistful story about a swordfish losing his phone– in French, no less– I would have told you that you’re crazy. Yet, here I am, telling you to go and listen to “Death of the Phone Call” by Whatever, Dad. This song reeled me in as soon as I heard it and became a staple in my music library.
Despite only being a minute and a half long, it’s the type of song you can’t imagine any other way, particularly because it’s hard to think of anything comparable to a song about swordfish and phones. For me, it became freeing to listen to a song I didn’t have to understand, particularly due to the abstract lyrics and the language barrier. Of course, my understanding of the song changed when I actually translated the lyrics and found out that it’s a commentary on how phones and the internet have ruined in-person connection, but if you thought that would stop me from enjoying my French swordfish song, think again.
If you need something to listen to in the morning when you look out the window, I’d highly recommend “Death of the Phone Call.” Also, I want to give a shoutout to my friend Antonio Napiza for putting me on to this song and soundtracking my whole summer, I never would have found it without him.
“The Solitude” by Bedouine
By Adrian D’Angelo
A Sunday inside can feel strange in Philly, a city where you are always surrounded by people. To be truly alone is rare, and it can reveal the way that solitude is a presence in and of itself. It brings memory and distance as company. The sounds of the street, the noise of a roommate, the other, empty side of the table, of a bed. “The Solitude” is a groovy meditation on the space someone takes up when they are not there. A reconnection to the empty space around you, when you are alone, and the uneasy reach for peace in solitude. Bedouine is Syrian, Armenian and American, and takes her name from the Syrian-Arabic name for desert dwellers, alluding to a nomadic, often solitary lifestyle that the singer identifies with. Ultimately, the song is an ode to being alone, with all the sorrow and peace it can bring. If you have $30 and a 21+ ID, go see Bedouine at Johnny Brenda’s in Fishtown on November 13th for me.
“Come And Play In The Milky Night (Demo)” by Stereolab
By Natalie Hogan
The rainy days of fall are among us, and with that comes a change in tempo. As the air gets chilly and the days become shorter, you need a good song to pair with the melancholy feeling. During this time of year, I lean towards any moody or mellow track I can find in my library. Although they are generally regarded as anything but relaxing and unplugged, my pick this week is a Stereolab demo.
Stereolab is a French-English band known widely for their colorful avant-pop sound. Constantly experimenting with synth patches, beat looping, and dissonance, they are not typically associated with acoustic music. “Come and Play in the Milky Night (Demo)” is off of the expanded edition of Cobra and Phases Group Play Voltage in the Milky Night, the band’s sixth album. Following the same melody and lyrics as the finished song, the demo offers a more comforting sound with a shorter, stripped-back version of the song. It’s a mellow track perfect for that feel of early autumn. Contrasting their usual synth-heavy songs with various percussion instruments, the demo includes only guitar and vocals. The finished track is just as amazing, but the demo provides the perfect intimate vibe needed during a gloomy, grey week.
“New Slang – 2021 Remaster” by The Shins
By Cara Reddington
It is late July 2015, the sky is turning purple, my family and I are sitting out, catching fireflies, playing cards, and eating ice cream. My sister and I get restless and run circles around the backyard, tripping over our feet playing tag. We push each other on the swing, attempting a new height record. Worn out, we collapse in the grass, laying, watching the stars emerge. “New Slang” plays faintly over these memories. The Shins hold a special, nostalgic place in my heart.
The Shins’ twee-adjacent indie-folk sound wraps around me like a warm hug. James Mercer’s soft vocals are reminiscent of a lullaby. The easy-going guitar melodies congeal into a comforting yet novel listening experience.
Mercer grapples with becoming an adult and letting go of the safeties of being a kid. The track’s minimal instrumentals make the lyrics feel confessional. “New Slang” isa reminder that everyone goes through hard times and transitional periods, and that change is a constant.
When my days are lined back to back with rain, petrichor, and routine, I look to music for comfort. This song’s lucid, haunting, unforgettable melodies consisting only of simple, persistent guitar and periodic tambourines fuse together making an exemplary acoustic ballad.
Listen to the full playlist:
Contributors: Amaris Alfonesca, Anna Brammer-Depuy, Mateo Christians, Kelsea Clarke, Adrian D’Angelo, Maya Eberlin, Delaney Heckman, Natalie Hogan, Caroline Maurer, Cara Reddington, Aya Soussi, Gabe Sullo, Tate Weaver, Lane Webb, Alyssa Westcoat
Cover photo by Maya Eberlin.
