Listen Here #21: Brian Eno, hemlock, Mitski
Dear Friends,
I just tried to write “Howdy” and it got autocorrected to “Chowder.” A potent metaphor for something, undoubtedly.
Anyways! Apologies for the long absence. Life stuff happened, and my happy routine of recommending songs was interrupted to the point where I actually forgot about this project for a few weeks. Mondays, however, do keep rolling around. And so, we sail on, into the wealth of song that surrounds us.
<3 Lauren
This Week’s Songs:
Any song that was shared via Spotify link has been added to this public playlist for easy access. And (many thanks to Rae!) there’s also an Apple Music playlist.
Song/Artist: “By This River” by Brian Eno
Genre: Ambient/Minimalist
Feels like: Drifting away
Why I love this song: Gentle. Melancholy. Timeless.
Other context: Last week, I finished watching The Pitt (wholeheartedly recommend), which was a very intense watch. This week, seeking a respite before I dive into another serious show (up for consideration: True Detective s4, Station Eleven, The Last of Us s1), I started watching Etoilé, a very silly show ostensibly about ballet. Will I watch all of it? Undoubtedly. Will I remember anything about it after I watch it? Likely only this song, which was used for the credits at the end of episode two. I immediately dropped everything else to find it and listen to it 5 more times. It’s that good.
Song/Artist: “circles again (nov four)” by hemlock
Genre: DIY folk
Feels like: a long highway, three hours into a 7 hour drive
Why I love this song: Impeccable harmonies. Got stuck in my head after just one listen!
Other context: hemlock (Carolina Chauffe) is a prolific Louisiana artist with a gut-wrenching voice. They are constantly on tour—look them up and go see them if you can!
Song/Artist: “Heat Lightning” by Mitski
Genre: Electro-folk
Feels like: Seeing a rainstorm coming toward you over the lake.
Why I love this song: The whole soundscape here—the piano, the vocal octaves, the synths—is just delicious.
Other context: Laurel Hell is Mitski’s most underrated album, fight me!