As a fourth-year college student and avid procrastinator, I pride myself in my ability to make an enchanting playlist. Anyone who knows me has probably been a victim of my unsolicited texts with my most recent compilation attached, but I can't help it, I love discovering new music and sharing it with others.
Phoebe Bridgers is a musician born and raised in Pasadena, California. I've been listening to Phoebe for a while now, and her lyrics are truly some of the most captivating words I have ever given my ears the privilege of listening to. She's one of those artists that effortlessly makes you analyze her music in a new way every time you hear it. Her voice is uniquely angelic, with an authentic folk-pop flare that only comes around every once in a while.
I was creating a playlist yesterday to listen to while I studied (instead of, you know, actually studying) when I noticed that Bridgers had released new music. Naturally, I had to hear all of it. I clicked on the new album and noticed that another name was attached to this new record, none other than Conor Oberst, my favorite songwriter from the excessive eyeliner era of my life (high school).
The two surprise-released their debut album back in January, "Better Oblivion Community Center", after secretly writing and recording it for the better half of 2018. In a review article that I read, Sam Walker-Smart praised, "its depth, brave sonic choices, and chemistry make for a near perfect record. Rather than sticking purely with the sad acoustic vibes, the album effortlessly blends country, electro elements and alt-rock with ease. It's as if the LP was simultaneously recorded in 2018, 2007, and 1993, a tonal greatest hits of hard-hitting emotion and fist-pumping fun." I couldn't have described it better myself.
If you haven't heard of either of these artists or if you have but haven't listened through this album yet, do it. I haven't heard lyrics with this much depth behind them in a long time, and if you let them, they might just take you on the thought-provoking, emotional journey that they took me on when I listened through it for the first time. I have a gut-feeling that Phoebe Bridgers is going to make it big soon, so do yourself a favor and appreciate her talent now rather than later.
