Ok, I promised myself that I would never write about Current Affairs because we hear about them enough and lord knows I’m tired of it too. But this perspective is something that has been on my mind for awhile so…why not write it out?
There is a quote that says, “Take your broken heart and turn it into art.” Some life-altering event happens and you need to process it somehow. What could be more life-altering than society going to ground? It isn’t just about having more time on our hands to create, it is the event itself.
For example, Charli XCX released an album called “how i’m feeling now.” She collaborated with fans over Zoom to craft an electropop album that has washes of synthesizers and mechanical production. The tile is obviously self-reflective; we’re all assessing our own feelings during, as I’ve said in countless work emails, “an unprecedented time.”
Elsewhere in the pop world we have a collaboration between Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber – a pairing that has long seemed inevitable. Their single “Stuck With U” features lyrics that make the most of quarantine…even though they describe driving their partner crazy. Ah, romance.
Joel Plaskett sang “Frontlines of the Hard Times” where he takes a grimmer, yet oddly hopeful, approach: “Let’s sing a couple verses/For the doctors and the nurses.” They’ve been constantly described as heroes. Mr. Plaskett’s song pays tribute to them with his guitar and somber, perfect-for-indie voice.
Creativity is catharsis for its author. By listening maybe we can experience a little of that for ourselves.
Clara's Cassettes 