Eleanor Friedberger - "The River (Destroyer cover)" [buy on bandcamp]
Tougher times, these days. There's something circadian about it - you're up, you're down, eventually you're up again.
"There's something circadian about it!" I've shouted this now: shouted it in an alley, at a friend six-and-a-half feet away. What a world.
"You study your braille / you listen to the hail outside," Eleanor Friedberger sings. When Dan Bejar recorded this it was shiny, sturdy, blasted by cloud-coloured light. Here now it's a doomed demo, a recording never finished or properly released. Here now it feels like a coronavirus tune, a dirge for this comedy, this tragedy, these 224 spilling seconds.
I thought I could handle repetition. I thought I flourished in repetition. Scheduled days, habit. But tonight these groundhog days are wearing me out. Not loss, grief, worry: just the ache of a groove worn down. I'm nearly a broken record.
It hailed yesterday. Why didn't I register it as a splendour? Why was it just one more thing?
You're living, you're breathing
You try to believe in, but you don't believe
I'd like it to hail inside the house.
(painting by jim holland)
Posted by Sean at April 22, 2020 9:12 PMPurchased, thank you for the tip!
Posted by Bryan at April 25, 2020 11:05 AMI just wanted to say thank you for continuing to make these posts and put effort into this publication! It was a huge part of my adolescent life :)
Posted by Francisco at May 8, 2020 6:32 PMbeen visiting since 2008/9. thanks so much for still updating.
Posted by Kristopher at May 15, 2020 9:37 AMsean come back I need you
Posted by moka at July 30, 2020 1:25 AMLong time listener, first time commenter...I have been a looooong time reader of your blog and it has introduced me to so much wonderful music. I hadn't checked in for a long time, figuring it was done updating (understandably). I instinctively came back today while feeling the need for new music and I was thrilled to discover the 2020 posts. Thank you so much for all of your past work and whatever future bits we may get.
Posted by Megan at August 28, 2020 12:45 AMHope your OK....
Posted by Conor at December 4, 2020 7:29 PMHave been checking this blog every year since 2011 for the top songs of the year, and each of my Decembers this past decade has been defined by not just the songs but the writing you've done on each. I checked again today hoping for the end of year list, and realize eventually it will have to stop, so wanted to at least let you know how much I've loved those (and other) posts! Thank you for all you've done
Posted by RS at December 6, 2020 6:22 PM
and it will begin playing. All songs are also available to download: just right-click the link and choose 'Save as...'
