Weekly Track Roundup #25
Boredom.....
The third week of classes is upon us. Mundanity and routineness are beginning to set in and the AW staff is feeling weary. Here are some tracks about being bored.
No Vacation - "Laundry Day"
"I don't want to get up
Yeah, I don't want to get up
And I've got all the dirty laundry to do"
- Allison Hsu
Father John Misty - "Bored In The USA"
"Bored in the USA" is a wise-guy Father John Misty song from before his wise-guy shtick got old. Notably better than the Bruce Springsteen song that inspired its name, this indie ballad is a scathing attack on the tediousness of life in the United States. As always, Father John Misty blurs the line between cynicism and condescension—who else but him would dare sing the line, "save me, President Jesus"?
- Sam McCarthy
Wilco - "Hate It Here"
In what is truly one of Wilco’s most complete tracks ever recorded, “Hate It Here” is a leisurely ode to boredom following the departure of his former partner. The song’s lyrics follow lead singer Jeff Tweedy as he tries to keep himself engaged with menial tasks around the house, all to forget about the woman he loves. The track is carried by a classic Wilco instrumentation that expertly invokes this air of banality and boredom, including a subtle Wurlitzer, lap steel guitar, and more than a few moments of pure bliss from lead guitarist Nels Cline. The lyric sheet reads a bit gloomy but the track manages to support it with an instrumental that seems to look ahead and see a future where his ennui subsides and he can return to doing normal activities without being hung up on this break-up.
- Alex Richwine
Modest Mouse - "Talkin' Shit About a Pretty Sunset"
I think the unpleasantness of boredom doesn’t just stem from a lack of something to do but rather a general feeling of dissatisfaction when you’re left alone with your thoughts. I hate being unoccupied and find every excuse to move my hands, busy to the point of exhaustion. “Talkin' Shit About a Pretty Sunset," off Modest Mouse’s 1996 album, This is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About is about self-deprecation, boredom, and not trusting yourself. "And I claim I'm not excited with my life any more/So I blame this town, this job, these friends/The truth is it's myself."
- Meg West
Wavves - "So Bored"
In this noisy lo-fi track from Wavves' 2009 self-titled LP, Nathan Williams' sk8er-boi apathy shines over a heavy guitar and catchy backing vocals. Turn the volume up and let your inner California punk take control.
- Henry Vehslage
Lala Lala - "Fuck With Your Friends"
Boredom for me usually comes from a place of being both overwhelmed and underwhelmed at the same time. I think “Fuck with Your Friends” by Lala Lala embodies that conflict of emotion I feel; the lyrics “There is no way to figure it out / Just sleep late and keep your head down / and fuck with your friends” gives comfort to the concept that while boredom is a difficult feeling to navigate, you don’t have to fight it when you feel it, and friendship is a way to embrace it.
- Kelsey Gordon
Primitive Radio Gods - "Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand"
When I'm desperately bored I stare at the ceiling or the wall—I'm not picky—and overthink everything in my life until I'm no longer bored or I fall asleep. This song makes me feel like I'm somewhere else and like being bored and daydreaming isn't a waste of time.
- Aurora McGuckin
