Assignment #23- Ellis Padgett- Perfect Playlist for Comfort

I put this playlist together exactly one week ago, but I couldn't figure out for the life of me what it was "The Perfect Playlist" for. So it sat in my Spotify, simply titled "The Perfect Playlist For."

Now it is the perfect playlist for comfort, but I will probably change the title again in a few days. In fact, it will probably return to being "The Perfect Playlist For," because every time I listen to these songs I am in a different head-space, so their meanings change a little. But for now, as I am stuck inside this house, these songs offer me comfort. Cohesively, these songs all follow a relaxed tempo, have beautiful lyrics, and rely on vocals instead of heavy instrumentation. I think they're all really beautiful in their own ways. 

1. The Friary - David Keenan

When I first heard this song, I thought the artist sounded like Shrek (though he's Irish, not Scottish). David Keenan has a way of singing that I haven't found in any other artist. He's very give and take; his guitar intros seem uncalculated, and he shifts from relaxed to intense very quickly. Instead of following the formulaic pattern of nice verse, exciting chorus, David Keenan reaches a sort of peak near the end of his songs, like he's finishing an exciting story. Which he is. The Friary, while I don't quite understand the lyrics, grows throughout. He follows the verse-chorus pattern, but changes his guitar and voice as he wants so nothing is repeated exactly as it was. This gives the song a sense of freedom, and I find comfort in the loose structure. 

2. Relatively Easy - Jason Isbell

I actually understand the lyrics in this one, and they are what I think is the comforting part of this song. The first lines, "Are you having a long day/ Everyone you meet rubs you the wrong way," really hit home sometimes. We all have days where we are just through with people. Later in the song, there is a drop and rise, similar to David Keenan. This adds dramatic effect, allowing the listener to really invest in the song, and find comfort in its words.

3. Even the Darkness Has Arms - The Barr Brothers

This has one of the coolest guitar parts ever. Once again, the lyrics are caked in mystery, but somehow you still know they're beautiful. The comforting part about this song is the way he sings. It's a fast paced song, yet he seems as if he's in no rush at all. 

4. Broken - Jake Bugg

I personally like this guy's voice a lot, but others don't because it has this weird tamber. For me, his voice is comforting. The guitar part also shifts from very high to very low for they chorus, which adds a certain richness. Even as the singer climbs in vocal range, the beat remains steady. No rush- always relaxed.

5. Honeybee - Steam Powered Giraffe

This band is the weirdest band I have ever come across. This is one of the only songs of theirs I like; but I like it because it reminds me of a barbershop quartet the way their voices intertwine. It is steadily paced. The chorus is especially interesting because the singers echo each other. And every chord they create is spot on, you wouldn't believe it. I think it's comforting because of the effortless way they harmonize; and because it relies on the vocals instead of on heavy instrumentation, like a lot of these other songs. 

6. Cobwebs - David Keenan

Another David Keenan song! He sings the same way, very give and take. Even with nonchalant vocals, the lyrics in this song have a certain darkness to them. He says, "Come away from the window ledge/ You'll catch your death of cold and you'll be no use to anyone/ Least of all me." He climbs really high vocally in this song, building emotion before dropping back down. I think it all works together to create something very pretty and comforting.

7. Blue Skies - Noah and the Whale

This is the only song on here that isn't acoustic guitar. Quite literally comforting, it's about how a bright future is coming even if you don't see it right now.