Airy vocals speaking sentiments of melancholy and emptiness that could leave it all up to interpretation.
Read my track-by-track breakdown and learn about this playlist’s “artist-to-watch,” Joe Vann, below.
Track-by-Track Breakdown
1. Joe Vann – “Shuffle Around”
Out of all the songs on the playlist, this one reveals the most emotion at first listen. Joe Vann’s heart-wrenching vocals lay relatable confessions of his loneliness and unsettledness on the listener. Standouts include:
- “And I’m making plans with people I don’t like”
- “You told me we could get together soon, I don’t know what I’ll say or what I’ll do”
- “I want to feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be but I don’t
I don’t”
After that last lyric, the phrase “I don’t, I don’t, I just don’t” repeats enough to visit the narrator’s fragile state of mind.
2. Phoebe Bridgers – “Moon Song”
When I hear the reverb and production in “Moon Song,” I have always imagined it being performed in a terrarium or bell jar. In the song, Phoebe Bridgers is helplessly offering to give someone everything including the moon, which is impossible. Her vocals are noticeably strained and suffocated on this track, perhaps more than any other song on her album Punisher. You’ll even hear someone gasping for air if you listen closely throughout.
3. Sufjan Stevens – “Mystery of Love”
“Mystery of Love” is the most adventurous and wondrous addition to this playlist. From his hauntingly airy vocals and abstract lyricism, I consider Sufjan Stevens the blueprint for this playlist. The lyrics illustrate both the fantasy and devastating pain of love, while his monotone vocal tone remains. Sufjan Stevens has the ability to affect you with his music, even if you can’t pinpoint the sentiment at first listen. This song is a perfect example.
4. Elliot Smith – “Angeles”
After adding this song to the playlist, I noticed it had a similar chord progression and rhythm to “Mystery of Love.” They certainly share the same vocal delivery, but not the same sentiment. The lyrics of “Angeles” reveal to be much more sarcastic and biting towards Smith’s move to Los Angeles at a turning point in his career.
5. Augustana – “Coffee and Cigarettes”
I can trace my heightened perception of music to an Augustana show in Austin, Texas over 8 years ago. I did a deep dive into their discography and found “Coffee and Cigarettes” to be an anomaly. It’s more stripped back and mysterious than anything they have released in their four studio albums. He desperately wants to save someone with personal struggles involving pills and weight loss.
6. Billie Marten – “Vanilla Baby”
“Vanilla Baby”‘s guitar melodies reminded me of the last track and it made for a nice transition. The chords sound more bossa nova and mysterious than any of the previous songs. Couple those chords with the Simon & Garfunkel production choices (thick drums, cello, violin) and it easily hints at the next track.
I also found it interesting that the song’s origin is rooted in a blank color, like vanilla:
“I was toying with this idea of vanilla and how I didn’t want that hanging over me. People can shower you with compliments regardless of how they really feel and you’re then left under that label” – Billie Marten.
7. Simon & Garfunkel – “So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright”
On their final album, Art Garfunkel had asked Paul Simon to write a song about his favorite architect. Simon delivered a song that praised Frank Lloyd Wright but also masterfully referred to the duo’s upcoming breakup. Garfunkel never knew that hidden sentiment until years later. It’s an unsettling stroke of genius by Paul Simon. Hiding sentiments like that in a song is a core element of this playlist. Producer Roy Halee saying “So long already, Artie!” at the end of the track feels bizarre to hear with that context.
Artist-To-Watch
In an age where the influx of folk/indie music risks blending all together, Joe Vann offers a sincere, unique sound. It’s deeply reminiscent of Sufjan Stevens, with earthy and otherworldly elements. When I asked him about “Shuffle Around,” his response tied back to this playlist’s concept. He “wrote it on a lonely night in Manhattan. Recorded it the next day, kept it simple.”
You may also know him as the vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer of the band From Indian Lakes. In January 2021, he released a solo LP under his own name. It’s slowed down, and he utilizes the space with imaginative production choices and a concentration on his ethereal vocals.
Listen to his debut album Found in the Smoke:
