MC's Music Lounge: Phoebe Bridgers trusts the grieving process in her melancholic new album, Lost Weekend

It’s been six long years since Phoebe Bridgers last released a full-length studio album, and the result of that wait is a melancholic collection of songs that will have you crying as much as you are vibing. Lost Weekend is an album about grief, but the kind that exists alongside love, resentment, guilt, nostalgia and everything in-between. The album is dedicated to her late father and circles around his 2023 death and the complicated relationship that Phoebe shared with him.

Taylor Swift gave Phoebe a well-deserved co-sign on her Instagram stories saying she wrote about grief “with such vulnerability and detail” while also calling the project an “absolute triumph”. Getting a Swift post is no small feat, especially post-wedding since she’s been keeping a low profile in both her online and in-person presence. But the album is just THAT good. Songs like “Lost Boys” and “Still Standing” are Phoebe telling us that the past isn’t necessarily always going to be processed in the cleanest way, and you must trust the journey, grief is a continuous emotional state. There’s an in-depth breakdown courtesy of Rolling Stone that goes past the surface and really digs deep into the analogies that she uses in her lyrics, and it’s worth a watch if the music speaks to you. She also performed “Lost Boys” on The Tonight Show a few weeks ago with a band consisting entirely of children, and it’s the sweetest, most heartwarming performance you’ll watch all week. We love a queen who encourages the next generation of musicians.

It’s not lost on me that an album with grief as the main subject matter arrived on the very same weekend that one of the most beloved millennial actresses passed away, Hayden Panettiere. Writing to this album while processing the news has been strange, to say the least. I understand that parasocial relationship with celebrities are controversial, we don’t really know them, but I can’t help but feel like I lost a friend, someone who I grew up with, someone whose work I related to. There’s a special connection that we develop with the figures we loved while we’re growing up, and the internet has made me feel validated while processing the news. Phoebe’s record couldn’t have come to me at a better time, and for that, I say, thank you for the music.

Next week, Paris Jackson releases her sophomore album Happiest Day of My Life. She recently stopped by the Call Her Daddy podcast and performed the lead single on GMA. This week, Phoebe Bridgers plus Jungle, Tinashe, Becky G and Ayra Starr do their big one with their own respective new songs. Plus, Tame Impala scores another hit thanks to a box office smash.

Listen on…

MC’s PICKS OF THE WEEK

“I Can’t Wait” by Phoebe Bridgers

Very few new releases allow you the space to truly close your eyes and paint a photo with your mind. “I Can’t Wait” by Phoebe Bridgers did that for me. The synth-rock elements, the wistful harmonica and of course, her instantly recognizable vocals. It’s the exact version of Phoebe Bridgers that fans fell in love with all those years ago when she released Stranger in the Alps. This is not a “feel-good” track. Rather, the music is introspective, with analogies that require an intentional listen. The bridge featuring guest vocals by Cameron Winter includes a Jekyll and Hyde reference, highlighting the contradictory parts of herself (and Cameron of himself). And the video is trippy in the best way. If you ever wanted to see the world through the eyes of an insect you are in luck. And the bug that doubles as a cursor over the loading bar of the video is a nice touch.

“Sunshine” by Jungle

Two of my favourite tracks that I’ve featured in the column this year belong to Jungle. “Carry On” and “The Wave” have stayed on replay this entire summer, and now we finally have the full album. Appropriately titled Sunshine, Jungle’s new record is bright and breezy. Imagine being a kid and drinking a big glass of Sunny D on a hot summer day. “Sunshine”, the album’s title track, is a great representation of their sound, from the gospel-like background vocals to the whimsical melody and instrumental. It isn’t the most groundbreaking or boundary pushing work I’ve ever heard, but it does exactly what it needs to do. It’s groovy, it’s soulful, it’s even a little poetic at times. Like the sound of Olivia Dean, it’s “safe”, but that isn’t a bad thing. Sure, singing about love isn’t anything new, but we all need a little love right now. And in the case of Jungle, it’s a welcome change from the AI slop that is currently taking over the charts. It truly is a breath of fresh air to hear actual vocals and instruments at the forefront rather than the blended mix of garbage that KATSEYE are calling their new single (yes, they caught a stray, I had to do it). I know I’ve said that before regarding Jungle’s music, but the truth is the truth. “Sunshine” will fit perfectly on my Sunday morning playlist right next to The Commodores. There’s a subtle hint of sophistication that echoes throughout this entire song, and who doesn’t love to feel rich and expensive. Acid-jazz in general just does something to my soul.

“Melatonin” by Tinashe

If the last few weeks on the column weren’t enough of an indication, I’m pretty f-cking excited for Tinashe to drop her new album Pop Star. “Melatonin” is cunty as f-ck – she made this one for the gays. Her new era post- “No Broke Boys” success is seeing her all over the dance clubs and behind the DJ booth. I knew it would bleed into her music, and wow am I pleased with the result. The chorus is addictive, the distorted vocals on “you so melatonin” followed by the dramatic beat switch is so incredibly satisfying for my raver alter-ego. At this point, the “switch-up” feels like a signature of this entire era and anyone who knows how to grip a dancefloor filled of ravers in the palm of their hands could attest to this. It’s time for the world to stop sleeping on ‘Nashe because if the 10+ years of consistent quality music isn’t enough to wake the people up, I fear we might just lose the entire f-cking plot. This is already the third single release from the upcoming album, and they just keep getting better. One thing I love about Tinashe is that she has never sacrificed her artistry for commercial success. If a song hits, it just hits, and if it doesn’t, she sticks with her vision and sees it through. It’s the reason why she has maintained a devoted group of fans even in the times when her music wasn’t doing numbers.

“CHULA” by Becky G

One of the more R&B driven songs on her new album, “CHULA” is Becky G taking things a little slower. Her entire new album is filled with banger after banger, but “CHULA” takes a dreamier approach. But don’t get it twisted, there is still some steamy reggaeton influence on the song. She’s been performing it every night as part of her set as the opening act on KAROL G’s stadium tour, and the crowds are loving it. It’s the clear standout for me from her new album. The minute I feel my hips moving side to side in a seductive manner, I know we have a winner. The way she breaks apart the syllables when she sings “ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-chula” makes for some serious booty shaking to be possible. It’s an addictive listen that takes over your body without you even realizing. The direct translation of “chula” in English means “cutie”, and the song’s lyrics talk about that special someone that has you feeling some type of way, romance is laced through the song’s DNA. Whoever said that French was the language of love has obviously never been in love with a Latino man.

“Pressure” by Ayra Starr, Leon Thomas

Joining the ranks of Tyla and the Afrobeats girls making their major mainstream moves is Ayra Starr. Her newest album Starrgirl is her taking all the pop and R&B influences she grew up on and turning them into a sound of her own. “Pressure” is a vibey track that is meant for a steamy makeout session. Leon Thomas sings on the second verse of the song, making it a perfect back-and-forth between two lovers who are indulging in each other’s sexual presence. We’re talking attraction, tension, the inexplainable electric sensation you feel with someone who makes your body scream. This marks the second creative collaboration for Ayra and Leon. He previously co-wrote her single with GIVEON “Last Heartbreak Song”, however this is the first time that Leon is lending his own vocals on one of her tracks. Given the rise in his commercial success since that last collaboration, it only makes sense. The comments section of the song’s visualizer is flooded with Nigerian fans expressing how proud they are of her. It’s always so incredibly special when an artist can represent their culture on a global scale in the way that she is doing. Plus, simply put, the album is absolute fire. If you’re trying to catch a vibe this week, look no further than Starrgirl.

MC’s VIRAL PICK

“Loser” by Tame Impala

Continuing the winning streak of this album run, Kevin Parker has scored another hit off the newest Tame Impala project Deadbeat. The Jennie remix of “Dracula” is still in the top ten in the USA, and now, it looks like “Loser” is well on its way to joining it there. It’s hitting the top twenty this week. All of this is thanks to its feature in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, setting off a mammoth amount of fan edits and online streams. I’ll be honest, I haven’t seen the movie yet. Not because I don’t want to, simply because I haven’t gotten the chance. But from the looks of the reactions on social media and the box office numbers, it’s obviously having an impact. “Loser” was actually released as the album’s second single back in September of last year, but social media has given it a resurgence. The music video was iconic to begin with, with a cameo by Djo a.k.a. Kevin’s doppelganger. What a treat to discover if you weren’t there last year. My favourite comment under the video is “I came here because of Spider-Man and got blessed by Steve Harrington”. Now that’s a two for one deal.

I’ve missed when contemporary songs were associated with a big movie in theatres. It’s a big gap in the music world right now. There was a time when every single movie would have a soundtrack to promote said film. I’m currently doing some research into Aaliyah’s discography and she contributed to four soundtracks in the span of three years. I’m happy to see it coming back, and I’ll take “Loser” as a Spider-Man theme song over anything that Chad Kroeger contributed in 2002, lol. Now, it’s time for me to finally get to a theater and catch what everyone is fanning out over. Long live Tomdaya.

@lucaswhitesmith
banger
♬ Loser - Tame Impala

@juaneditz god when i hear tame impala was on the soundtrack for brand new day i knew loser was the perfect pick and one of my favorite sequences #spidermanbrandnewday #spiderman #tomholland #tameimpala ♬ Loser - Tame Impala