Folks, I have terrible news (or fantastic, depending how much mileage you get out of irony poisoning and the color green): Brat Summer is over.
But that doesn’t mean the end of the world! In fact, we here at The DePaulia encourage readers to lean into the cozy and melancholic autumn vibes that the Chicago weather has forced upon us. Now is the time to listen to some tunes that fit our collective malaise.
Census Designated by Jane Remover
Can you be envious of people who are envious of you? Do you feel an intense desire towards someone who will make your life irrevocably worse? Are you prone to dreams of abandoning your life and moving out west, destroying every relationship you’ve ever made to try and find something to fill the gaping hole in your chest? Jane Remover has felt that, and expresses it beautifully in this experimental indie rock piece that has a permanent residence on my playlist. - April
I Wish You Roses by Kali Uchis
About a year ago, Kali Uchis did an interview with Don Toliver discussing her music and, more generally, her life. The two spent a brief moment talking about “I Wish you Roses” and the purity of releasing someone with love. As the seasons change, time keeps moving and we grow older, it is important to send all the valuable characters of summer off with blessings. Some may stay for the fall, some might not — just make sure to keep the best ones close as the season grows colder. Kali Uchis will forever be one of my favorite artists; “I Wish you Roses” will forever be a top track. And to those I left behind in summer, I wish you the best. - Grace
Epilation Joy by Uboa
Transition is an act of self-destruction. It not only burns the vestiges of what identity was forced upon you by society but also rejects the biology of the form you exist into. Hormones and a socially supportive environment help, but to truly achieve the body we desire, we must prune ourselves of hair, of flesh, of bone. Pain means progress toward our ideal selves. This track captures the fleeting elation of the momentary hurt of plucking hair, and, in a short time, reveals the grueling cycle of looking in the mirror the next morning to find it’s already back. Joy is an emotion that can only be experienced through the veil of knowing it will end. Like the warm licks of the sun on a hot day fading into the cold isolation of autumn. - April
Heaven or Las Vegas by Cocteau Twins
On the Brown Line, between Merchandise Mart and Washington/Wells, commuters pass over the Chicago River. It’s a unique view of the city that I can never seem to get tired of, no matter how many times I see it. With my entire heart and soul, I believe that “Heaven or Las Vegas” was written to be listened to while traveling on that overpass. It’s an ethereal song. The Cocteau Twins always seem to linger on my playlist, especially during fall. Up until the New Year, I’ll keep listening to “Heaven or Las Vegas” on the overpass between Merchandise Mart and Washington/Wells. - Grace
Sweater Weather by The Neighborhood
Here’s a fun throwback to 2013, when I was a wee 9-year-old. Watching the falling leaves through the window as my mother drove me to school, I would imagine myself a moody girl in New York City, sitting on my windowsill mourning the death of a heartfelt relationship with a boy. I was a very dramatic child. Good song to mope to! - April
I had a very similar experience to April. Admittedly, I have never voluntarily listened to this song but it holds a significance in my childhood. The top 40s tracks on the local radio station were all my family would listen to in the car. This song played over and over again during pumpkin picking season in Shawnee, Kansas. Brings back some memories. - Grace
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