Metaphors in Music, 2023
A brief and incomplete look at the use of metaphors in music in 2023
“I want a mirror not a piece of glass”
Not since Lana Del Rey said “Your poetry is bad and you blame the news,” has a white woman written such a devastating diss line. When Jess Williamson follows that up by singing “We went a hundred down the highway,” something indescribable happens in the pit of my stomach.
Also, the title track on this record suggests that there is an unladylike way to read Raymond Carver by the pool bar.
“Like I’m the kind of girl who can sleep”
Speaking of Lana, she delivered a flawless duet with Father John Misty on her record who’s title makes me think about Billy Corgan and less heralded 90’s alt-rockers.
“Let the Light In” is a brilliant collaboration between two artists who make music almost exclusively for the worst kind of person living in Los Angeles.
”Way deeper than a metaphor”
I have never tried cocaine. I don’t recall ever enjoying myself around someone who was high on cocaine. Few things though are better than songs about cocaine.
”Killed a clock for killing time”
One of the best Lou Reed songs of the last 15 years.
The Killer’s Use of The Smiths
Perhaps slightly off-topic, but using Morrisey lyrics as a stand-in for personality and character development was a bit I perfected in high school. David Fincher should stay the fuck off my corners.
“Tie me to the final wooden stake”
The Horniest Song of the Year1
“Milking what I can from this grief“
In some ways CMAT is the spiritual heir to Sufjan’s 50 States Project. She also made the second-best breakup album of the year.
”Looking like your sticker is stuck on a floor somewhere”
This song has had me in a chokehold since it came out because when you break promises they do break you right back.
And sometimes a drink does feel like family.
“Y’all let Jack Harlow sell you chicken”
Akin to reading a Paul Beatty novel, not sure I should laugh as hard at this joke as I do.
”I walked into your dagger for the last time”
Not sure anyone is writing better vocal melodies than Adrienne Lenker.
”sometimes you hurt the ones you hate”
Album title of the year comes courtesy of Damien Jurado, who shows on the closing track that he still has his fastball.
Happy New Year everyone, here’s to more metaphors being used in music in 2024!
My little brother and I make an annual list of the horniest tracks of the year before remembering Donna Summer’s jam “Love to Love You Baby”, a song so horny that it’s the horniest song of every year. This year’s other nominees included “Agora Hills”, “skin meadow”, and the entirety of Victoria Monét’s album JAGUAR II