Fake tunes for political blues

Artists thrive off of their ability to tap into raw emotions and morph them into solidified works. Acting as spokespeople for the less articulate and aesthetically challenged, they harness our deepest feelings and allow them to spread as waves of energy, sight, and sound. Unsurprisingly, therefore, the palpable tensions spreading into almost every crevice of our country against the current presidential administration have nourished the sprouting of explicit artistic resistance almost everywhere you turn. From the 30 Days, 30 Songs project run by Death Cab For Cutie, to Pussy Riot’s “Make America Great Again,” almost every musician of today has a statement, and that statement is clear: [bleep] Trump.Perhaps, if we’re lucky and do not find ourselves as victims of the “cyber,” radioactive dust remnants, or even find ourselves underwater in the next 100 years, we’ll be able to look back on this time as an era of unprecedented artistic creativity spread across the backdrop of significant political change. For when that seems unlikely, I have contrived a mix to musically guide you through every stage of coping with the current state of the nation. Inspired by a recent scroll through Donald Trump’s Twitter, I’ve made a buffer of sound for when a new statement or breaking headline doesn’t make sense, doesn’t seem possible, or just doesn’t seem real.

The playlist starts with “Real Men” so Mitski can give us a refresher on why plain ol’ locker room talk and being held above accountability directly relate to your masculinity level. It’s so easy to forget sometimes. Once enlightened, it’s only natural to talk about the next most important thing: yuge. “Elephant” properly sizes both Trump’s hands and ego; trust me, they’re huge. Then, in a final attempt to find clarity or empathy, “Russian Doll” might give us insight on what it’s like to be Putin’s plaything.

When you’re ready to give up trying to see any of this man’s intellect from a neutral perspective (which shouldn’t take long), you’re ready to indulge in the rest of the playlist. “Dazed and Confused,” “You Talk Way Too Much,” and “Magnificent Sadness” should all resonate deeply. And once you need that alcoholic beverage to handle the next inevitable scandal (just not a margarita, you’ll want to ration that Mexican tequila just in case), let American Football lull you with an appropriate “I Need a Drink (or Two or Three).” Once in a respectable stupor, you’re ready for the final stage of accepting reality. Allow “Pure Comedy” to serenade you halfway to sanity in beautiful Father John Misty fashion, as you recognize that the pitfalls of society didn’t start- or end- by a single man winning an election.

Written by Delaney Gomen.