By: Petra Chase, Arts & Culture Editor
I don’t know about you, but when midterms hit and deadlines all come crashing at once, it can be hard to find brief moments of respite in the chaos. I don’t know how I would cope without my daily walks or bike rides and the music that accompanies them. Lately, my cottage core playlist has been doing it for me. With genres ranging from folk to twee pop to country, the songs transport me to a picturesque, cottage core setting (think fields, linen, prairies, berries, and picnic baskets). There’s something about daydreaming of simple living in a remote landscape that helps me step out of my everyday hurdles and find peace.
“Anything” by Adrianne Lenker
Photo credit: 4AD Records
“Anything” opens with poetic imagery of a sunny day hanging laundry and eating mangoes. The words meld together so euphoniously, like “Mango in your mouth, juice dripping / Shoulder of your shirtsleeve slipping.” Lenker’s soft voice is sepia-tinted by a muffled guitar backdrop, making this song feel like a hazy, joyous memory of summer. The lyrics, “I wanna sleep in your car while you’re driving / Lay in your lap while I’m crying” sum up the pure romanticism of this song.
“Strawberry Blonde” by Mitski
Photo credit: Good Harbor
“Strawberry Blonde” by Mitski is as cottage core as they come, with fast, folky guitar and harmonica, and lyrics like “fields rolling on,” “the grass where you lay,” and “can you hear the bumblebees swarm?” But don’t misinterpret the lyrics as lighthearted (if you know Mitski, you know her music is anything but). “Strawberry Blonde,” similar to her track “Your Best American Girl,” is an important statement about “Asian-American desirability in conjunction with white romantic desirability.” What makes Mitski so beloved is her ability to capture the raw emotions so many can relate to, and turn it into a beautiful song in the process.
“Visions” by José González
Photo credit: Mute Records
The Swedish singer/songwriter works wonders with an acoustic guitar and his soothing voice. His latest album, Local Valley, is a pastoral landscape full of deeply introspective lyrics, resounding guitar strumming and picking, and songs in three languages (English, Spanish, and Swedish). “Visions” is my favourite song from the album, with chirping birds in the background that are perfect for clearing my mind. It’s easy to get caught up in my day-to-day worries and forget to appreciate the nature and ecosystem that surrounds us. Gonzáles told Far Out, “We are changing our surroundings in an exceedingly rapid pace, so much that we’re becoming stewards of our planet whether we like it or not.” This song helps rekindle my connection to nature.
