Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind's Quarantine Playlist
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With everyone sequestered and self-quarantining due to the coronavirus, we’ve asked our favorite artists to come up with playlists that keep you entertained. This edition is by Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind:
On the plus side of sheltering in place, you really don’t need to fuss over your playlist. I mean, there’s no one around to impress! Playlists are usually more performances than preferences. Heaven forbid someone might impugn your choice.
Probably like me, when we get real with it, your true playlist is a mess — without consistent standards or taste. It’s just shit you like, a lifeline to get you through.
Also if you’re like me, this reset means some things don’t fit anymore, like singing in cursive or autotune. Other things, though, suddenly sound great, like piano house and lo-fi guitars through spring reverbs. Amirite!
To all these artists keeping us together while we keep cooped up, thank you. I’m your fan.
“Gap in the Clouds” – Yellow Days
If Kings Of Leon slept in their suits, stained with brown liquor and blue-eyed soul, yellow days would pick them up by their hair of their dog.
“i wanna be your girlfriend” – girl in red
If you’re lonely and horny and antsy and wistful, you’re not alone. Well, you are but now you’ve got girl in red to channel your longing with a tap tap tap on your lo-fi button.
“Crybaby” – Dijon
With a beat as broken as I am, Dijon is yelling the way we all want to right now. Chorus is so damn good it’s the blue ribbon of this playlist and I am saying that knowing one of my songs is up next.
“Ways” – Third Eye Blind
Staggering genius from the masters of dark arts. It’s festival mud and a tongue full of molly and a reminder of the sweet joy of grinding up people you don’t know. I can’t remember what that’s like either. There, I just hyped my own jam.
“Eat, Sleep, Wake” – Bombay Bicycle Club
Take that ass off the couch and gyrate it til you find pleasure. BBC will help you get there.
“Dear God” – Phantogram
A generous sprinkling of ’70s funk on a quarter note pulse. Sarah Barthel always sounds both legit and dreamy and I am here for it.
“Believe It” – PartyNextDoor
“You got the power! Pussy power!” You got Rihanna in your kitchen. Suddenly lockdown’s not so bad.
“Shadows of Love” – Sam Feldt f/Heidi Rojas
Piano house redux. You love this shit. Admit it. It’s fucking great. No one’s looking. Go ahead, raise your arms, close your eyes, and be transported to the backside of Ibiza.
“Overdose” – Wolfskind
Wait, what was I thinking. This is all actually terrible. There’s a sniveling idiot taking sadistic pleasure in all of this suffering and chaos and he’s the one in charge, and the press can’t get enough of ‘em, and some fucker at the store was breathing down my neck without a mask when all I wanted was six feet of clearance and some frozen peas. I need someone to climb down in this hole I’m in and hold space with me. Thanks, Wolfskind.
“Lazy Love” – Tanukichan
I sent this song to a friend who’s recovering from Covid19 and she said it helped a little. A foggy dirge of guitars to match her vibe and a dreamscape vocal to lift her spirit. Still, she’s 28 and she’s been sick for weeks. It’s going to take a lot of music to get through this.
