Now that the temperature has settled below 10 degrees a dreaded fact can no longer be ignored: The seasons are changing, and winter is coming. The editors at the McGill Tribune are taking this seasonal defeat particularly hard, and have compiled 24 tracks to express their sorrow over the beginning of the end of sunshine. Keep scrolling to find the official “changing of the seasons” playlist.
“Bad Weather" – Superhumanoids
Trudging to the library in the rain can feel like pulling teeth, especially as the semester nears its end. “Bad Weather,” a track off of the Superhumanoids’ 2013 album, Exhibitionists, evokes the mellow lethargy of a dark November afternoon spent studying. It begins with the soft pattering of keys, leading up to the ethereal lilt of the main singer Chernoff chanting, “open your mouth,” as if inviting you to lean back and catch the raindrops on your tongue. She continues, crooning, “No shelter, we can’t deny,” as you duck into the library to find refuge from the downpour.
In the video, a handsome, scruffy young man stands in front of a mirror brushing his teeth. Upon realizing that his mouth is bleeding, he pulls out a large molar. He is shocked at first, and yet he can’t stop. He continues pulling out more and more teeth with blood gushing in large spurts. The feeling of inevitable dread—one shared by many students at this time of year—is aptly conveyed through the music video, and the continuous reverberating of Chernoff’s soft voice echoing, “open your mouth,” takes on a new meaning as you sit down this gloomy November with your books.
– Julie Vandeperre
“Deadwater” – Wet
Teasing the upcoming release of their LP, Don’t You, “Deadwater” by Brooklyn-based band Wet, is appropriate for any weather—though it’s title does admittedly evoke images of grey, salty sludge at the roadsides in a wintery Montreal. The intention behind their recent humorous tweet, “Putting on long underwear turn up,” encapsulates the tone of their debut single perfectly. It's also hopefully a sign of what is to come in the LP—a testament to the beauty of simple narratives and relaxed, unhurried instrumental layering. Put simply, it's music to listen to while lounging around in an over-sized sweater and waiting for the kettle to boil.
Putting on long underwear turn up
— Wet (@wet) November 12, 2015
The beginning of the song is reminiscent of a romantic beach scene. Picture a more ethereal, romantic scene from Baywatch—replacing Pamela Anderson with a svelte, indie beauty, likely dressed in a black leather jacket and faded jeans. Lead singer Kelly Zutrau’s voice is a mingling of confidence and vulnerability. Her soothing vocals match the relaxed cadence of the song, contrasting to the uncertainty of what the future will hold following a break up. The relationship may be over, but the singer has confidence that there is something better out in the nebulous ‘there.’ As winter descends on Montreal, this lesson can be taken to heart.
Julia Dick
“The Other Side” – Woodkid
Woodkid’s album The Golden Age (2013), withers into deep, dark territories within the human psyche. This album, echoing the title, is about the end of a golden age, whatever that may be, and the theme emphasizes on escaping a harmful past and attempting to reclaim a sense of pure individuality.
“The Other Side” is the final track, entering with chiming church bells. The piano echoes a mix of major and minor tones, alternating between a positive escape and that of a more sinister path. Singer-songwriter Yoann Lemoine’s vocals and military-like drums enter this path and marches the band towards an eminent end. This leads the audience towards the finale of the album. Background choir vocals add to the orchestral element, and the orchestra gains in momentum with the addition of instruments like the violin.
The orchestra echoes that of a movie soundtrack when a scene features a military marching soundlessly, wordless towards their cold destruction. As Lemoine ends the song with these lyrics, “And in the arms of endless anger / Will end the story of a soldier in the dark,” he accepts his descent into darkness.
Natalie Wong
