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This song belongs to that genre of music that briefly flourished around 5-10 years ago. The sort where artists stepped into the stream of consciousness and embraced the meandering wanderings of their lyrics to create something akin to spoken word.
As such, this work of art transcends a simple song and becomes a literary masterpiece. Finn's writing (of The Hold Steady) really shines through on this one. It’s more like a short story, or rather a vignette, set to music. Every word is perfectly chosen, and gains an added heft of meaning.
Having lost someone in my own life too soon, I always tear up when he describes the feeling in the house, remembering my own experience of that oppressive spiritual and emotional pall that can take over a family. But the story he paints only goes on to get better from there, depicting the beauty, connection, and absurdity of life in such simple yet piercing ways. Go ahead and give it a listen, you won't regret it.
Mar 6, 2024
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this song is beautifully idealistic yet heartbreaking at the same time. the actual instrumentation feels extremely uplifting, but the lyrics are so bittersweet. on one end, they tell a story of chasing dreams and growing from past mistakes when things don’t work out. on the other, however, it can also be taken as a tale of regret.
depending on how i’m feeling, i’ll focus on just the brightness of the song, but if i’m wistful, i’ll really listen to the lyrics.
both an uplifting anthem and melancholic tearjerker, Chicago packs a one-two punch as a song.
Feb 18, 2025
I think I've bawled my eyes out to every track at this point for different reasons. not even exaggerating. once you think you're done with it you get hit with a brand new emotion and find new symbolism in the lyrics. and another painful feeling to unfurl and free yourself from. if I could get everyone to listen to an album this would be my pick
Apr 16, 2025
Erik Petersen left us with many songs that overflow with wisdom but this is the one I go back to the most. There is joy in tragedy and hope in hopelessness. I listen to it every time I need to be reminded of that.
Five years is a long time but every second has been worth it.
Jan 25, 2024
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I don't know how well this actually answers your initial question, I think it's more of a counterpoint to some of the stuff people have already said, but here it goes.
In the past (prior to social media or search engines) specific styles, specialized knowledge, and niche awareness actually took effort. You had to go out into the world and find a scene, be accepted, participate in it, contribute to it, and learn from others with specific knowledge within the specific sub- or counter-cultural scene. It took time, effort, and experience to craft an identity. Nowadays people cycle through various identities and trends like commodities because it takes no effort (they're sold to them by social media algorithms, influencers, brand accounts, etc.). It comes to you in your phone without you ever even having to leave the house or put in the time to discover it or participate in it (you just follow specific people or subscribe). You can be a passive observer or consumer, not an active contributor. As a result, you're not invested or tied down and committed to that core identity. You can cosplay depending on your mood or who you want to momentarily convey yourself as, because it's easy. Essentially, being a poser has become normalized. An identity is now something to be momentarily consumed and affected, rather than grown, built, and developed over time.
Granted, it's always been different in regards to "mass" culture and popular trends (both in the past and now). Those are impossible to miss and were always monopolized by specific trend setting institutions, but always by the time it gets to that point, the actual initial counter- or sub-culture that inspired it has already been coopted and has started to disintegrate under the weight and attention of mass consumption.
Feb 18, 2024
It's an action deserving of its own nickname. My cat's name is Gomez, but when he crosses his paws like this, he turns into Hodgkins Plumpersocks.
Feb 2, 2024
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Turns out I am infinitely more likely to check out whatever esoteric goodness you're hawking if you grant me a convenient little digital portal.
Feb 20, 2024