The Sound of the Heart

This is an essay I wrote about two years ago for an english class. I've always wanted somewhere to publish it and now I have one. I hope you enjoy!

On a plane home from some trip with my dad, I scrolled through films on the little tablet in front of me. I saw Good Will Hunting and decided that was a great time to watch it for the first time. Two hours and six minutes later, I was left without words. I felt happy and sad. I felt grateful, confused, and in desperate need to bawl my eyes out all at the same time. It was a strange mix of emotions, but one that is often the center of songs in the melancholic folk subgenre. The soundtrack of a film is critical to its ambiance, and Either/Or by Elliott Smith being the backbone of this film feels just right.

Melancholic folk has been popular throughout modern history, however frequent listeners are not common. It's one of those things you throw on to cry yourself to sleep and then forget about for another few weeks. The way that many people, myself included, are introduced to artists is through films and their respective soundtracks. Good Will Hunting was my first introduction to Elliott Smith and his very uniquely wistful tone. The film uses the song "Between the Bars" off of Smith's second album Either/Or. The song is used during the rather bittersweet ending of the film, which exemplifies this microgenre quite well.

Phoebe Bridgers, a present-day artist, takes a more modern yet similarly classic approach to melancholic folk, using many of the same instruments while including more contemporary themes. Bridgers frequently describes her struggles with mental health in her first album Stranger in the Alps which is a very relatable point of conversation. Both Either/Or and Stranger in the Alps highlight the heavy lyrical importance, minimal instrumentation, and emotional expression that are heavily emphasized in this microgenre, articulating the complex expression of human emotions.

Both Elliott Smith and Phoebe Bridgers tend to use very distressed vocals backed by classic instruments such as acoustic guitar, drums, piano, and bass guitar. The primary appearance of such instruments adds humanity to the songs, assisting the storytelling aspect of this microgenre without overtaking the artists' voices. Most melancholic folk songs tend to use minimal instrumentation, mainly focusing on their highly despaired and raw voices. We can see a great use of minimal instrumentation in this microgenre in the song "Killer" from Stranger in the Alps. It opens with a piano playing softly, then continuing throughout the entirety of the song without any other instruments crowding the soundstage. The sole musical focus of this song is the harmony between Bridgers' vocals and the piano. Bridgers lays out a story of an unhealthy codependent relationship where she needs this person so much that she has these intruding thoughts of murder to keep them close. A great story is told, yet all listeners hear is her beautifully sorrowful voice. It is as if all of the emotion within her body is pushed out by her voice, immediately arriving to the point where she seems out of breath. When Bridgers sings "Can the killer in me tame the fire in you," it sounds as if she is dying, driving home the underlying message of the song. Without a voice brimming with emotion, these songs would lose a lot of their power and soul.

Another critical part of melancholic folk, as well as folk in general, are the lyrics and their delivery. With all forms of music, songs can vary wildly depending on the person performing. A great example of this is "You Missed My Heart" by Phoebe Bridgers, a cover of the same titled song written originally by Mark Kozelek. When I first heard this song, I thought it was extremely beautiful with a great acoustic guitar backing it, however after listening more intently to the lyrics, I came to the realization that it's actually a horrifying murder story! The original version of the song contains a more country-sounding guitar alongside a deeper and more masculine voice singing more prevalent lyrics. While still the same song, Bridgers' cover sounds quite different due to her more feminine and innocent sounding voice. This goes to show how important the vocals are in this genre. Bridgers' adaptation lends much better to the sound of the song as opposed to the lyrics. While both are heavily important, it often happens that one overpowers the other.

Within other songs in the microgenre we can see the opposite effect. "Between the Bars" is a great representative instance of lyrical prevalence. A frequent theme of Elliott Smith's second album is ambiguous meanings, and this song is no exception. My favorite interpretation is that the song is sung from the perspective of alcohol. It is a love letter from a substance to its addicted user. The bottle sings "I'll make you okay" and how it is going to take away "The potential you'll be that you'll never see." The vibe of the song is already sad and the lyrics take it to another level of somber — It brings a degree of melancholy that isn't found in other genres. The importance of lyrics cannot be overstated for these songs. In a musical style with a heavy emphasis on storytelling, the listener must be able to see the song. In other words, they need to be able to visualize a purely auditory form of art. Smith and other artists use lyrics as a paint brush, making their songs truly come to life for each and every person who listens.

Another one of the main commonalities amongst songs of this genre is a deep connection between the listener and artist. Many songs within the microgenre sound as if the artist is writing a letter from their subconscious. While both albums contain many emotionally charged tracks, "Say Yes" off of Either/Or is my favorite example of such a raw song. The term raw as it relates to music will often be equated to screaming and pure emotion, however Elliott Smith manifests it in a way that feels much closer to a deep and honest conversation. Again, though there are many interpretations of his music, there is a common understanding amongst fans that this song is about being young and fucking up. Smith sings "We broke up a month ago and I grew up, I didn't know / I'd be around the morning after", referencing some mistake he made. Many of the lyrics in this song are vague, however it is clear that what he's telling us is genuine and coming straight from the heart. He later sings "She'll decide what she wants / I'll probably be the last to know". The theme of screwing up is very human and relatable in itself. Everyone makes mistakes, we live and we learn.

Melancholic folk, as exemplified by Either/Or and Stranger in the Alps, offers a very mortal perspective on life with its emphasis on lyrics, light instrumentation, and expression of the human psyche. Audiences connect with these songs and the stories they tell. The subgenre holds the power to embody emotions, giving them a resonant sound. Ultimately, melancholic folk reminds us that we are not alone in our struggles, and it gives us a place to turn when everything feels lost.