I MADE YOU A PLAYLIST, Vol. 21: "4:57 pm" 💡
Light, dark, light again
4:57 pm. You know the feeling.
It’s almost dark, or already has been for the last hour, or maybe the sun never fully showed up this morning in the first place. Maybe you still have 50 things on your to-do list or maybe you have just one, but of course it’s impossible to accomplish because you haven’t turned on all the lamps yet and everything is terrible.
I challenge you to make this wintry witching hour 5-10% better… maybe even tolerable… dare I say enjoyable... by pressing play on some music, uncovering a bookmarked article buried behind a million other open tabs, making some tea (TJ’s ginger turmeric FTW>) or a cocktail. Go crazy, whatever works.
And of course, I’m here to help. Consider this your 4:57 pm survival kit.
LISTEN
Recent faves, of the start-to-finish-worth-a-listen-what-a-masterpiece variety:
son of dad by Stephen Wilson, Jr.
Spotify | Apple
Top three: “patches,” “Father’s Son,” “Grief is Only Love”
Cradlesong by Rob Thomas (TBT, I know!)
Spotify | Apple
Top three: “Mockingbird,” “Give Me the Meltdown,” “Hard On You”
From The Valley by Ilsey
Spotify | Apple
Top three: “Heart of Gold,” “Rattle My Heart,” “Catch Fire”
Out of My Mind by Trousdale
Spotify | Apple
Top three four: “If I’m Honest,” “Movie Star,” “Smart Iowa,” “Out of My Mind”
damn, look at the view! by Martin Luke Brown
Spotify | Apple
Top three: “elsie,” “**it gets better,” “see u later x”
Recent faves, of the i-need-these-three-minutes-of-perfect-pop-on-loop-till-my-Airpods-combust variety:
“Velvet Connection” by Moody Joody
“the feeling” by nightly
“Lauren” by Holly Humberstone
READ
I finally boarded the Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow train — 10/10 thoroughly enjoyed. I listened to the audiobook, but there were so many great lines I wish I could have highlighted as I was reading:
“This is what time travel is. It’s looking at a person, and seeing them in the present and the past, concurrently. And that mode of transport only worked with those one had known a significant time.”
“It is worth noting that to be good at something is not quite the same as loving it.”
“Why make anything if you don’t believe it could be great?”
“It was never worth worrying about someone you didn’t love. And it wasn’t love if you didn’t worry.”
Martin Scorsese: The Icon Profile by Zach Baron (GQ)
I have no personal or emotional attachment to Scorsese or really to any of his films*, but Zach Baron’s recent cover story is absolutely a must-read. Incredibly moving.
*I did see Killers of the Flower Moon in theaters three days before I finally saw the Eras Tour concert film. (Shocking, I know.) Killers was long and depressing, but excellent… Eras was long and exhilarating, and honestly some of the most fun I’ve ever had at a movie theater.
“In Praise of the Body of Work” by Will Welch (GQ)
Some welcome career/life advice and reassurance from GQ EIC Will Welch. (And some from me, for good measure: Never skip the editor’s note.)
And last but not least, another freshly-published Substack for you:
’s take on Zach Bryan, written by Natalie Weiner, appeared in my inbox this morning, and just… thank god. I’ve struggled with Zach for a while, but I’ve been unable to articulate exactly why he and his music aren’t quite working for me — until now. She hits all the nails on all their heads and pokes all the right holes in his bubble of insane success without ignoring his bona fide songwriting talent.
FOLLOW
The 90s J. Crew throwback account you never knew you needed. I want it all.
A NYPL-approved visual researcher with amazing collage and curation skills.
PLAY
I present to you 4:57 pm, the playlist — a collection of songs that allows you lean into that early-winter angst at first, but before you know it, you’re settling in, getting cozy, learning to vibe. We’ve got some vintage Lorde and Ed Sheeran and Gotye (!) alongside new Holly Humberstone, Sarah Jarosz, Hozier, Del Water Gap, etc.
As always, you should listen in order if you can, but if you can’t, just skip to the end and play the last track. It’ll cure anything and everything.
4:57 pm
Buzzcut Season - Lorde
Tompkins Square Park - Mumford & Sons
Come Down - APRE
De Selby (Part 2) - Hozier
Cocoon - Holly Humberstone
Menswear - The 1975
Ink - Coldplay
Living Mirage - The Head And The Heart
Holy Roller - Zach Bryan feat. Sierra Ferrell
With You, You Love (Live) - Gus Black
Dream Song (Ruston Kelly Version) - Ruston Kelly, Samia
Doll House - Del Water Gap
Simulation Swarm - Big Thief
Alma Mater - Bleachers
Dark Matter - Andrew Belle
Tether - Patrick Droney
On Wrong Side - Ilsey feat. Bon Iver
Lego House - Ed Sheeran
Bros - Wolf Alice
More Than This - Roxy Music
Radio Fragile - Ida Mae
In Between - Wilderado
Same Changes - The Weepies
You Go Thru Girls Like You Go Thru Cigarettes - Cecilia Castleman
Losing You - Del Water Gap
Say It Now - Hannah Jadagu
Could You Help Me - Lucy Rose
She Treats Me Well - Ben Howard
When The Lights Go Out - Sarah Jarosz
In Your Light - Gotye
I Don’t Know - Sjowgren
Hanger-on - Homeschool
Morning Pages - The Japanese House feat. MUNA
who are you if not everyone else - Zane Penny
Wishbone - Secondhand Sound
Making It Through - Angie McMahon
Listen here:
Now go turn on every lamp in the house, light a candle or two, and sift through your old iTunes buys to find something that sounds new again. ✨ See you soon for a little 2023 recap!
Natalie