90. Dirty Projectors - “Up In Hudson”

Breakups can be rough – especially when you’re in a band with your significant other. They can either destroy everything you’ve built, or in rare occasions, completely revitalize your art, providing the impetus and inspiration to propel your work to new heights. Luckily for David Longstreth (the main dude behind Dirty Projectors), the latter happened.

I mentioned earlier about there being an increasing trend towards more raw and candid story-telling within the genre of Indie music. Being a fan of lyrics and literature above all else, I absolutely love it. Its almost as if a new genre of music and literature has emerged, intertwining together to form this beautiful amalgamation of everything good that the two share in common.

On this jam in particular, Longstreth narrates the arch of his relationship with former member Amber Coffman, beginning from the initial sparks and tracing it through to the ashy remains. Its a beautiful and heartfelt tale, full of simple imagery, clever witticisms, and poignant yet relatable emotions. Its a story that begins full of innocence and optimism, only to end in a sort of dark and pessimistic fatalism. You can feel it all, hanging on every world, a voyeurist watching the sun as it rises, passes, and eventually sets. You witness it all, almost as if you’re part of the story – a friend and confidant, a hidden camera, or even a protagonist, transposed mentally and emotionally into one of the leading characters. It’s a powerful and brilliant piece of songwriting to behold.