Phoebe Bridgers - 'Garden Song'
On “Garden Song”, Phoebe Bridgers contemplates coming of age and grapples with the inevitable passage of time.
“I don’t know when you got taller, see our reflection in the water,” she sings in her crushingly delicate voice. She’s almost half-whispering, but her diction is crystal clear -- we understand every word she’s saying.
Bridgers has become somewhat of an expert indie songwriter in the last several years, though this is her first time releasing solo material since 2017. “Garden Song” serves as a single for her upcoming studio album.
“I’m not afraid to have a really weird idea or, you know, take a really bad guitar solo,” she told NME last year about her forthcoming music. “I’m unafraid of getting made fun of anymore.”
Behind her vocal on “Garden Song”, an acoustic guitar strums a rolling pattern. A fuzzy, static sound gives the impression that we’re listening to a tape. But Bridgers paints the scene so vividly, it’s more like we’re watching an old film montage.
“I hopped the fence when I was 17,” she sings, remembering time gone by -- time that, heartbreakingly, won’t ever come back. Bridgers is only 25, but her ability to put to words the aching feeling that nostalgia brings is impressive.
“I don’t know how, but I’m taller. It must be something in the water.”
A garden might be the perfect analogy for aging. Sowing the seeds, tending the soil -- it all leads to the growth of new life. But it’s also at the mercy of its environment.
“Everything’s growing in our garden, you don’t have to know that it’s haunted.”
Words by Allison Rapp
Phoebe Bridgers tour:
17/03/20 - Tokyo, Japan - Zepp DiverCity #
18/03/20 - Tokyo, Japan - Zepp DiverCity #
21/03/20 - Perth, Australia - Fremantle Arts Centre #
22/03/20 - Perth, Australia - Fremantle Arts Centre #
24/03/20 - Sydney, Australia - ICC #
25/03/20 - Sydney, Australia - ICC #
27/03/20 - Brisbane, Australia - Fortitude Music Hall #
28/03/20 - Brisbane, Australia - Fortitude Music Hall #
30/03/20 - Melbourne, Australia - Palais Theatre #
31/03/20 - Melbourne, Australia - Palais Theatre #
01/04/20 - Melbourne, Australia - Palais Theatre #
03/04/20 - Auckland, New Zealand - Aotea Centre #
04/04/20 - Auckland, New Zealand - Aotea Centre #
27/04/20 - Houston, TX - Cynthia Woods Pavilion%
29/04/20 - Austin, TX - Austin360 Amphitheater%
1/05/20 - Atlanta, GA - Shaky Knees Music Festival
2/05/20 - Dallas, TX - Dos Equis Pavilion%
3/05/20 - El Paso, TX - Don Haskins Center%
5/05/20 - Glendale, AZ - Gila River Arena%
7/05/20 - Los Angeles, CA - The Forum%
8/05/20 - Irvine, CA - FivePoint Amphitheatre%
11/05/20 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre%
13/05/20 - Omaha, NE - Baxter Arena%
14/05/20 - St. Louis, MO - Enterprise Center%
16/05/20 - St. Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center%
18/05/20 - Milwaukee, WI - Fiserv Forum%
19/05/20 - Columbus, OH - Schottenstein Center%
21/05/20 - Toronto, ON - Budweiser Stage%
23/05/20 - Washington, DC - The Anthem%
24/05/20 - Boston, MA - Boston Calling Music Festival
26/05/20 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden%
29/05/20 - Hanover, MD - The Hall at Live! Casino and Hotel%
2/06/20 - Pittsburgh, PA - Petersen Events Center%
3/06/20 - Cleveland, OH - Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse%
5/06/20 - Virginia Beach, VA - Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater%
6/06/20 - Charlotte, NC - Spectrum Center%
8/06/20 - Jacksonville, FL - Daily’s Place%
9/06/20 - Miami, FL - Bayfront Park Amphitheater%
4/07/20 - Werchter, Belgium - Rock Werchter
9/07/20 - Madrid, Spain - Mad Cool Festival
11/07/20 - London, UK - Finsbury Park%
17/07/20 - Suffolk, UK - Latitude Festival
19/07/20 - Chicago, IL - Pitchfork Music Festival
31/07/20 - 02/08/20 - Montreal, QC - Osheaga Festival
# = supporting The National % = supporting The 1975