Phoebe Bridgers’ latest album “Lost Weekend” is densely layered with musical references that reward close listening. The singer-songwriter has long demonstrated a talent for weaving subtle nods to her influences throughout her work, incorporating everything from passing lyrical details to entire verses built around the artists who shaped her sound.
The new record appears to feature more allusions than ever before. One track, “Still Standing,” opens with the phrase “angel in the snow,” directly recalling the Elliott Smith composition from the 2007 compilation “New Moon”—a project Bridgers has publicly championed. Meanwhile, the title tracks “Lost Weekend” and its reprise borrow melodic elements from Damien Jurado’s deep cut “Last Great Washington State,” earning the Pacific Northwest singer-songwriter a co-writing credit.
Other references are equally compelling. The chorus of “I Can’t Wait” appears to riff on The Replacements’ 1980s classic “Can’t Hardly Wait,” a connection strengthened by Bridgers’ previous work with collaborator Conor Oberst. Additionally, “Lost Weekend (Reprise)” contains wordplay inspired by the rock standard “I Fought the Law,” while “Haunted” seems to playfully reference Bright Eyes’ 2005 album title “I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning.”
These hidden tributes demonstrate how Bridgers constructs her songwriting from the rich musical lineage she admires, creating layers of meaning for listeners familiar with her influences.
Originally reported by Rollingstone →
About the Author
