What Am I Good For? Somebody tell me!
If there is a unifying theme that defines young adult life in the developed Internet age, it’s the abundance of choice. It doesn’t matter if it’s 2am in the morning and you fancy a spot of shopping because ASOS or Amazon will probably sate that desire. Is the struggle to find something decent to watch on scheduled TV too much of a hassle? Then head over to Netflix where a plethora of s(h)it-coms are available.
In fact, with so many options now available, the struggle isn’t fulfilling what you want to do, but actually feeling good about how you’re spending your time/money. The sensation that the consumption of these finite resources should have more meaning – be more human – has become something of a thematic touch point in much millennial-made music (think Lorde), in commerce (think named Coke bottles) and at the core of Day Waves – Nothing At All.
The opener from the San Francisco-based artist’s (real name Jackson Phillips) excellently introverted Headcase EP, the track has a crushingly forlorn narrative. When Phillips moans “I do whatever I want / I still want more / If I do whatever I want / Why am I still bored?” and “What am I good for? / Somebody tell me!” it’s left to the upbeat production – a mixture of The Drums hyper-catchy guitar riffs, Washed Out’s Chillwave synths and the Postal Service’s beats from Such Great Heights – to provide the respite and ultimately the meaning to his own search for a place amongst a life of instant gratification.