Motion Sickness
First released in 2017
Motion Sickness appeared on Phoebe Bridgers’ 2017 debut album Stranger in the Alps. It approaches a difficult past relationship through a voice that mixes reflection with sharply observed detail, supported by a full-band arrangement with a steady, inviting motion.
Guitar textures and the rhythm section give the song a brighter surface than its subject might suggest. Bridgers’s restrained singing keeps the focus on phrasing, while the recurring chorus allows a more direct emotional line to emerge.
Listen to how the vocal sits against the accompaniment rather than simply following its apparent mood. The song draws much of its force from that friction: a melody that feels easy to return to carries feelings that are much harder to settle.
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