When I signed up to write visual director Liv Charbonneau’s iEdit, I knew I was in for a treat. Liv and I connected over our similar music tastes even before we chose to do each other’s iEdits, but her ability to weave together songs from different artists, genres, and decades is truly a testament to her curatorial abilities.
Liv begins the musical journey with the synth-heavy indie song “Changing of the Seasons” by Two Door Cinema Club. The upbeat synths and drums contrast with the lyrics as the singer describes falling out of love.
Like Liv, this song remains upbeat even when things aren’t ideal.
The playlist then shifts to Death Cab for Cutie’s “Crooked Teeth.” The track showcases Liv’s love of the early 2000s and maybe a bit of nostalgia for a simpler time with fewer responsibilities.
Paying homage to the Swiftie within us all, Liv then brings us to Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” from her latest album, Midnights. I can’t say I’m the biggest fan of this version of the song, but I think it speaks more to Liv’s thoughts and an important reminder of self-compassion that everyone needs to hear sometimes.
“It must be exhausting rooting for the anti-hero,” Swift sings.
I think many of us feel the same way, as we make mistakes that seem unforgivable to ourselves, but it’s important to remember that we are all our harshest critics.
“Taylor, you’ll be fine,” Jack Antonoff sings in the version of the song on Midnights (3 a.m. Edition).
Bringing the indie vibe back with one of my favorite songs, Liv comes in with Phoebe Bridgers’ “Kyoto,” a classic, high tempo road trip song featuring Bridgers’ raw and emotional lyrics.
For the sake of our friendship, I won’t psychoanalyze this choice.
But I will make some inferences about the addition of the next song, Noah Kahan’s indie-rock hit “Homesick.” Liv linked the entirety of Kahan’s Stick Season album in the description of this playlist. I can clearly conclude that Liv strongly identifies with being a small town “Masshole,” complete with Dunkies in hand and a backward Boston Bruins hat on her head.
Maisie Peters’ “I’m Trying (Not Friends)” has got to be one of my favorites on this list, as it perfectly encapsulates how niche Liv’s taste can be. I had never heard of this song before this iEdit, and upon listening to it, I immediately added it to my playlists.
This theme continues with Liv’s seventh song, “Texas” by Magic Man. Despite promising Liv that I would make fun of this choice solely based on the artist’s name, the song is incredibly catchy. It brings me back to middle school. This was the exact type of music I loved back then: upbeat, indie, poppy, everything someone could want in a song.
MUNA’s “I Know A Place” follows this upbeat direction and is another indie banger in which the artist sings about letting go of inhibitions and living freely.
In the penultimate spot, Liv has Bleachers’ “Let’s Get Married,” which continues the indie-pop vibe of the playlist. She brings everything home with Taylor Swift’s “Getaway Car.” I can’t say that Liv’s personality screams reputation era, but this pop song with a little edge ends this carefully composed playlist with a bang.
Liv’s playlist is the perfect set of songs to end the fall season, with plenty of warm-blooded indie pop to keep you going as the sun sets earlier and earlier. I know I’ll be returning to this playlist as the temperatures continue to fall and when I need a pick-me-up to motivate me at the end of the semester.
