Seth Rubenstein

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Very soft, very calming. Listening to it right now at 1:26 am Monday as I goto sleep. And you know what? It’s working.

Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton - “Telethon”

It’s getting late out here on the West Coast, and only a lullaby will put me down. From 2007’s EP What Is Free To A Good Home?, “Telethon” is the most tranquil song I can find on my hard drive.

Emily Haines, a member of Broken Social Scene and boundless lead singer of Metric, is at her best when a piano is the main compliment to her gentle voice. She tends to sound exhausted and vulnerable, so lyrics like “I hang my hands over your eyes to hide” fall softly with a ton of emotion packed right behind.

Currently, all focus is on Metric recording their next album and touring, so we’re stuck with just 2 Soft Skeleton releases. What Is Free To A Good Home? is a short arrangement of quiet songs that work as well at 3am as they do on a rainy day, which isn’t much different from her 2006 full length Knives Don’t Have Your Back. Where the EP does gain some momentum is with “Sprig”, a poem written by Emily’s father Paul that she sings over slightly psychedelic music.

Also, Hi! I’m Courtney. I’m your newest Tuneage contributor. I’m not normally this solemn with my music choices, but I had a long day and it was this or the Smoking Popes, and Emily Haines is easier on the eyes and ears. I’ll be a more upbeat next time!