February 05, 2016
Valentine's Day is a holiday of extremes; those already in relationships are swept up in the romance of the day, while those on their own are given more reason to wallow in their singleness. For those in between (aka: Are we dating or just hooking up?), the holiday tends to push them to one side or the other.
This group of songs will be focused on the second group. Because if you're already happily in love, why on earth would I take the time to put together a playlist for you? You're already smitten. I owe you nothing.
No, this playlist is not just for the lonely but, more importantly, is also for the heartbroken. And, of course, the artists are local -- you shouldn't outsource your grief. Which is why we've neatly broken down this playlist for the upcoming holiday into the five stages of grief, all from Philly-area performers, for those who’ve recently lost love.
With all due respect to Teddy Pendergrass, the late legend of Philly soul, shut up. You can tell yourself a million times you don't love him/her any longer. You can trick yourself into believing it. "I don't love you anymore; it's just that simple," you'll sing. Stop kidding yourself.
Lead singer Kenny Vasoli has written his fair share of heartbreak songs over the years but has been mellowing out a bit while with his most recent outfit, Vacationer. Not so on this track from his pop-punk days with The Starting Line, which serves anger with a side of angst. "I'll be your friend in hell, until then I despise you," he sings. Ouch.
Boyz II Men probably isn't the go-to group for dealing with heartbreak anymore, no matter how many times they reappear on television. But that doesn't make "On Bended Knee" any less fitting for that feeling of wanting your ex-lover back. Plus, the music video is so unbelievably goofy that it could potentially turn tears into laughter.
Here we have local rockers Dr. Dog diving into the depths of sadness. "I don't want to die in your arms; I just want to die," singer and bassist Toby Leaman moans. A health disclaimer from PhillyVoice: While this song is ideal for grieving a relationship gone bad, please do not drink an entire bottle of moonshine.
Eventually, you have to say goodbye and move on. Which is where Son Little -- aka Aaron Livingston, former producer for The Roots and RJD2 -- comes in. The R&B singer starts the song conflicted about letting go, then eventually comes to accept an ending. Happy Valentine's Day?
