Ski Lift’s ‘Teenager’ taps into nostalgia and endless summers
Teenagers: they’re bitter yet sweet. At least, that’s what Ski Lift say with their latest track — a sweet and comforting number that’ll make you feel safe and loved, and have you dreaming of your younger days (at least for some of us).
Photo: Kiera Anee
Cards on the table, I’ve had a bit of a tough day. Looking through the list of tracks to review I came across Ski Lift’s Teenager. It was just what I needed to unwind.
A relatively short track that clocks in at around two and a half minutes – and what it gives you in that time is something laid-back and delightfully dreamy. We start with a soft, slow beat, gentle drums that are quickly joined by the light strum of a guitar. It’s comforting and welcomes you in – this is a safe space; I imagine the band would say.
Indeed, it’s the sort of track that wouldn’t be out of place in a John Hughes or a Richard Linklater movie, something like Dazed And Confused (1993) or Sixteen Candles (1984)… or, if you’re after a more modern reference, Stranger Things (2015-2021).
What I’m getting at is that it feels like a coming-of-age track, and also a nostalgic one. A piece of music that reminds you of endless summers growing up, long days spent staring up at blue skies and dreaming of things to come. I mean, take the lyrics for instance: “I’m a teenager, so bitter and so sweet. I’m a teenager, c’mon world, sweep me off my feet.”
Actually, reading those words back might not entirely paint the right kind of picture – you could just as easily apply these lyrics to a no-holds-barred punk track, something with some Sid Vicious type dude screaming his head off. But putting that aside, if you’re in the mood for something a little ‘80s and nostalgic and, dare I say it, feel-good, then you’ll be in safe hands with Teenager. Let it sweep you off your feet.
