Public Void is a seven track album released in 2020 by artist and college student, Penelope Scott. Penelope’s music is decently popular online, however it isn’t for everyone. Her music contains references that are appealing to Gen Z specifically, and she includes politics in her songs. She also swears often, so I wouldn’t recommend playing this album in front of your parents. Let’s take a closer look at what the album holds…
Cigarette Ahegao
What makes Penelope’s songs very interesting is that they are non-cookie cutter. She often includes sound bytes and effects that you wouldn’t normally find in a lot of music. The track feels a little bit jumbled because of its structure and crunchy beat. Of course, this was the goal because the song is about how Penelope feels disorientated in her life at the moment. In the typical college kid fashion, she turns to substances like cigarettes and alcohol to make her feel better, thus the title. It’s an interesting opener for the album, especially because I would say that it’s the least palatable to first time listeners. I do really like this song, though. I think it does a good job of showing the feelings of anxiety that young people face, especially in a pandemic. She ends the song with the lines “Someday I’ll have my own life/I’ll leave this all behind,” which is probably the most comforting thing you could say to yourself when you’re in a tough situation. It’s a reminder that you have to keep moving because one day you will be in a much better place in your life. Penelope includes the idea of wanting to move on to greater things in a few of her other songs (on this album and others), and I think it’s a very nice sentiment.
Lotta True Crime
This song is about the phenomenon of true crime podcast fans who take their interest too far. Penelope reminds us of the suffering the victims endured, and she condemns the practice of being a “fan” of a serial killer. She also shuts down the line of thinking that Ted Bundy was a mastermind instead of simply an unlikely suspect who avoided being caught because of it. Being the singer’s second most listened to song, it got the criticism that comes with popularity. All of the arguments against this song that I’ve personally seen aren’t very well thought out, or simply don’t make sense. I think that the most likely scenario is that those commenters have managed to misinterpret the song, despite Penelope explaining its meaning over social media. The song got popular on TikTok, so it would make sense if there were many people who only listened to a small portion of it and assumed its meaning from that. Some were annoyed with the vocal effect on the song, but I don’t understand their grievances considering that it’s a reference to how podcasts sound. My favorite line is “You’re not special for winning a game/With someone who you know was never playing” because it talks directly to the ideology of serial killers; they think that they are unique but in reality they severely lack empathy. Penelope makes it clear that this is a topic she’s passionate about instead of something that was made to cause controversy (although I find it strange that some take issue with her disliking serial killers).
American Healthcare (Glitzy)
The song is a more produced version of the one on her previous album. It follows the story of a doctor who, despite her intentions, is helpless to do good in a corrupt corporate system that prioritizes money over the wellness of patients. I really enjoy the storytelling here; it feels very cohesive. Despite the song’s dark themes, Penelope manages to write a catchy beat that is very easy to get into. It doesn’t take away from the message of the song, it simply makes it enjoyable to listen to. She did a great job of playing a character and conveying emotion with her voice as well.
Feel Better
“Feel Better” is about a breakup that leaves a person unable to move on. They don’t know how to move forward, so they choose to sit in their sadness for awhile with the notion that they won’t be able to find someone as good as their ex. It captures the feelings that come with being unable to process a breakup. I like the lines “And someone’s breaking up when I crack up /Because I know I’ll never know just what to say” because it shows just how out of it the speaker is. Even when they have gone through a breakup themselves, they still can’t find a way to comfort someone going through the same thing. This song has a really cool electric guitar-type sound that makes it stand out on the album.
Moonsickness
Penelope shows how she’s at a difficult age here. Being old enough to understand the faults of the world and the people around her, but being too young to make a real impact is a stressful ordeal. She puts herself down for not being able to do more, and she talks about the people that could help but don’t. Politically, she doesn’t feel like she fits in anywhere on the spectrum because of how both sides have issue. This song is probably the slowest and saddest track on the album. She has a nice echo effect on her voice that makes for an ambient sound that fills the track. My favorite line is “But the beast refuses to die /And so I guess, well, neither can I” because it ends the song with a little bit of hope, stating that she won’t give up until things are better.
Dumpster
Another tough situation for a person in their early twenties: figuring out when, or if, to settle down. Penelope is nervous about becoming an unhappy housewife, comparing herself to Sylvia Plath. She’s worried about being stuck in one place, so she says that moving is a necessity. The title is a reference to the trend of young people turning things such as dumpsters and vans into livable spaces. Penelope expresses her need for a temporary living situation because she is at a time in her life where she feels she has to plan for the future, but isn’t quite sure of what it all entails. Sonically, the song is upbeat and very fun, which makes for a nice contrast with the lyrics. It also has her signature video game-eques sound, which occupies the entirety of the second half of the song. I typically don’t like long periods of time without vocals, but Penelope’s music is so interesting that I barely notice that I just listened to over a minute of non-vocals in a two-and-a-half minute song.
Rät
Penelope’s most popular song, Rät, originally wasn’t meant to be anything special, but fans quickly took to it. The song is about Silicon Valley and the hidden downside of its technological advances. It details how Gen Z has developed and unhealthy love for extremely wealthy entrepreneurs such as Elon Musk. In my opinion, this is Penelope’s best song lyrically. She adds refences that may take multiple replays to catch, but they are very clever. The line “Your proposal is immodest and insane” is a nod to Jonathan Swift’s satirical essay, A Modest Proposal. While being about hunger and not technology, the essay still has themes of elitism that tie into “Rät’s” message. My favorite line is “You promised you’d be Tesla, but you’re just another Edison” because of how hurtful it is with full context. I could write a whole essay on this song alone, but I should probably keep this short. The song itself is extremely interesting, with its fast-paced, crunchy beat that is reminiscent of arcade game sounds. It’s a very interesting listen that I highly recommend.
My overall thoughts are that this album is very impressive for a college student working on GarageBand, especially considering how Penelope’s pervious albums seem to have been recorded in a more traditional way, with lots of piano featured. I have my doubts that she will reach to mainstream audiences since her music isn’t radio friendly, but I hope she never stops making music.
