I decided to listen to my latest assignment on my morning jog.
Usually, acoustic melodies are not on my playlist when I’m working out. When I’m sweating and cursing the existence of jogging as a concept I am in more of a Britney Spears ‘Work Bitch’ kind of mood. But, I decided to mix it up and give ‘What We Do’ a shot. Ultimately, my straying from my traditional early 2000s top 40 paid off. ‘What We Do’ was an unexpected bop with an upbeat tune that carried me effortlessly through the rest of my jog.
‘What We Do’ is latest from Notalike and Etta Matters and features Itto. The track boasts a bouncy beat and lyrics that blend seamlessly into the melody. “What We Do’ is the perfect song for a fun summer beach day. It almost made me sad that summer is essentially over, and with skin as burnable as mine, that’s a pretty impressive feat in and of itself. While I was listening to this song, I imagined myself on a beach somewhere, sitting around a bonfire surrounded by a variety of vaguely cool but nameless friends.
Let me put it this way; “What We Do” is the kind of song that a generation Gen-Xers will have their first kiss to.
Lyrically, the song doesn’t break any new ground. The lyrics are vaguely inspirational without being overly cliche. Unfortunately, the everpresent pixie dream girl stereotype that seems to haunt mildly hipster pop music these days does make her customary appearance. Luckily, she’s only an impression in this song, which saves it from crossing over into eye-rolling ‘Ophelia’ territory. Still, the lyrics do conjure up a Brooklynite vision of backroad Farmville I’m pretty sure doesn’t actually exist outside of 80s movies.
Oh the stupid things I’d do to spend time with you
when it was cold outside and we’d share Camel Blues
You know I hate them but I did it all for you
Tonight you dance with him all dressed in black
my vision’s blurred, God bless my friends and the red wine
but you are still beautiful
Smoking? In this day and age? With someone you definitely want to kiss later? Come on!
It’s not the strongest song from either Notalike, Etta Matters or Itto, for that matter. If there was a category for ‘jaunty songs you will definitely hear at Starbucks one day’, the acoustic version of this song would definitely rank in the top five. But not every song has to change the world and redefine music. Some songs can just be fun to listen to. ‘What We Do’ is definitely fun and for that reason is worth a listen or two.
Ultimately, “What We Do” is a fun, forgettable song with an awesome beat that you can jog to. Sometimes, whether you are working out or running errands, you need a break from Nicki Minaj telling you how ‘if you want it, you got it’. If that’s the case, “What We Do” is the perfect song for you. Despite its faults, it will keep you moving and make you feel like it’s summer every day.
