This week’s episode looks at the idea of tension in music - the way that it's core to music itself, yet also has a troubling psychological effect on the maker. What we sometimes call Writer's Block in other industries. So how do we break through this tension?

As I write this out I am teleported back to an earlier time when I used to sit around with my friends on couches doing almost nothing. The TV had (and still has) radio stations higher up on the listing, and we’d sometimes put on an ambient station that was mostly trip hop music. There was a song called Nervous Tension by Lemon Jelly. It samples some sort of self-help record. Do you remember this track as well? I shared it after the podcast episode below. It might take you down memory lane.

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Or listen directly on Spotify.

“Like the example of the scary movie, tension can only be resolved by going inside. While we might wish that the hero will not enter that spooky house tonight, it’s the only way we are going to end this unclosed loop.”

Episode photo by Brett Sayles.

Your Photos

Last week I shared some photos from walking around and I asked you to send me what you’ve got. Todor sent me these photos which are around the region of Sofia in Bulgaria.

A horse! That’s just magical.

Do you have any photos to share? Send them to me and I can post them here.

This week I have an important matter to ask you. My friend Ryan is going to Montreal in a few weeks, and he asked me what the top 3 bagel places are. Since this newsletter is called The Sunday Bagel, this is actually the most on-topic piece of information I have to share with you today.

So if you know the city well feel free to write me back or post a comment so that we can help Ryan have a good bagel this summer. Very important.

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Speaking of which, I’m about to reincarnate a 3-day old bagel that I found at my parent’s house yesterday. Will need a heavy toasting to bring its spirit back from the stale dead. Wish me luck!

Elliott “Havarti Told You” Fienberg

Tension.

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