the quarantine edit (v1)

WELCOME TO WEEK WHATEVER OF SHELTERING IN HOME. I’ve come to peace with a perpetually dirty kitchen. Stray coffee grounds seem to cover my entire life. My jeans remain neglected in my closet, dreaming, just as I am, of a summer dinner party surrounded by friends. But my jeans and I both know how imperative it is for us to be responsible and stay inside. As challenging as this reality is, it is bigger than any one of us, and the only way we will pull through is by doing our part. 

Maybe you’re one of the elite who have used this time to learn a new skill or pick up a new language (step aside, Gwenyth Paltrow!). If so--my hat’s off to you. I, on the other hand, have just been striving to maintain a semblance of normalcy. The truth is that it’s a generally rudderless time. I’ve found that surrounding myself with exceptional media helps make other things (i.e. the news) more digestible. A spoonful of sugar or something like that. 

What follows are a few albums and books that I’ve been digging. I’m also tossing in a few of my favorite self-care routines, for good measure (this is Detroit Rose, after all). My hope in sharing is that they will help you, dear reader, get through the current indefinite. We’ve always got each other.

Wede Harer Gozu

Hailu Mergia & Dahlek Band, 1978

Originally recorded in Ethiopia in 1978, Wede Harer Gozu existed only as a cassette tape until 2016--something you will immediately hear upon listening. The dream-like, warbly quality of the organ provides an excellent backdrop for working or reading. 

Pro Tip: check out Awesome Tapes from Africa’s website for more gems.

Different Seasons 

Stephen King, 1982

Early into his career and tired of receiving criticism that he could only write horror, Stephen King set out to publish something outside of his genre. What resulted was this collection of four stories, one per season, that diverge from his home genre yet retain a signature King-y-ness. Even those who have never read King will likely be familiar with the contents of this book; two of these stories are the basis for the films The Shawshank Redemption and Stand By Me.

Room on Fire

The Strokes, 2003

Hey. This is my favorite album. Of all time. Though it receives less accolades than their debut, Room on Fire has all of the unbothered coolness that we love about The Strokes, with an adult complexity that hits on something, well, real-er.

Side note: as someone who has gone through two breakups in the past year (say it with me: YIKES), I can also say that this is a spectacular breakup album.

Lost Children Archive 

Valeria Luiselli, 2019

I have a deep-seated aversion to books written from the perspective of kids (something I’m sure Freud would find interesting), which made Valeria Luiselli’s novel all the more impressive when I read it last summer. The story follows a family on a journey from New York City to the Arizona desert, and offers a poignant view into the balancing act of career, passion, and family. A bit erudite at times, but never pretentious.

In Cold Blood

Truman Capote, 1966

One of the seven wonders of the world is how I, book lover and true crime queen (professionally, I might add--I begin a PhD researching the development of antisocial behavior in Sept.) had never read the granddaddy of it all until this week. Capote’s classic outlines the circumstances and consequences of a murder that shook a western Kansas town in 1959. It’s easy to get lost in and gripping--perfect for getting back into the swing of reading.

Heaven or Las Vegas 

Cocteau Twins, 1990

This is one of those albums that has the power to completely transform a space. For example: every time I turn it on, I’m transported to a sunny October afternoon in Brooklyn (hey Sivan). While specific results may vary, these tracks offer a uniquely soothing and otherworldly experience. 

And: I will personally Venmo you $100 if you correctly interpret the lyrics without googling.