Eli Raybon’s newest single, “Computer, Don’t Kill Me” talks about the modern age of the pencil pusher with a Morrissey-esque mew.
Eli Raybon’s new single, “Computer, Don’t Kill Me,” feels like a new generation of the Smiths discussing modern age issues.
If you’ve ever felt trapped at a desk, this is the song for you. Lyrics of the song speak to the age we are in now: where there are so many to-dos, so many jobs to be done, and so many chore-like adult activities that it can create a nearly overwhelming sensation: the fallout of a life partly lived online. Opening lyrics of “another task thrown in the queue / one press of a button / now the data spews” all sung with a clearly Smiths-inspired lackadaisical tone captures that melancholy mindset with such a mixture of emptiness and wanting that it really says a lot very early in. Also, this moody - yet not sad per se - tone is carried through to the end of the song. Methodical beats pair with Raybon’s quietly assured purr of a voice to create the song’s melodic wash. The fact that it’s an electronic track as well only heightens its message.
Despite how sad the lyrics themselves are, the entire effect of the track is one of gentling comfort. It’s the kind of song you can throw on for long stretches of highway or have on in the chill party’s background while friends sip Le Croix and discuss merits and best practices of battlebots victors.
Fans of “Stranger Things” will love how synth-heavy his 80s retrotastic backing melody is. It could easily find its place on next season’s soundtrack. Or you may hear it again, tossed in the mix of a Spotify playlist alongside bands like The Cure, Echo & The Bunnymen, or Alphaville.
The story of Eli Raybon is almost as compelling as the song itself. At only 20, the southern charmer moved across the country, uprooting from a childhood spent in Mississippi, Louisiana, and North Carolina towards the hallowed halls of Hollywood to pursue his dream as a singer-songwriter. His latest EP may be called “Green,” but he’s not entirely a newbie - he’s played since age 16, with over 100 shows by the age of 18. His first release, album “The Machine And My Dilemma,” spurred him onward to the West Coast. Said Raybon of the decision, “It’s difficult to be brave enough to chase after what you really want. Moving to LA marked my triumph over the fear and hesitation of pursuing my dreams.”
Here’s to bravery and believing in yourself in order to take a big leap.
Cheers, friend.
To give a listen to the track itself, hear it here.