We're Gonna Die: Voices of Comfort

Young Jean Lee finds an intersection between storytelling confessional and awkward rock star as she writes and stars in We're Gonna Die.

With a sailboat sweater worthy of Cliff Huxtable and a fretful stage presence, Young Jean Lee is full of unease. She's an everywoman who's poor at romance, left by boyfriends and loved ones. Supported by the band Future Wife, Young Jean Lee rocks out to tunes in the voices of her mother, her great grandmother, her friend, and herself.

As a meditation on the ways we find comfort when we are sad, lonely, or in pain, she uses repetitive music and phrases to remind us that we age, experience pain, and death. These are all parts of our
personhood.  And even in their obviousness there is comfort in hearing parents or friends take the time and care to remind us life isn't easy.

Perhaps the voices of those who love us making contact are all we need. Even if what they have to say is that life is hard, unfair, and filled with pain.  It is not in the substance but in the action.  Not
all of us come with a back-up rock band or engage in Monkees-style dance knowing our fate is death. But maybe we should.

We're all going to die so we might as well dance.

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