By Ella Mastroianni, Staff Writer
Can you name a song that somehow makes life’s twists and turns feel manageable? Maybe even feel, dare I say, pleasant? I can. “Minor Inconveniences” by Bebe Stockwell was released on December 6th, and it’s a song, described by Stockwell herself, as being about “the ups and downs of life.”
The 23-year-old, who herself was born and raised in Boston, started writing songs and playing piano and guitar around age six. She began releasing music in 2022, with her debut single called “Love Me Back.” Since then, she has released seven more songs, one of which is a collaboration with her friend Grace Enger, entitled “Winter Song.”
Stockwell was featured as one of BMI’s artists on the rise back in 2022, and she graduated from New York University in 2024. She’s been on tour opening for Stephen Sanchez (with The Paper Kites), and Field Guide.
Stock Well With Stockwell
“Minor inconveniences” begins with Stockwell strumming the guitar, and the production [done by Stockwell, Jack Riley (Vincent Lima, Cameron Whitcomb), and Laiko (Medium Build, Cece Coakley) layers the sound a few seconds before Stockwell begins singing. The guitar alone invokes a curiosity that will be further incited as the song plays out, and it funnily enough, reminded me of the guitar in a song by The Goo Goo Dolls, called “Come to Me.”
The first lyrics of this song are, “Cold feet, wet floor/ Sunlight through the front door.” These lyrics set the tone for the song — it’s one in which the lyrics will encourage visualization. In the next verse, she continues by talking about burnt toast, milk going bad, and stubbing her toe on the doorstep. The song works to catalog a list of—you’ve probably guessed by now — minor inconveniences. While inconvenient, they’re all delivered in a refined manner, which makes them appealing as a listener.
For example, Stockwell sings, “my neighbor mows at the break of dawn,” which is a crisp image that then creates an association with the sound of a lawnmower, and possibly an image of the sun rising. This list of inconveniences is curated with items that can be related to by all or most listeners, and even if they aren’t, their wording undoubtedly pokes at people’s imaginations — specifically by activating our senses. Whether it’s sight (sunlight), touch (wet floor), or taste (milk’s bad), Stockwell covers it in this song. In other words, she stocks us up.
These vivid verses all conclude with the line, “And [they] ask(s) me how I'm doing/ And I say, ‘I'm fine.’" Does this sound familiar? At least for me, I’ve heard hundreds of songs dealing with being alright — or more specifically “fine" — but Stockwell’s take on it stands out. This is due to “Minor Inconveniences’s” unexpected homey quality. The song is short and sweet at a little over two minutes long, but in that time, we are given a sonic and lyrical coziness. This is further emphasized by the acoustic video and visualizer available on YouTube.
Diving Into The Details
The tactile details throughout the song, some of which I’ve already mentioned, makes it a particularly mellow one to listen to. In the third verse, Stockwell sings, “Stranger from last night/ Ovеrstayed like a bug bite/ I found him in my kitchen/ Doing all my dishes.” While these items or moments described may be not-so-favored ones (as is natural for things that are inconvenient), surrounded by the rest of the song, this isn’t a painful song—it’s the farthest thing from it. It’s optimistic and hopeful, spinning inconvenient things into a song that lands pleasantly with the listener.
The chorus is tight, a simple message that makes an appearance three times (one of which is the very last line of the song). “They say the minor inconveniences are part of the experience of life/ And these minor inconveniences are part of the experiеnce of mine,” shows an embracing of the not-so-lovely. In doing so, it makes them sort of lovely. Especially with her background vocals adding a soft sigh as she says the words “minor inconveniences.” The bridge makes this loveliness even more evident, with two repetitions of the line, “And I know now/ That it's alright/ It just takes time to breathe again.” This inner monologue of sorts masterfully quiets irrational thinking, and it acts as a way to self-soothe. As a listener, it feels just like the sunlight through the front door that was mentioned in the first verse.
To conclude the song, the instrumentals and layered vocals fall away and leave us with Stockwell’s voice (and minimal guitar). Stockwell’s voice is one of the most memorable voices in indie folk as of late. While just talking about her vocal abilities cannot do her justice to someone who hasn’t listened to her music, I’ll try. Her voice is deep, full, a bit raspy, and it lifts and falls at what always feels like the right time. Her voice makes the song's composition one that’s worthy of listen after listen, and I would know, because I have.
Major Conveniences
“Minor Inconveniences” is infused with humanity and gentleness. It’s a song that encourages a thoughtful and forgiving existence, which we always need more of. It even takes frustration and somehow turns it into a deep breath.
Thankfully, Bebe Stockwell’s collection of music is growing as we speak. “Minor Inconveniences” released in early December, and since then she’s released a song called “Speak Too Soon” featuring Hans Williams. With some summertime festivals in Stockwell’s near future—including our very own Boston Calling on May 23rd — I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s planning on releasing more tracks in anticipation. Until then, you can stock up on her older songs.
For your “convenience,” Bebe Stockwell will be in Boston in a few months for the first day of Boston Calling on May 23rd.
![The Kooks LIVE In Studio performing “Around Town” [Acoustic]](https://wers.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/The-Kooks-2-280x280.png "The Kooks LIVE In Studio performing “Around Town” [Acoustic]")
