In the Book Notes series, authors create and discuss a music playlist that relates in some way to their recently published book.
Erica Peplin’s novel Work Nights is a masterfully-told debut with an unforgettable young queer protagonist, and immediately became one of my favorite NYC novels.
Booklist wrote of the book:
“There’s not just depth, but true yearning in Work Nights, not to mention Peplin’s knack for character, incisive wit and narrative economy… Work Nights is set apart by the power of Peplin’s voice. Through Jane’s eyes, we see a world of 21st-century generational struggles— wealth inequality, the soul-draining effects of capitalism, the feeling that everything must be part of some hustle or another—filtered through humor and genuine heart… A singular effort by a bright new voice in fiction.”
In her own words, here is Erica Peplin’s Book Notes music playlist for her debut novel Work Nights:
Whenever I have a crush on someone, I go right to music. It sounds so much better when you’re lusting after someone. Drippy, romantic songs, obviously, but also percussive pop songs that make your heart race. Jane Grabowski is the narrator of WORK NIGHTS, and the novel is propelled by her obsessive crush on a hot, hard-partying intern at her office. She’s also drawn to a musician who’s the opposite of her work crush in many ways—serious, mature, ready for commitment. Ah, the timeless love triangle! Jane would definitely be listening to the music on this playlist. Especially as the novel follows her from business lunches to nightclubs to indie rock shows in the bowels of Brooklyn.
“Don’t Take It Personal” by Monica
Jane takes the train to her office job in Midtown, Manhattan every Monday through Friday. It’s a 45-minute commute that Jane has come to despise, and she definitely takes solace in this mid-nineties R&B classic about wanting to be away from people. “It’s just one of dem days / When I wanna be all alone.” The lyrics might be downtrodden, but the beat is driving. I hope this is what the beginning of WORK NIGHTS feels like. Jane might be back at the office, but changes are coming.
“Sweet Jane” by The Velvet Underground
Jane is a lazy, self-doubting dyke scraping by in the advertising department of a famous newspaper. When she’s abruptly transferred to fashion, where she’ll have to work with clients like Prada and Chanel, she’s totally out of her depth. Luckily, her boss is a gregarious, pot-bellied man who sings this Velvet Underground song seconds after meeting Jane, prompting her to realize she’s about to be surrounded by eccentrics.
“telepatía” by Kali Uchis
Buckle up, I’m about to rant. I love Kali Uchis. Kali—if you’re reading this, email me. This song—it’s mostly in Spanish, but I’ll translate it for you with my brain and the help of Google—is about loving someone so much that you think they love you back telepathically. How amazing is that? Jane is hopelessly in love with an intern named Madeline and a song like “telepatía” taps into her extreme fantasies of wish fulfillment. “La luna está llena, mi cama vacía / Lo que yo te haría / Si te tuviera de frente” (The moon is full, my bed is empty / What I would do to you / If I had you in front of mе).
“Artangels” by Grimes
Jane’s roommate Laurel is a sloppy, stay-at-home artist whose chaotic, uncertain, and unabashedly creative life stands in stark contrast to Jane’s office job. In their cramped, water-stained apartment in Bushwick, Jane is constantly asking Laurel for advice (Is it stupid to have a crush on a straight girl? Should I quit my job?). Laurel is too much of an Artangel to have any real advice. She’s kind of like Grimes, and by that I mean, she’s artistically gifted but also part alien.
“Be Mine (Jaakko Eino Kalevi Remix) by Alice Boman
A shamelessly good makeout song by my favorite Swedish sad girl. Like any respectable single twenty-six-year-old, Jane loves to pine.
“Wheel” by Katie Von Schleicher
Katie Von Schleicher is like Patti Smith meets Mazzy Star. She’s visceral and sad and howling, and I listen to her all the time. She also makes me think about Addy, the serious, hard-working musician who becomes Jane’s other love interest. Addy is steady and mature, in contrast with Madeline, who’s a flighty party girl. So yeah, WORK NIGHTS has a love triangle. And it all plays (in my head) to the propulsive rhythm of Katie Von Schleicher’s “Wheel.”
“HEY MR. DJ” by DJ MELL G
Jane and another character that will go unmentioned go to Bossa Nova Civic Club, a fog-filled Brooklyn dance spot where a song like this would play in the backroom. Just imagine bobbing heads, darkness, and maybe a messy makeout in the corner.
“Normal Girl” by SZA
Heartbreak ensues. I won’t reveal how. I’ll just say this song by SZA about feeling abnormal and ill-suited to love is relevant to Jane’s plight.
“Working Bitch” by Ashnikko
In the midst of romantic devastation, Jane has to go back to work. She’s a working bitch.
“Keep It in Line” by BRONCHO
I know this band is from Oklahoma, but this is what being in New York feels like sometimes. Running around, drinking, kissing, eating a deli sandwich, meeting a stranger, feeling hot and then tripping on a crack in the sidewalk.
“Shuffle a Dream” by Little Dragon
Another song that’s vibes. It’s Jane rushing home from a girl’s apartment to get to work on time. There’s also a lyric in here that’s “pick and choose,” and I always hear “Pikachu.”
“Work” by Rihanna
I’m just gonna say it. WORK NIGHTS is named after this song. In another world, maybe the book would just be called Work Work Work Work Work. It’s about the work of being young. The work of work. The work of love. And you know what? Work is good. Work is life. And I really friggin’ love Rihanna.
Erica Peplin is a writer from Detroit, Michigan, now based in Brooklyn. Her short stories and essays have appeared in Joyland, The Millions, McSweeney’s, The Village Voice, and more. From 2015 to 2016, she worked in the advertising department of The New York Times. Since then, she’s worked as a shipping clerk, a high school custodian, and a restaurant server. Find out more at EricaPeplin.com.