finally spring playlist

Hark! It is the second month of spring, and I am finally emerging from my veritable cocoon of busy-ness to write about my musical frivolities once more. Because of my various distractions, I really didn't invest a lot of energy into what I was listening to in the past few months. I'm not one that is capable of writing papers while listening to music, unfortunately. Now that I'm getting back to a more normal routine however, I am all over finding new musical sources of inspiration and calm. There are some "repeat offenders" on my list, but that probably won't surprise you.

england-the national. Yes, I'm still completely addicted to these guys. It doesn't hurt that this song is conveniently titled "England" and contains lyrics like "You must be somewhere in London, you must be loving your life in the rain...." Be still my heart!

down by the water-the decemberists. I haven't listened to much more of their latest album, but I became completely enamored of this song after hearing about from Rose. No big surprise there. "Down by the Water" is a bit more folksy-sounding than "The Crane Wife 3" and "O Valencia!" but change can be good!

sort of revolution-fink. Herein lies another case of me being caught up and emotionally manipulated by the music used in television. My beloved Friday Night Lights is the show in question, and I'm confident the song accompanied a scene both gut-wrenching and powerful. Would I have loved the song so much had I innocently come across it whilst perusing the Itunes store? Probably, but a father-son moment between Coach Taylor and Vince or the sight of a guilty Billy Riggins most likely sealed the deal.

the cave-mumford & sons. I am very, very late to the Mumford & Sons party. Thank goodness for my sister's newfound adoration and persistent dropped hints. I am dangerously close to obsession with the latest album, "Sigh No More"-despite the fact that it may be the first I've bought which contains a parental advisory (for one errant word!)! I am also further convinced that pretty much everything musically great must originate in England.

pickup truck-kings of leon. I love the sound of this song. It's drifty and slow in the beginning, with a refreshingly strong and surprising chorus. I tend to not focus a whole lot on the lyrics when it comes to the Kings, and I advise you to do the same. Just get caught up in Caleb's soulful whine and enjoy the fine, fine music.

rolling in the deep-adele. Adele is hugely popular, so this particular selection isn't especially original, but I'm allowed! She is the pure, clean, and untroubled version of Amy Winehouse, and only 21! Unbelievable.

maps-yeah yeah yeahs. A bit of an older tune, but great to revisit. I thought it added a nice sound to my spring list, which is relatively somber.

vagabond-wolfmother. Two summers ago, I listened to the soundtrack to 500 Days of Summer like it was the last CD on earth. I put it on repeat while I was working in the classroom, and shuffle while I puttered around in the garden. This particular song was the one I loved to hear with the windows rolled down on a golden California day. It's taken quite a while for us to finally get to that weather this year, but I was ready when the sun finally arrived, with this song.

bigger than us-white lies. My very first posted playlist contained a song by the White Lies which I still LOVE, so you can imagine my happiness when I discovered the release of their newest album. They're British. Of course.

i want a house-twin sister. I overheard this song on an episode of Grey's Anatomy, and I'll be the first to admit it's a bit strange. After a few listens, though, the quirkiness is irresistible. Like "vagabond," it's a great song for an afternoon drive with the windows rolled down. A slow drive, that is.

laughing with-regina spektor. This song is certainly not light-hearted, but I appreciate the lyrics. No one is quite as good with the piano and high notes as Regina Spektor.

comfortably numb-roger waters featuring van morrison & the band. I've taken to watching The Departed a lot lately. There is nothing more to say.

the immortals-kings of leon. This particular tune was selected for use in promotions for March Madness, so I suppose my newfound appreciation for it also falls under the television manipulation category. It helped that my Duke Blue Devils were prominently featured in the music video.

winter winds-mumford & sons. Though I pretty much can't get the ENTIRE ALBUM out of my mind, I figured it was best that I start with just two or three on my spring playlist. This one is especially pleasing.

helplessness blues-fleet foxes. My darling sister has become completely immersed in the folksy/indie/alternative genre, and she can't stop talking about Fleet Foxes. They're like her Coldplay. She particularly loves this song, and when I saw it available as a free download, I decided to check it out. So good.

blue mind-alexi murdoch. This is by no means a new tune in my library. In fact, I have an extremely powerful memory of listening to it on my Discman (!) the summer I moved to New York. I lived with my aunt in Fairfield, CT, for a few months, and I had to take a commuter train every day to the city which left at the ungodly hour of 5:50 am. I can remember hearing this song as the sun started to break, hurting my tired eyes a little. Even though I was exhausted, it helped relax me and give me a sense of calm and purpose for the long day to follow. Still works today.

come thou fount of every blessing-sufjan stevens (friday night lights soundtrack, volume ii). This is my favorite old hymn, and I love this barebones, banjo-accompanied version.

devil town-tony lucca (friday night lights soundtrack, volume i). Friday Night Lights ended its five-season run just over a month ago, and I felt I must honor its passing with the iconic "devil town." The song played in a pivotal, mood-encapsulating scene in the first season's penultimate episode, and the producers/music supervisors/powers that be decided to recreate the feeling by replaying it in the same episode of the fifth season. I don't exactly know how to explain it, but the song perfectly conveys the sentiment of the show, the whole small town, football is everything feel that is what makes it so near and dear to my heart.

There you have it! It is GOOD to be back!