Springtime has officially arrived, and your fellow writers and editors at the Paisano are feeling all of it: that earthy spring smell, the allergies, the flowers in bloom, the birds chirping in the trees, the allergies. Did we mention the allergies yet?
Despite the coughing and sneezing, the Paisano welcomes the warmer weather and greener scenery with open arms. Why not celebrate with some accompanying music?
This spring playlist, put together by us here at the Paisano, encompasses a wide span of artists, from indie favorites like Future Islands and The Flaming Lips to throwbacks like Fleetwood Mac and The Blue Nile. Now, go out and enjoy some sun!
Future Islands – “Seasons (Waiting On You)”: Even after their feel-good performance on Letterman two years ago, Future Islands’ signature song still rings as true and dimly optimistic as it did when you first saw lead singer Sam Herring swiveling his hips on the stage of the Ed Sullivan Theatre.
Mac Demarco – “Blue Boy”: “Calm down, sweetheart, grow up…” It’s an apt verse for Mac Demarco, the real life boy-who-never-grew-up. With his warm voice and lilting guitar licks, Demarco brings melancholy to the masses.
The Flaming Lips – “She Don’t Use Jelly”: A girl who thinks of ghosts, toast with Vaseline and a man using magazines to blow his nose. It’s not the ramblings of a madman; it’s Wayne Coyne and company’s most popular hit song about everything but jelly.
Fugees – “Fu-Gee-La”: Even 20 years after it’s release, the Fugees chest-thumping anthem still gets crowds pumped thanks to Wyclef’s biting lyricism and Ms. Lauryn Hill’s vocals. Even now, you can find people in a Mitsubishi, eatin’ sushi, and bumpin’ Fugees.
The 1975 – “UGH!” – Art-pop weirdos The 1975 craft layered synths and guitar loops into a danceable song about being a selfish asshole. Sounds like perfect spring music to us.
Kelis – “Roller Rink”: Four years before “Milkshake,” Kelis’ grip on Neptunes-era R&B was already sealed with this slinky ode to the no-worry atmosphere of the hardwood floor and the skates on your feet.
Fleetwood Mac – “Everywhere”: Proof that your parent’s music can be cool, Fleetwood Mac was crafting legendary grooves like “Everywhere” before some of you were even born. This also doubles as possibly the only song on this playlist that your mom might know.
The Blue Nile – “Headlights On the Parade”: It has become cliché to state that something is “cinematic” these days, but there is really no other way to describe how elusive Glasgow band The Blue Nile sounds. This is music for night time drives, falling in and out of love and staring at the constellations on the warm grass.
Beyonce – “Start Over”: Queen Bey has recently been lauded for her many anthems of female and black empowerment, though it’s easy to forget that she’s one of the strongest balladeers of our time. “Start Over,” a song about reigniting the flame in a stagnant relationship, is Beyonce attitude and emotion in full force.
Wilco – “One Sunday Morning (Song for Jane Smiley’s Boyfriend)”: Sometimes we take for granted the modern storytellers that we have in our midst until they’re gone. Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy could be considered one, not that he cares; he’s busy crafting 12-minute odysseys like “One Sunday Morning” that draw the listener in with the reserve and wise patience of an old dog still finding new tricks.
