Can anyone else smell Spring in the air lately?

Because I can! It was about 60 degrees this morning when I was walking to the bus, and I'm starting to feel like maybe Winter is dwindling down, and in honor of my (most likely pre-emptive) excitement, I am going to tell you my favorite music to listen to during the Springtime! You may remember my Fall playlist from the end of last summer and this will basically be the same idea. Fair warning though, this is going to be pretty poppy/cutesy.

Artist: XTC
Album: Skylarking
Track: Season Cycle
It's really tough to pick just one song from this album because the whole album is just so great and many of the songs bring forth those feelings of Spring and Summer. It's hard not to with names like "Summer's Cauldron", "Grass", "Ballet for a Rainy Day", etc. Anyway, for the purpose of this mix, I would choose "Season Cycle" because it really kicks the mix off well. It's nice and poppy and reminds you that it's time to put away your sad bastard music for another time.

Artist: Suburban Kids with Biblical Names
Album: #3
Track: Trees and Squirrels
Ok, time for a walk in the park. This is seriously the best song, probably ever, but definitely for spring. It just makes you want to smile all the time. You can't fight it!

Artist: Camera Obscura
Album: Biggest Blue Hi-Fi
Track: Sun on His Back
I have to be honest, I mostly picked this one because I wanted a Camera Obscura song on the mix and this one had the word "sun" in it. At any rate, you can just listen to all of Biggest Blue Hi-Fi if you need more spring music after this mix is over.

Artist: Jens Lekman
Album: When I said I wanted to be your Dog
Track: You are the Light (By which I travel into this and that)
As I mentioned on the Fall playlist, I can't make a mix without Jens on it, so this one should be no different. "You are the Light..." is probably one of my favorites of his. I highly recommend playing this one in the car with all the windows down, screaming the lyrics. Trust me.

Artist: Mirah
Album: Advisory Committee
Track: Garden
I love the drums on this one so I thought I should put it now since you're already blasting your radio.

Artist: Spoon
Album: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Track: You Got Yr Cherry Bomb
This one doesn't have any particularly spring like qualities to it, but I defy you to keep from smiling and dancing around while this one plays. I mean seriously, just listen to that tambourine. You're having fun already, I can tell.

Artist: Sleater Kinney
Album: Dig Me Out
Track: Little Babies
For me, Sleater Kinney is one of those bands that I always want to listen to in the spring/summer. They're just so fun. If you're still looking for spring music and Camera Obscura is a little bit cutesy for you, you should just listen to all of Dig Me Out.

Artist: The Rentals
Album: Seven More Minutes
Track: My Head is in the Sun
Time to slow it down a bit. I must admit though, this is another one I just picked because it had the word "sun" in it, and because I love the Rentals.

Artist: Rilo Kiley
Album: The Execution of all Things
Track: With arms Outstretched
For me, this song completely invokes spring in every way. When I first discovered this album, it was actually right around this time of year (almost down to the day) because I was travelling to the final four basketball tournament in Virginia with the university pep band. Anyway, I listened through the album for the first time on the bus on the way there and could not take it out of my cd player for months after. I remember when the weather first broke, driving a car smashed with friends with all the windows rolled down screaming the lyrics at the top of our lungs, hungover and full from Denny's. Good times.

Artist: Saturday Looks Good To Me
Album: Sound on Sound Track: Summer Doesn't Count (Unless You're Here with Me) What better way to end this mix than with a song invoking summer? Enjoy!