My Spring Mix

Somehow this blog rapidly turned into a collection of Mix CD's. However, I don't have a problem with that. And if you do you can eat a big scrotum. Tomorrow is March 1st, and although we won't be seeing the real signs of spring for another few weeks, I think it's important to mentally prepare for big changes. But I'm sure most of you have been prepared for spring for some time now. Regardless, this music should not only prepare you, but get you excited for spring as well.

This was the most difficult mix for me up to this point. I arranged it with a sort of "April showers bring May flowers" theme, and tried to maintain a fresh quality througout. The first half is subdued, rainy day music, and is even an extension of winter in some ways. After all, weather in Michigan (and I'm sure Chicago too) is always unpredictable and ever-changing. Then around the halfway point, things start to liven up. The music reflects the awakening of the sleeping beast that is Mother Nature. By the end of the CD, the Dandy Warhols are bumping and you're ready for summer.

Now for an explanation of the songs. Some of the songs are new to me (The Clientele, The Pogues) and just sound like a rainy spring day or St. Patty's Day, respectively. Some of the songs are very personal to me (Cat Stevens, James Taylor) because my family used to go on road trips to the Great Smokey Mountains in Tennessee and pretty much only listen to those two CD's (and Fleetwood Mac). Also, these trips usually occurred in April on our school's Spring Break. Everything was extra damp and smokey, and we would search out waterfalls and hike mountain trails.

The third and final category of songs (The Postal Service, Aloha, Belle & Sebastian, etc) come from MSU's campus radio Impact 89 FM. I was a DEVOUT listener of this station, and it always seemed that the music was extra special in the spring. The Impact songs on this Mix came from springs '03 - '05. And spring was an extra special time of year at MSU also. The first sign of spring brought students out of their winter slumber and everywhere they would be playing frisbee and sunbathing by the Red Cedar River -- I'm talking sudden beach party. Also, during the past two years the porch at 312 Grove St would become constantly occupied by roommates with beers in hand and radio blasting. Homework was immediately forgotten. We had people watching to do!

God I miss 312 and my old roommates. What I would give for another weekend back there. The memories evoked from this mix are definitely bittersweet for me. I still hope to create comparible memories in this segment of my life, but have had little luck so far.

Well my thoughts have sufficiently wandered for this endeavor. So without further delay, I give you My Spring Mix. (Remember, I'll burn you a CD if you're interested - but so far no one has been, so I'll just enjoy all my Mix CD's by myself I guess).

1. the clientele - E.M.P.T.Y.
2. the beatles - penny lane
3. cat stevens - peace train
4. james taylor - carolina in my mind
5. the pogues - a pair of brown eyes
   
6. dirty vegas - simple things, pt 2
7. aloha - boys in the bathtub
8. yo la tengo - little eyes
9. the sugarcubes - birthday
10. turin brakes - average man
11. the postal service - clark gable
12. the smiths - william, it was really nothing
13. the cardigans - your new cuckoo
14. belle & sebastian - i'm a cuckoo
15. junior senior - boy meets girl
16. stereolab - margerine rock
17. ted leo & the pharmacists - where have all the rude boys gone?
18. saves the day - anywhere with you
19. of montreal - the party's crashing me
20. the dandy warhols - bohemian like you