Sprightly and Bright(ly), Yet Suitably Gentle: Songs for the Verge of Spring

How about a short mix for right now?

Early to mid-March in climates with cold winters and hot summers is a conspicuously transitional time. It’s hopeful and light, yet fragile and frustrating. Daylight stretches on noticeably longer than before, and on the first day that everyone can switch from a heavy winter coat to a merely medium-weight winter coat, there’s practically singing in the streets. Then you look at the ground and remember it’s still covered in snow.

You need some music that sheds a little winter cozy folksiness, but isn’t too hot or not too harsh or too fast — that’s for July. March is for music that literally has just a little spring in its step. Cautiously and gently ebullient. Old familiars and maybe something new(ish). And no, it’s not coincidental that it’s bookended by “bright” titles.

(Listen on Spotify)
Brighter! — Cass McCombs
Ventura Highway — America
Everday — Vetiver
#9 Dream — John Lennon
Windmill Wedding — Air France
House of Diamonds — Bowerbirds
Tout Doucement — Feist
Someone’s Singing — Donovan
Cherry Tulips — Headlights
Bright Whites — Kishi Bashi