What I'm Listening To: Spring 2015

Here are the songs I'm listening to when I don't have The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt theme song stuck in my head. Music is always important to me, but as we head into summer, it's especially important to cultivate the perfect 'top-down, highway- cruising' music. Even if the reality is... walking 30 blocks to work at 8:30am when there's 95% humidity and it's 80 degrees. 

'KIDS IN LOVE' - THE MOWGLI'S

My love for them is well-documented on this site, and I feel no different about their new album. It's filled with a myriad of songs, ranging from the slow and soulful to the fast-pasted alternative-pop tunes that they're so good at creating. Seriously, go listen to the album, whether you buy it on iTunes or listen to it on Spotify, press play and go bask out in the sun for a few hours. One of my favorites is the title track that comes towards the end, Kids in Love. Where some bands get overwhelmed juggling four or five "men" (read: boy bands), The Mowgli's manage to balance not one, not two, not three or four or five band members, but seven, six male and one female.  And man, that one female, Katie, has some serious kick-ass pipes on her.

For a through -- official -- breakdown the bandmates and some insights into the songs off the album, go check out their About page on their site. 

Tracks I'm loving: Kids in Love, Whatever Forever, What's Going On

PEANUT BUTTER JELLY - GALANTIS

Don't ask me why I love this song so much. You just have to listen to it for yourself to find out (and thank Spotify for their New Music Tuesday playlist). This is the best morning wake-up song, it's a great "it's 5pm, you've got to get through one more hour of work" pep-up on, basically it is the mood enhancer of Spring. Plus, any song that names itself after the most American sandwich automatically is a (delicious) plus in my book, just try not to think of the innuendo it stands for ("spread it like peanut butter jelly, do it like I owe you some money"? C'mon, that's not exactly the Da Vinci code.)

PLAY WITH FIRE - VANCE JOY

Give me a fruity drink in a fancy glass with a paper umbrella, put me poolside and play this song all afternoon. Or, one of the three will do. The ukulele's opening strings pretty much set the tone for the song, and by the time it gets to the bridge, with the crescendoing drums and such, is very reminiscent of Sufjan Steven's prime era. Plus, you've got to love the story told in the video.

What music are you guys listening to this spring?