The Sounds of Spring

As I convalesce at home with a sprained ankle, (and get some end-of-semester work done), I find myself reflecting upon the music I return to in spring. When I was in Paris last year, once the weather got really nice, I'd take long perambulations with no particular direction or endpoint. My iPhone (really a glorified iPod while in Europe due to lack of function as a phone) was my constant companion. The music I listened to imbued an emotional depth of my surroundings--often jubilant, sometimes pensive. I think that's one of the reasons we have such a profound connection to music, as a society--there is an emotive quality there. "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars" was the first David Bowie album that really clicked with me. I discovered it in junior or senior year of high school, I' certain when exactly. I had always appreciated glam aesthetics--the makeup, outfits, androgyney, and theatrics--but I had never really listened to the music. The album, track for track, resonated with me. I have since gone on to love many other Bowie albums--pretty much everything until "China Girl"--as well as his stage presence, use of persona and performativity to constantly reinvent himself. As great as the other albums are, I always come back to "Ziggy Stardust", and usually in the spring or summer. I'm not certain why I have a seasonal attachment to it, but I just feel it's a perfect summer album. "Ziggy Stardust" is not the only album I think is perfectly matched to warmer weather. what else? Of The Rolling Stone's catalogue, I'd select Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street. I also tend to come back to my two favorite Pulp albums as the weather warms--"His'n'Hers" and "Different Class". The Electric Light Orchestra (specifically "A New World Record", but really any album) is well-suited to relaxing outside, but honestly, I love some ELO during any time of the year. As there is music appropriate for the warmer months, there are also choice tunes for the cold. I always retreat to Dylan, the Smiths, and Simon and Garfunkel in the colder months ("Hazy Shade of Winter", anyone?). When I lived in Paris, portability of music was key. When I'm at home, however, I prefer to enjoy my music on vinyl. It's not just an affectation--I truly believe the format improves the quality of music--especially music recorded specifically for release on vinyl. When I first listened to Bowie, the Stones, and the Beatles (among many others), I first heard them on digital transfer. Some are better than others, but with the worst of the bunch (I'm looking at you, downloaded copy of "Exile on Main Street"), the music sounded tinny and shallow. The other thing I really love about vinyl is that the format compels you to listen to an album straight through, without skipping around. There's a purity of form in listening to a piece as the artists intended. Contemporary society is so hung up on instant gratification (I admit I'm quite the guilty party myself!), that often we just want to skip to our favorite songs. Listening to the whole album enables us to engage with the artist, and to participate in the cultural experience.