As one season morphs into the next, as the ground defrosts and the first leaves begin to dot the trees with spots of green, spring is often connotated with artistic themes of rebirth and nature. We associate spring with the celebration of the natural world and the beauty it brings, a beauty of spring that is soft, light and gentle, which is portrayed in different ways in different artistic mediums. Personally, I can’t help but associate different songs and albums with each season, but spring in particular holds the essence of so many of my favorites. I tend to associate strong themes of nature with the folk genre and delicate, light instrumentals, which you’ll notice as a common theme amongst many of the albums and songs on this list. I’m sure the season of spring means something a little different to each and every person, but I wanted to share some of my personal album recommendations for celebrating it.
- “Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
-
I’m not sure if it’s the fact that much of American folk music is derived from mountainous or rural areas that are much more connected with nature than the typical area, or because long before European settlers arrived on our shores, folk music (as we know it today) was passed down through Native American tribes, who centered much of their beliefs around nature, but there’s always been a connection between folk music and spring for me. The exact origins of the entire folk genre of course are much more complicated and diverse than that, but in terms of American folk music, a lot of it is either ultimately derived from Irish, Scottish and British settlers, or from Native Americans. That said, “Fleet Foxes” by Fleet Foxes, a classic folk album, also heavily reminds me of spring apart from any historical music context, just due to many of the song titles and lyrics heavily relating to or directly referencing nature. The first song on the album for example, is titled “Sun It Rises.” When I listen to this album, I picture car rides through deep green forests, hikes through the mountains and sitting outside on a porch just as the sun sets and the blue sky fades to pink and orange. My favorite song on this album is “White Winter Hymnal.”
- “Charm” by Clairo
-
Frankly, nearly all of Clairo’s music in some way reminds me of spring just because of how soft and light the music feels with her voice, but “Charm” has been most recently stuck in my head as we enter spring. The album has a bit of a jazz element to it, which meshes well with the fun dance-around-your-kitchen sort of vibe, and includes elements of the folk genre, which as I explained, carries a connotation of spring-related themes. In terms of the storytelling throughout the album, it also deals with themes of personal growth, which reminds me of the rebirth that nature undergoes in the Spring as it awakens once more. The first song on the album, for example, is called “Nomad,” and in it Clairo uses the idea of being a nomad (someone constantly moving from place to place) as a metaphor for feeling untethered in certain aspects of life. And notably, someone constantly moving from place to place would be a tad more connected with nature. The groove of this album makes me think of seeing the flowers start to bloom and sitting on a red and white picnic blanket over the grass with my friends. And my favorite song off “Charm” is “Sexy to Somebody” (which will probably be my top song on Spotify wrapped this year).
- “this old dog” by mac demarco
-
“This Old Dog” by Mac DeMarco is a slight tone shift from the other albums listed, as it captures a more melancholic and reflective aspect of the nature of the world. The album deals heavily with themes of life and death and what they mean in relation to love, and DeMarco has spoken in the past about how never knowing his dad heavily influenced his writing of it. Some songs feel light and upbeat, such as “For the First Time,” capturing a similar aspect of spring as the last two albums. But other songs really slow down with the beat and have lower pitched tunes which still incorporate sounds of spring but almost feel like a nighttime version of it. The song “Moonlight on the River” from this album truly does remind me of its name, sitting out by the water on a spring or summer’s night when you can hear the crickets chirping as you watch the wind send ripples across the moon’s reflection. It’s melancholic, sure, but still beautiful nonetheless. “Moonlight on the River” is actually my favorite song on the album, and has made its way into most of my playlists over the years.
- any studio ghibli movie soundtrack
-
The Studio Ghibli films are magical in every aspect, from visuals to music to story, but the music in particular is genuinely magical and often accompanies breathtaking scenes of green hills or blue skies. Not all the Ghibli films have entirely light and uplifting soundtracks that are so reminiscent of spring, but my favorite in particular is the soundtrack to the movie “My Neighbour Totoro.” If you haven’t seen it yet, that’s also a must-watch for spring! Part of what connects films like “My Neighbour Totoro” to spring aside from visuals resembling the season and whimsical soundtracks, is how the film deals with the theme of nature. In that movie for instance, Totoro and the other fantastical creatures are meant to resemble the spirits of the forest, to symbolize how nature is alive and how we can connect with it. The soundtrack to “Howl’s Moving Castle” is quite whimsical and fun, and the film is also a must-watch if you haven’t seen it already.
- honorable mention songs
-
- “Her” by The American Dawn
- “Need 2” by Pinegrove
- “Harvest Moon” by Neil Young
- “Wildflower” by Beach House
- “Blondie” by Current Joys
- “Better in the Dark” by Jordana, TV Girl
- “Cosmic Sass” by Good Morning
- “Easy Lovers” by Piero Piccioni
- “What Once Was” by Her’s
- “Open My Door” by Alice Phoebe Lou