I’ve always felt like this is the perfect song to start off spring. Not only does the title conjure up images of blossoming life, but the music nestles itself between icy winter-like pianos and the warm swelling of strings. The whole thing makes me picture a thawing landscape…ice melting and trickling down a hillside, tiny patches of green sprouting up through the cracks…this is the sound of life overcoming death.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

_______________________________________________________________________

This is one that packs a surprising punch, considering its all-natural and effortlessly fluid beginning. The sound of crickets and the bubbling water of a stream nuzzle your senses into a state of complete calm before the song erupts into all of its splendor with a magnificent riff and and epic string section…even the quiet, subdued vocals transform into a fit of passionate shouting akin to a triumphant arrival – not all that dissimilar to spring time coming into full force.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

_________________________________________________________________________

“The Fisherman Song” reminds me of morning. A lake who’s waves have just begun to curl and ripple, erasing the evening’s glass surface and setting the day in motion. The way the guitars are gently picked does an excellent job of depicting something soothing, such as water. Hell, even the squeaking fingers sliding up and down the strings remind me of a creaky old row boat. As the song gradually increases in tempo, it feels as though you are traveling through an entire afternoon – and the sunny, upbeat pop-rock that Mae has perfected shines through here with refreshing clarity.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

________________________________________________________________________

I think the realization of independence is one of the greatest feelings a man can have. Whether it is moving out on your own, leaving a painful relationship in the past, or both (like in this song), there is something to be said about having the power of choice. The choice to say to someone, “I don’t need you.” In metaphorical terms, it is kind of like a bird taking flight (hence the album cover, pictured above). I have always associated that feeling with spring because that is when I moved out on my own, but I think the close tie is more universal than that. Spring is a time of new beginnings, and this song, while it may not evoke images of trees and rolling hills, exemplifies everything about it on an emotional level.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

_________________________________________________________________________

Rarely does one voice achieve so much for a song. In “Godless Brother In Love”, Sam Beam’s stunning vocals manage to paint a gorgeous picture that immediately transports me to an orange sunset, hills, rivers…you name it, basically. Some people say he took a less personal approach with his last album, and while it may be true on some tracks, this is irrefutable evidence that he still has the same singer/songwriter composure that made his earliest works such glowing successes.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.