A well-groomed monthly playlist to start your morning right. May’s theme: Psyched for Spring.
We’re big advocates of long, hot showers. A good steam will soothe your muscles, clear your head and soften your stubble before that all-important shave. Of course, for the luxurious fog to work its magic, you have to give it a little time to build. A great soundtrack will make the whole process a faster and more enjoyable experience.

It’s May. Spring finally feels like it has sprung. There’s a rush in the air and blossoms about. Your soundtrack for the month: rock, mostly of the new and slightly psychedelic variety. It’s music that conjures flower petals, rays of sunshine and the feeling James Joyce describes in “The Winds of May”…

“Winds of May, that dance on the sea,
Dancing a ring-around in glee.”

May Shower Sessions

 
Sounds about right. But first: some spring cleaning courtesy of Parquet Courts, who remind you that “Dust” is indeed everywhere, and more importantly: SWEEP. Use the minute it takes for the water to heat up to wipe down the basin of your sink, scrub your toilet or empty the wastebasket. There, a sense of accomplishment already. As you step into the warm water, bask in the spacey, swimmy glow of “Pish,” a new jam from the incredible (and incredibly prolific) Brian Jonestown Massacre.

Continue down the rosy path with The National’s take on “Morning Dew,” first made famous by the Grateful Dead. The subject matter (the apocalypse) may not be rosy, but hey… great Dead covers are few and far between these days, and that alone is reason to celebrate.

You’re waking up, getting rid of the “Tired Eyes” as the great Texas psych rock band the Black Angels is revving you up. Following that, another reason to celebrate. A new Iggy Pop album, and the menacingly sultry opening song “Break Into Your Heart” easily ranks among his best work.

The rest of your playlist keeps it mostly current with recent songs by the Allah-Las, Tame Impala, Black Lips and Burnell Pines with the track of his excellent new album “Till the Day I Die.” There are a also a few gems from the mid-2000s by the Greenhornes and the Soledad Brothers, two bands that deserve to be household names. Let both of their uptempo rockers dictate your rhythm for the day.

You’ve had enough time to space out. It’s time to go out and smell those roses.

Fortunately you smell like one too.