Apollo High School

The times they are, again, a-changin', and spring is finally starting to take effect. Every morning for the last week and a half I've woken up- at 5:30- to the sound of birds chirping outside of my window. What was fairly sweet at first, has started to seem somewhat cruel and excessive as the days wear on. All of the lawns on my block, with the exception of my own, have been mown, and it smells like fresh cut grass when I step outside every morning. Everyone somehow already has a tan- though, I suppose that isn't a huge departure, now that I think of it.

But, along with all of the nonsense that gets lumped together with spring time, there is also the thing we've all been waiting for: New spring Music. So, without further ado, here are some of the best new spring releases.

Iron and Wine- Our Endless Numbered Days. Sam Beam, the Florida Film teacher with that voice that melts our collective hearts, has returned with an album which is everything we might have imagined it would be. I was at first a little bit worried when I heard that Beam had decided to ditch his self recorded, guitar and vocal approach, recording this record in an actual studio, with strange additions such as percussion tracks, but the added elements only reinforce and magnify the beauty of his music.

Sufjan Stevens- Seven Swans. Sufjan Stevens can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned, and this release is further evidence backing my theory up. Seven Swans- the newest release from sweetest voiced singer to ever donate spare time to teach the blind to knit- is another beautiful and rich album. Coming on the heels of his last effort, Michigan, which is the first in a series of 50 planned records dedicated to the 50 states, Seven Swans is centered prodominantly around Steven's religious beliefs. This album, however, doesn't fall victim to the traps that most religious albums have in the past, in that Steven's is a talented and beautiful musician, and his lyrics never feel preachy and are nothing less than natural and profound.

Blonde Redhead- Misery is a Butterfly. The newest release from the people who brought you Fake is Just as Good- an album who's title alone is worth checking the group out- is the best orchestraic experimental art pop album to come out in, well, the last few months at least.

Deerhoof- Milk Man. Deerhoof, everybody's favorite San Franciscan experimental pop quartet, are back with a concept album that rivals any I've heard since OK Computer. The 11 tracks collected here tell the story of a milk man who hides children in the clouds. Now, that's just cool.

Note: There are, of course more great spring releases, but I have neither the time nor the funds to continue listing them.