It’s spring. April came and went, as Simon and Garfunkel promised she would, leaving me sprawled on the Green in oversized sunnies and an insufficient layer of SPF 30. Matcha? Iced. Academic motivation? Gone. We’re swapping fleece for crochet and Cage the Elephant for Drugdealer.
What people don’t tell you about New Hampshire spring is that it doesn’t exist. The first half of this elusive season we refer to as “spring” is New England winter and the second half is New England summer. Nothing could have prepared me for the parka to bikini pipeline, which hit me like a NARP’s poorly aimed spikeball on one arbitrary afternoon in week three.
My playlist mimics the term’s chaotic weather discrepancies in genre variety. From Talking Heads on the streets to ABBA under the sheets (that was a joke, mom), my 22S playlist makes about as much sense as Foco’s. Rest assured, there should be something for everyone (with taste) among my 50 or so top picks for the most chaotic term to date. This playlist is made to be played at a darty, on a canoe or consumed alongside Collis Market peanut butter banana bites on the Green. Too niche? I can never be sure. It’s hard being so goddamn relatable all the time. Alright, without further ado, I present to you the curated soundtrack of my term:
“Helena Beat,” Foster the People:
This is THE official hot girl walking anthem of 22S. “Helena Beat” rocks. To maximize enjoyment, listen while strutting down Tuck Drive in sunglasses and sneakers. This song is simply better when accompanied by a good outfit. I don’t make the rules. Just do it.
“Please Mister Postman,” The Beatles
It’s true: The girl who proudly claimed the Beatles were “overrated” up until about two weeks ago is now dedicating a quarter of her 22S playlist to their lyrical genius. I can picture the Jack-O instagram post vividly: “self-proclaimed ’25 cool girl ‘discovers’ underground British rock band.” That is all to say, I love the Beatles and you should too. You probably already do.
“Please Mister Postman” is one of my more jovial Beatles picks, although, rest assured, my playlist features some of their more emo treasures as well. Shoutout to “Her Majesty” for repeating the same two stanzas three times and then calling it a day. It’s giving the same energy as me reading 3 pages of my 25-page reading and then promptly closing the tab. Still slaps though.
“Shuggie,” Foxygen
This is a song without an origin story. I have no recollection of listening to it for the first time, nor do I remember how I discovered it, but it’s here now and it’s here to stay. Not unlike my 22S, “Shuggie” is reminiscent of a ’60s psychedelic rock song. If The Beatles and MGMT had a lovechild, it would be Foxygen. Need I say more? Cue this one en route to Ice Cream Fore-U or on a solo Woccom.
“The Fear,” Lily Allen
This song is camp.
In second grade, my Aunt Robin mailed Lily Allen’s “It’s Not Me, It’s You” album to my house. To make a short story shorter, I’d pull up to the elementary school drop off line humming early 2000s classics like “Fuck You” alongside my peers. Upon relistening to this album, I learned that my favorite song from it, “Not Fair,” is actually a double entendre denoting female pleasure. Still, one song from the album made it onto my 22S playlist. Go figure!
“The Fear” is one of Allen’s less controversial songwriting feats, but its lyrics are outrageous nonetheless. Hidden beneath her expression of superficial, material desires, Allen addresses the degradation and commodification of women: “And I am a weapon of massive consumption (woo) / And it's not my fault it's how I'm programmed to function.” These moments of self-awareness contribute to the song's understated feminist commentary. Which is not to say that I listened to “The Fear” in a particularly analytical context. I have vague — and by vague I mean extremely specific and intrusive — memories of lip synching to “The Fear” on repeat while frantically trying on Green Key outfits in my dorm. “The Fear” functions, for me at least, as a rogue comfort song to be belted in the privacy of your home.
Adrienne’s rapid fire picks:
Gym vibes: “Les,” Childish Gambino
High school throwback: “Honey,” Drug Dealer
Darty: “Strawberry Fields Forever,” The Beatles
Naptime: “The Velvet Underground,” The Velvet Underground
You can find my full 22S playlist here.
