Loren's Pick: "Diamonds", Ben Howard

First lines in books...how gripping they can be to drag the reader in. The one I started this morning If on a winter's night a traveler by Italo Calvino, has been on my "to read list" for 3-years now. The first line made me realize I was entering a much different space than I had been in only moments before. Maybe I am just in a transitory time. I need a vacation and I am willing to get swept away quickly. But this song- this first line is so promising: "All I am is the bones you made for me so garishly clean". This came on WFUV while I was rising and set my tone. And I love the first line, and the second and the third...but the chorus lost me. It shifted my tone and I was forced into a different conversation with myself. Doesn't mean I'm unwilling to talk to myself about other things, but I really wanted to stay with those finger picking bones. Still growing on me though and I am happy to discovered Ben and all his other tracks.

Christina's pick: "The Partisan" by Leonard Cohen.

For this week's "Travel Flavor" section, I summarized this New York Times article about Leonard Cohen's old haunts. It takes a certain type of masochism to enjoy mid-Feb in Montreal, but this article took me back to many of the places that I lived near to and loved. I love the haunting French background vocals here. The Arcade Fire (other Montreal hometown heroes) often switch between French and English in their songs too, which makes for a great listening experience. For those who only speak one, you get to imagine what the other language may be saying. For those who speak a touch of one or the other, it's a cool way of structuring your mind to think multiple ways at once (english, french, melody, etc). This song was used brilliantly in the movie "Hunt for the Wilderpeople," which I saw recently and really recommend if you get a chance.