Do you find that certain songs belong to specific seasons? For instance, the Hold Steady's Stuck Between Stations (as reviewed by Matt on this site) was my tune of the summer. What is it about these songs or albums that just seem to have a seasonal quality to them? Is it the genre or the lyric that defines whether we feel summer or winter while listening?  Songs that reference a season (summer being the most likely) or obviously take place in the hot sun or blowing snow are going to make us picture certain things. But I'm thinking less about such obvious tunes and more about those times when music just feels winter, spring, summer, or- as is the case for me with Jens Lekman - autumn.

Engaging in new listening experiences can be an arduous task for me at times. It is somewhat rare that I become a devoted listener to any artist based on others' introductions or recommendations - timing is everything. Although I trust my friends' tastes and opinions -- as most of them lean toward the same musical aesthetic I do -- it seems there is a frame of mind I must possess in order to absorb music on a personal level, rather than a dutiful one. This is what makes serendipitous moments so great. It is often the only way some get introduced to art or artists one would otherwise not be intent on attempting to engage with.

There are a select few musicians that possess a undeniably unique sound. Each decade has owned a few as a handful come to mind: Elvis, Aretha Franklin, John Lennon, John Fogerty, Steven Tyler, Steve Perry, Eddie Vedder, Bono, and maybe even Chris Martin these days. Though Tom Waits would certainly fit snug within this subset of artists, he is often overlooked on a handful of levels. A prolific songwriter, Waits has released over 20 albums with his growl-like voice that has in return earned him the company of two Grammys. Waits’ music is often recognized more-so via the prominent musicians that has covered his work - Springsteen with “Jersey Girl” and Rod Stewart with “Downtown Train” to name a couple. After scoring his first soundtrack with film icon Francis Ford Coppola, with One from the Heart (received Academy Award nomination), he has spent a significant portion of his career in the film industry - not only as a musician but actor (Coffee and Cigarettes, The Fisher King, Dracula).