Well, maybe the bird a little bit.  Mostly the band, though!

“Ashes and dust to dust; stories that make us.  We are, we are the same.”

These lyrics sum up the my experience with (St. Louis based band) Scarlet Tanager’s newest album, “Let’s Love.” This album has become my go-to album since spring break!  It continues to bring a mix of emotions every time I listen to it, from whimsy, to nostalgia, to love, to melancholy, and back through it all again.

The title song “Let’s Love,” is a great upbeat start to the album, and introduces the wonderful energy to their sound.  I would have to say, though, that the next song, “Stay Unknown,” was my favorite song for at least 2 months, before “Hand Grenades” stole my heart with it’s strong anthem-like sound.  It’s no wonder why they chose “Stay Unknown,” for their entry to the NPR Tiny Desk Contest.  In the video, you can see the keyboardist use one of those little toy upright pianos that we had when we were kids – you know, the one that makes that great “plunking” sound.  The diversity of instruments are one of my favorite things about this album.

The lyrics above are from another great song about called “Place That I Come From.”  There are so many messages I get from this song.  Nostalgia about where I’m from, the love of my city (St. Louis), the power of love and its ability to bring two people together from two different places, daydreams, and hope.  I know that’s a lot of emotions, but good songs can do that.  The video features the recording studio, surrounded by friends and family, and pictures of them when they were young – all the good things in life.

Their first video release was “How The West Was Won,” featuring the band and their kids counterparts playing in the forest.  The best way to describe this video is to say it looks like it was created by Wes Anderson.  It has that same playfulness and unassuming whimsy that all Wes Anderson creations.  It’s so wonderfully done.

There isn’t a song on this album I don’t absolutely love.  As a matter of fact, if I ever get married, I think the “first dance” song will be “In Your Best.”  That says a lot since the last song I chose for the “first dance” was “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us,” by Starship, from the 1987 movie Mannequin.

I could go on and on about every single track on this album, but if you aren’t persuaded to give this album a listen, then you’re obviously helpless (insert sly wink here).  Seriously, though – give this album a listen, and I guarantee you’ll love it as much as I do!