Assignment 23: Shelby Amato

The perfect playlist for driving around in an introspective mood:

1. Ain't No Sunshine- Bill Withers
2. The Quest- Bryn Christopher
3. Buzzcut Season- Lorde
4. Sign of the Times- Harry Styles
5. Sleep on The Floor- The Lumineers
6. The Sound of Silence- Simon and Garfunkel

Explanation for overall choices:
Each song has a somewhat melancholy, nostalgic feeling to it. The playlist progresses from large, rough ballads to softer and more delicate melodies. This is intended to model the progression of being alone with your thoughts: the longer you think, the deeper and quieter you become. The songs are easy-listening with no jolting high notes or hyped-up beats that are better suited for happier moods.

Individual explanations:
1. This song is nostalgic and simple, and its instrumental is upbeat and lyrics not unduly sad, it's a really great introduction into a quiet mood: not really an energetic song but not wailing and sad either.
2. The guitar and drums in both Ain't No Sunshine and The Quest match up at points which compliments each when placed next to each other. The Quest is probably the strongest ballad of the playlist, a little less well-known than Ain't No Sunshine, but the patterns are familiar nonetheless.
3. Buzzcut Season represents a bit of a comedown from The Quest. It's much softer but has many of the same higher notes so it transitions nicely to a quieter mood. Lorde's voice is a little softer and more comforting than the ones before, but has the same roughness of Withers and Christopher in a more toned-down way.
4. Sign of the Times has much less of the roughness found in the preceding songs and it's the first that is truly melancholy. This makes it a good transition song and a great song for nostalgic pondering.
5. Sleep on the Floor is the most low key of the playlist thus far and its soft beat is somewhat adventurous and ruminating, so it's a nice upbeat addition to the playlist.
6. The Sound of Silence is very familiar and kind of an interesting break from the melodies of the other pieces, but it has the questioning themes and quieter tone that keeps consistent with the others. Since it is very clear and simple with little background to the singing, the playlist ends on a cool note- an oldie but a goodie.