Stanley Donwood and Spirits in the Forest

 I received an email last week from one Stanley Donwood. It was a newsletter he crafts every once in a while, and I always try to read them for A) artistic perspective and B) mention of Radiohead. Donwood has created all of the band's original artwork for nearly twenty years, which boggles my mind. Concert posters? Album sleeves? They grace several walls. I guess this makes me an art collector.

Anyway, this piece of mail caught my eye, for it not only touched on A and B, but stirred up item C, which lingers just as constantly in my mind: nature, forests, trees. He talks about an exhibit of paintings from his Holloway project, part of which emerged in Radiohead's The King of Limbs art. It's got me thinking about spirits we feel in the forest, if they should be feared, or revered, or both. Let's go with both.

Summer Songs About The Outdoors

As summer runs its dry course what better to pour some water on the soul than songs about nature and summertime?

I deeply recommend That Summer by Bishop Allen. It is rare that you get a song about beetles even though their impact in Western forests over the last few years cannot be understated.

Next up is another nod to insect infestations, a cicada compilation! Listen to songs about the critters that caused quite a buzz and a few tasty treats this summer.



There is only one artist I trust to write good songs about trees and that is Lizzie Wright Super Spaceship. This artist and forestry graduate student from Mississippi rocks a mean ukelele in the song titled Us. The track compares and contrasts people to trees in a way that is not nearly as cheesy as it sounds.

Any other summer track recommendations out there?