Around The World (And Back) in 32 Songs.

For today's playlist, rather than going in depth on 32 tracks at once (something even I consider to be downright insane as an individual undertaking) I decided to design something that can be listened to as a sort of sonic-geographic exercise. This playlist takes you around the world in 32 tracks. I know that I have left out some songs that might be otherwise notable, and regrettably (due to a Grooveshark limitation) I couldn't include "Cincinnati" by Manishevitz in its proper spot at number 9 on the list. So, the story of this playlist goes, we skip from here, for me at least, starting with "Home" by Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, bounding through "Colorado" by Grizzly Bear and then we "Drive To Dallas" with the Fiery Furnaces. From there it's a stop in "Commerce, TX" with Ben Kweller, a trip through "Minnesoter" with the Dandy Warhols, a jaunty historical ride through "St. Louis" with Paper Bird and then a road trip of heart and mind through "Chicago" with Sufjan Stevens. We stop off with +/- to visit "The Queen of Detroit," before ideally swinging through the aforementioned "Cincinnati" (Check it out. It's a great song.). From there, we check out Brendan Benson's "House In Virginia," and hit up "Washington, D.C." via the Magnetic Fields.

We make an ill-fated and potentially horrendous stop at the "The Farmer's Hotel" with the Silver Jews before traveling up to see "U-Mass" and "Plymouth Rock" with the Pixies and John Vanderslice, respectively. Modest Mouse beckons us to "Florida" where we catch a ship to see Arcade Fire's "Haiti," stopping only momentarily before jumping up to "Norway" by Beach House. Then we get "Stockholm Syndrome" with Yo La Tengo and drop down to the shore of Spain with Ted Leo's "La Costa Brava." Then it's over to "LDN" with Lily Allen and a post-war "Paris Is Burning" with St. Vincent. We stay back in time with "Holland, 1945" by Neutral Milk Hotel, before swinging back to the "Amsterdam" of present with Peter, Bjorn & John. Then it's a quick trip through "Rome," "Venice," and "Mykonos" with Phoenix, Beirut and finally Fleet Foxes before he land in "Vietnam" with Crystal Castles. Out of cash and (possibly patience with this cutely contrived list) we swing back to the States. We start in "Fire Island, AK" with the Long Winters, then skip to "Anchorage" with Surfer Blood, and hit the ENTIRE "West Coast" via Coconut Records. We listen to "Fake Tale Of San Francisco" as told by Arctic Monkeys before hopping onto "California One/Youth And Beauty Brigade" with Colin Meloy and the Decemberists. And after that, we're "Homeward Bound" for a traditionally hokey ending to an auditory intercontinental whirlwind. So, that's it. No huge sweeping insights today. Just some great tunes. Enjoy. The player is right down below this sentence.