Week 1: Cutie Back Home

Most days I've had too much college to feel entirely content to call San Jose my home but my oldest and dearest friends and family are still based there. San Jose is where I met the greatest loves of my life, where I stayed up late with friends who didn't want to live, where I spent summer dreaming of all the things I wanted to do with my life. The day before leaving San Jose, I had slipped out the back door into my best friend GIRL's car and waited for BOY to pull up onto my street. Then all three of us sat in the car talking, picking at the cloth on the seats, hiding from the dark outside. I almost wished it had rained.

I hope that this compilation contains many shades of sad and wistful, not just the ones that immediately come to mind. Cutie Back Home packages the frustration and letting go of Diane Birch, the mellow of Azure Ray's "Across the Ocean," the honest simple crooning of Rod Stewart's oldies tune "So Far Away," and the reconciliation and self-made peace of mind in French slam poet Grand Corps Malade into a little one hour tribute to things left behind.

There are restrictions about the sort of music we're allowed to play at KSDT, but some songs fit too perfectly to be left out. Luckily by coming here, you're getting the 'expansion pack' version of this playlist. Enjoy!

The Cutie Back Home Compilation

**I will be using Grooveshark to share the playlists that I think you really shouldn't miss (otherwise I will probably just post a few links to my favorite songs--feel free to make requests). Grooveshark is a super cool, totally legal website that pays the artist for every listen--and you use it for free. Bomb dot com!

01 - Between the Trees - Miss You

02 - Spoon - Anything You Want

03 - Regina Spektor - Eet (Acoustic)

04 - Diane Birch - Nothing But A Miracle

05 - Jessica Lea Mayfield - For Today

06 - Alexi Murdoch - Orange Sky

07 - The National - About Today

08 - Azure Ray - Across the Ocean

09 - Stars - Tonight

10 - Noah and the Whale - Blue Skies

11 - Rod Stewart - So Far Away

12 - The Weepies - World Spins Madly On

13 - Elliot Smith - Pitseleh

14 - Justin Vernon - Song For A Lover Of Long Ago

15 - Dustin Kensrue - Madman

16 - Grand Corps Malade - Les voyages en train