Happy Monday, folks! It’s Martin Luther King, Jr., Day today, so I’ve been sitting at home becoming increasingly concerned that the world Dr. King imagined will never come to pass. Yeah, I’m a cheerful sort today. Let’s get to the playlist.

1. Rose Betts, “Doodles”: I learned of this Irish singer/songwriter through Facebook, of all places. There’s a certain type of singer/songwriter and a certain type of song that they write that tickles all the right spots in my brain; this is that songwriter, this is that song.
2. Florence + the Machine, “Ship To Wreck”: The rhythm section for this song is just absolutely amazing. It slaps. Hard.
3. Yarn, “Don’t Break My Heart Again”: String band doing string band things. Good times.
4. Calexico, “Sunken Waltz”: Was talking with my brother about this song the other day, and he pointed out how difficult it is sometimes to understand what, exactly, a given Calexico song is really about. I mean, is this song about a carpenter who throws money randomly over his shoulder or what? Damned if I know. I just know it’s a good song.
5. The Family Crest, “Beneath The Brine”: Speaking of songs I have no idea what they’re actually about…
6. Birdy, “Wings”: I love this song and it especially amuses me that a musician who goes by “Birdy” named a song “Wings.”
7. The National, “Ashamed Of The Story I Told”: One of the best covers I’ve ever heard by a band that just…got it.
8. Phosphorescent, “Storms”: A nice little Fleetwood Mac cover. One of Stevie Nicks’s best compositions.
9. David Gray, “Dead In The Water”: This was the song that inspired my novel The Armageddon Seed. Or at least the title, which was based on a misremembered lyric from this song (I remembered “The Armageddon seed” instead of “that Armageddon sky.” Easy mistake).
10. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, “About To Give Out”: I just love when Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers cut loose and just have fun with a song.