The Arts Desk’s weekly picks for music, movies and more
By SAVANNAH ANNO — arts@theaggie.org
Album: “Forever is a Feeling” by Lucy Dacus (2025)
We both know you’ve been looking for the perfect spring quarter tracklist. When it comes to long walks, people watching in the park or riding your bike down a tree-lined street, there may be no better backdrop than Lucy Dacus’ newest album. “Forever is a Feeling,” the beloved Boygenius member’s fourth solo project, is a love story. Bright and melodic, a majority of its contents are dedicated to the also-Boygenius-member Julien Baker and the evolution of their relationship. Songs like “Best Guess” and “Bullseye” evoke the giggly feelings of a crush turning into something more, while the lyrics of “Lost Time” and “For Keeps” dig into the more sentimental aspects of companionship. A contrast from the fiery, more hard-hitting sound of most of her older work, “Forever is a Feeling” highlights intimacy through its slower, more careful musical choices. Full of a catchy, acoustic sound that can only make you smile, “Forever is a Feeling” won’t just be your Spotify spring fling, but an album you’ll always want to revisit for some romance.
Movie: “Emma” dir. Autumn de Wilde (2020)
Continuing with the theme of spring, Autumn de Wilde’s 2020 adaptation of “Emma” is almost too obvious a choice — but only obvious to me, as it seems like every time I ask someone if they’ve seen my personal favorite romantic comedy, the answer is “no.” One of the only films I can stand (and am actually excited) to watch over and over again, Wilde’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Emma” is so rich with detail and character that it’s simply impossible to grow tired of. Whimsical, funny and at times infuriatingly gorgeous, “Emma” — its scenery, dialogue and pacing — is one giant extension of the film’s heroine. Emma herself, dreamy and oftentimes naive, navigates through Regency England as a wealthy twenty-year-old playing matchmaker while failing to see the match of her own located right under her nose. Filled with colorful flowers, eccentric costumes and a soundtrack full of fairy-like folk music, “Emma” is a breath of fresh spring air in movie form.
Song: “I’ll Find a Way (To Carry It All)” by Ted Lucas (1975)
Although the lyrics may seem scarce and the guitar pattern simple, there’s something special about Ted Lucas’ voice that makes this one of the most mesmerizing songs you’ll ever hear. Like the sunset on a perfect afternoon with friends, “I’ll Find a Way (To Carry It All)” has a bittersweet quality, a sense of finality that can make any listener emotional. Nostalgic and soft, this is the perfect track for reminiscing about the end of a sunny day or a picture-perfect spring break with your favorite people. Similar to the style of artists like Nick Drake and Labi Siffre, Lucas’ folk style comes out in the honesty of his words — lyrics that are easy to understand and yet still keep you thinking about how they relate to your own experiences. While the song can sometimes feel like it’s on the more somber side of things, it’s perfect for a quiet spring night spent reflecting on life’s best moments.
Book: “Ghost Wall” by Sarah Moss (2018)
While spring is a time of life and revival, it can also inevitably bring up thoughts of its opposite: winter and decay. “Ghost Wall” feeds on the beauty of a blossoming landscape while simultaneously telling a short story filled with dread and withering relationships. Author Sarah Moss creates a brief but poignant coming-of-age tale centered around 17-year-old Silvie, who comes to spend part of her vacation from school on a trip with her parents to a deserted portion of the English countryside. Led by her Iron Age-obsessed father and accompanied by an archaeology professor and his three college students, tensions grow as Silvie’s father becomes increasingly strict about living as if they were truly ancient Britons — gender roles and all. When forced to return to a world where women lacked all autonomy, Silvie begins to realize her strong desire for freedom from her family — but how can she possibly escape while already trapped in a portal to the past? While Moss ensures “Ghost Wall” is short enough to read in one sitting, the unsettling feeling of history coming back to haunt you most definitely sticks around beyond the novel’s last page.
Written by: Savannah Anno — arts@theaggie.org
