It Took A Long Time To Get Back Here: A Playlist For An Americana Road Trip
23 April 2015 | BY ANDJELKA JANKOVIC | Life
I took the wheel with one hand and drove through the Rockies without a plan
Whenever I hear the alt-country twang of Ryan Adams, the folksy crooning of Iron & Wine, the introspective lyricism of Sun Kil Moon, the staggering melodies of Sufjan Stevens and the atmospheric symphonies of Bon Iver – I want to quit my job, sell everything I own and go on a road trip across America.
Traveling the US by car feels like the ultimate freedom. I’ve tried to pinpoint my obsession for all things ‘Americana’ but I really can’t say why. I think about the wide open roads, rolling hills, national parks, rugged coastlines, iconic landmarks, familiar neighbourhoods and I feel invigorated. I think about taking a chance on a feeling, following the urge to wander, and finding comfort in uncertainty and I feel alive. I’d wear yoga clothes everyday, visit markets in each state, stay in cabins, eat fries at diners, sleep next to lakes, explore quirky towns, make new friends, marvel at nature, and learn to love the great unknown.
On a side note: I recently discovered Forrest Mankin’s A Life Alive Project and I am endeared by the promise he made to himself to follow his dream of packing up his life and creating a documentary about his trip. His photos stir up something so beautiful inside and his words remind you how a person should live.
It Took A Long Time To Get Back Here is 118 songs about American cities, cinematic landscapes, unplanned detours, revisiting places you love and discovering new places that feel like home.
It’s about songs that call your name and make you feel nostalgic for places you haven’t even visited yet.
A soundtrack for moving forward in life, the thrill of breaking free, long stretches of highway, singing your heart out, staring out the window, the comfort of silence, changing seasons, newfound aliveness and embracing the adventure of the road.
Listen to It Took A Long Time To Get Back Here: A Playlist For An Americana Road Trip on Spotify
Photo: Van Life.