It’s time for a reality check, Badgers. Spring Break is finito and these last few weeks of the semester could be brutal. But just because leisure week is over, it doesn’t mean you have to dive right back in. Well, maybe it does for some, in which case I’d stop reading here. You’ve got homework to do.

For anyone who hit the road with friends or family over the past week, this lively list of songs is for you. I know; it’s a little late to prepare a road trip playlist. Chances are you already have one anyways. When you wear that one out with endless travels, however, don’t say I didn’t try to help.

On a road trip, you’ve got to agree that getting there is at least half the fun. The song selection (and the company, I guess) has a huge impact. Songs of a certain vein can amplify the experience, even drawing a distinction between travelling music and thoughtless everyday car songs. A strange blend of adventurous, eager and contented attitudes comes to mind in description of the travel song, and these songs should reflect it with up-tempo rhythms and engaging melodies. One thing is for sure: This list will not help you to drive slow, homie.

“Ride” — G. Love and Special Sauce

Every now and then, a song’s title reflects its feeling perfectly. It goes deeper than lyrics; after all, anyone can name a song by its chorus. “Ride” on the other hand, is tailor-made for an early send-off, with a name free of deception. Calmly energetic and carefully unpolished, it’s all about loosening your grip on the wheel and just riding. There’s no hurry, so relax and enjoy the journey.

“Strange Apparition” — Beck

Now things can speed up a little. Let’s say “Ride” is the pulling out of the driveway, leaving the suburbs song. Then what? Merge onto the interstate with a vengeance as “Strange Apparition” kicks in to sail you away.

The intro percussion starts the song out right, begging for some dashboard hand drumming. Once the piano hits, there’s no looking back. It reminds you that the only restrictions to freedom now are the speed limit and gas level, and one of those is more of a suggestion anyways. Guess which.

“Since I Left You” — The Avalanches

The ball is rolling, the wheels are turning on the trip and it’s time for some backing tunes of a mellower nature. Don’t worry, the music isn’t slowing down too much, it’s only adjusting the atmosphere. Coming to you with a dose of complacency, the adjustment is courtesy of Melbourne’s finest DJ/electronica blokes, bringing the brilliance of the outback sun, without the glare.

It doesn’t take much focus to get into the Avalanches’ carefree (not careless) vibes, which makes them ideal for background drive music. Think of it as something to talk over, but still nod along with. If I could, I’d put their entire Since I Left You album in here, thanks to incredible consistency. Instead, I’ll leave that up to you. There’s a word limit on this column.

“Verses From the Abstract” — A Tribe Called Quest

Hey Kanye, “Drive Slow” is a pretty cool track, and I’ma let you finish, but A Tribe Called Quest has one of the best driving songs of all time. And it doesn’t tell the driver what to do.

As the title says, the song is “abstract,” giving it a multi-purpose quality. In this case, the purpose is cruisin’, made all too easy by rhythmic guitar and a sweet, deep bass line. Add in Q-Tip and Phife Dawg’s casual lyricism, and you’ve got a buttery, dip-seat masterpiece, far from the original playlist feel, but still on the same road.

A little hip-hop fits snugly between beat-laden DJ tracks, adding some lyrics to digest. Tribe’s low-key simplicity is unmatched in the contemporary rap world, and their impact is undeniable. Let’s not get into that here, though. This column is about sound waves; it’s not a music history lesson.

“Battlestar Scralatchtica” — Incubus

DJ Kilmore joined up with Incubus in the midst of their greatest transformation to date. Ditching their early funk appeal for a heavier sound, the band’s fresh turn-tablist was instrumental in creating the thick-layered sound. In a broader view, he helped legitimize the versatility of turntables in rock music and other genres beyond rap and hip-hop.

Getting right down to it, the guy’s got talent, and plenty of style to go with it. Sleekly intuitive transitions between scratching and sampling make “Scralatchtica” Kilmore’s greatest DJ showcase in the thick Incubus discography. This is only part of what he is capable of. If only highway traffic could flow so smoothly.

“California Waiting” — Kings of Leon

For a closer, “California Waiting” is ripe with good energy, bringing the playlist full circle to its initial vibe, so keep it on repeat. Honestly, is there anything better than traveling west, crammed in a car with your friends sans worries? The destination isn’t even that important, but hey, California sounds nice enough. In fact, the “California Waiting” spirit can be credited with inspiring this entire playlist. As such, the essence is all here.

You want rhythm? Check the nonstop picked bass. You want a bright melody? Listen to the vocals and gleaming guitar lead straight out of Nashville. What about that “X” factor, the ‘road trip feeling?’ It can’t be put into words, but the soft organs in the background capture it.

The Kings of Leon do it all here by ending the playlist on an opening note. Simply put, it’s not worth stopping when you can still keep going.

Joe Nistler ([email protected]) is a sophomore majoring in Italian and journalism.