It has been an especially fine Spring. The return of the green life, being with the ones I love, having a new book out—I have probably never enjoyed and appreciated all of these more than I have this Spring.

And though the older I get the more rarely this happens, a particular piece of music has come along and become the sound of this era. Of my life, anyway. For the last three weeks or so I have listened to Marissa Nadler’s new album more than all other music put together. (Its release is tomorrow, but I preordered mine and got it really early.) Songwriting, performances, arrangements, production—the whole record is inspired and masterful. It is a triumph, a classic, a souvenir from heaven.  

For I don’t know how long, NPR is streaming the whole album.