By Karla Reyes

Staff Writer

Monday mornings are always a challenge, especially during the winter. So to make these dreaded mornings a little more pleasant, this shuffle presents five tracks that will help get over your monday-morning-blues.

“Cough Syrup” by Young the Giant
Young the Giant is comprised of five musicians with diverse background, all from the neighboring city of Irvine, California, with a band name purposely chosen to evoke curiosity. Cough Syrup was number three in the Top 100 Billboard Alternative Songs. Being very uplifting and sunny, I guarantee you will want to look up the lyrics to sing along.

“Thrift Shop” by Macklemore
Some might find this song vexing, but I think it’s genuinely catchy. It makes fun of those who spend too much money on a shirt and ended up dressing the same as everyone else, among similar situations. The quirky video is a combination of “The Fresh Prince” and modern hipster, all guided by a sax sample. Macklemore has a range of tracks, some talking about same-sex marriage and his struggle with addiction in his album “The Heist.”

“My Body” by Young the Giant.
There is a reason Young the Giant is listed twice, and that is because they are worth listening to. “My Body” was written and performed exactly for that purpose, to jam out and get pumped.  Some argue that Sameer Gadhia (vocalist) is talking about ice cream, but I personally think he is referring to the Monday mornings in which your body is immobile and glued to the bed.

“Ho Hey” by The Lumineers
Although the band left this years Grammys empty handed, they have earned a spot on our iPods. It is the first single from their trending self-titled album. This folk-rock song is so genuinely refreshing that it will guarantee a smile on your face for the rest of the day. It has been featured in numerous commercials in the U.S and even in the U.K.

“Drunk” by Ed Sheeran
The title basically says it all. It is an anthem to remember (or not) the past weekend as you walk into your GES or business law class with a much needed Starbucks drink in hand. Many know Ed Sheeran from the chart-topping “The A Team,” and you can recognize his mellow yet intoxicating voice alongside an at-ease beat in this song.