Every spring I assemble a summer playlist; it’s usually an assortment of new and old, some perfect for dancing crazily around my apartment others ideal for being as still as possible in the stultifying summer heat. All are intended to create a memorable personal soundtrack to the warmer months.
This year as I looked back over the mixes from years past and I was struck by how much they reflected where I was and what was going on in my life. The summer after my freshman year of college I waited tables and tended bar in a Mexican restaurant/ jazz club in northern Wisconsin. The soundtrack that summer had a lot of classic rock, a bit of country and lots of jazz. The soundtrack to the summer I spent studying photography & jewelry making in Florence was mainly singer songwriter and folk with some Euro pop thrown in as I gathered it along my travels. Listening to these mixes immediately takes me back to those languid days of yore.
In the haze of this reflection I decided that it would be fun to share some of the prime tracks from these old playlists. So, I’m going to do a series of summer mixes, one every other week. They’ll each have a theme and will include some new tunes thrown in to keep the lists relevant. If you have a song or two that mean summer to you please pass it along. To start off, this week’s selections are an assortment of songs intended to serve as a teaser for mixes to come. Happy summer!
Anywhere You Looked – I’m From Barcelona (PEACE project)
Multiply – Jamie Lidell
We Are The Men You’ll Grow To Love Soon – Let’s Wrestle
Unless It Kicks – Okkervil River
Whole Wide World – Wreckless Eric
Do You Realize – Flaming Lips
Are You Ready For The Floor (Hot Chip cover) Lissie Trullie
Always On My Mind (Willie Nelson Cover) – Ryan Adams
Dream City – Free Eergy (Daytrotter Session)
Moon River – Josh Ritter (Daytrotter Session)
Can’t Help Falling In Love With You – The Eels
that’s all.