Many would argue that modern technology has rendered the homemade music compilation obsolete. Why put together a collection of your favorite songs when you literally have your entire music library at your fingertips thanks to an MP3 player? Moreover, it seems silly to waste a CD or an increasingly anachronistic 4-track tape to essentially serve the same function as a playlist. Maybe I'm just being nostalgic, but it seems to me that the investment of time and resources required to make a proper mix generally serves as an impetus to make that mix as good as it can possibly be. Playlists can be created and altered in seconds. Songs can fly in and out with little, if any, consequence. Hard copy mixes make sure that this isn't just a good collection of songs, it's an attempt to make the perfect collection.
But yeah, I am being a bit memory lane-ish. Truth be told, I haven't made a true mix in several years. That's going to change. Starting with this article, I'll be compiling one short mix every week with a certain prompt. I figured it would be appropriate to start off with an old-fashioned Songs of Summer mix. After all, both mix-creation and the thrill of Summer are rendered less meaningful by adulthood. Why not be nostalgic?
1. The Apples in Stereo- "Silver Chain"
Nothing says warm weather and lazy days like jangle pop. As far as I'm concerned, nobody did jangle better than the Apples in Stereo. Pulling from the sunny sensibilities of 60's rock and adding a decidedly 90's alternative tone, the Apples made the kind of music that separates the grouches from the rest of the crowd. If you can't crack a smile at a gentle, hammock-ready tune like this, then you have no business even going outside during the hot months.
2. The Innocence Mission- "I Remember Me"
For all red-blooded Americans, Summer is associated with road trips. Similarly, all good road trips require the right road music. The creation of proper road mixes is a subject for a later entry, but for now let's focus on the kind of music that qualifies as "driving" in both senses of the word. While The Innocence Mission mostly recorded gentle, slightly folky tunes back in the late 80's and early 90's, this exciting track is perfect for tearing down the highway with the windows open (because let's face it, most road trippers don't have convertibles).
One of the best parts of Summer are those long, warm nights. Even in small towns they evoke memories of neon lights, street sounds and a youthful feeling of infinite possibilities. To me, nothing quite sounds like this feeling than the noisy, upbeat shoegaze of Lush. This track off their 1990 album Gala is the epitome of what they were capable of as a band. The sound is wall-like without being dissonant and it's energetic without being manic.
Aside from having one of the most exhilarating guitar hooks in modern rock, this song manages to capture the joy of being young and free while maintaining the melancholy of limitations. After all, half of what makes Summer so much fun is the desperate dash to cram as much freedom into the season as possible before Autumn comes and drags responsibility with it.
5. Roxy Music- "Virginia Plain"
Sometimes a Summer soul just wants to party and all parties must have music. When it comes to the house band, you could certainly do worse than Roxy Music. If any track in the history of pop music sounds like thirty scantily-clad people flying in and out of a swimming pool, it's "Virginia Plain".
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