My Summer Album Days Part 2

When Real Estate's self-titled debut album dropped two years ago, the bomb shelter that I retreat to in terms of present day music bombardments couldn't keep me safe from this album's sheer magnitude. It's not perfect, but it's as close as one can get in terms of summertime wonderment. Every song was played in heavy rotation, not just at home, or in the car, or on portable mp3 players, or in my head in dull moments of the daily grind, but continuously in spirit, repeatedly all summer long that year. And sure, the band has since drifted away from the sound they initially created, but I'm not necessarily holding the band itself in high regards, just this album. With standout tracks such as "Pool Swimmers" and "Atlantic City", this was a true summertime favorite of mine. Goes good with Saint Arnold Summer Time Pils....

My Summer Album Days

So I've decided a few things over the past week or so. Since I'll be spending the majority of my summer days indoors, I should make better use of my time (as opposed to watching Labyrinth and old episodes of Pawn Stars on Netflix), and write more. And as summer is in full swing on the outdoor world, the audio indoor world that is my computer desk should reflect as much. So I'm going to take a few days to highlight some of my favorite summer albums.

Now summer albums must entail a few key elements to qualify as "summery." Fist and foremost, as with all top listed albums, they should be listenable throughout their entirety. Second of all, nothing too heavy or dark (as those are reserved for October through February). And third, as all summers should be, these albums should have a rather timeless quality about them.

So for my first pick, it's naturally the first album that spawned these criteria, The Clientele's Suburban Light. Although originally released as a compilation of their earliest work, it still qualifies as an album in my eyes (or ears rather), and it is a beautiful work of art. Catchy, but not too prototypical, whimsical but not too flighty, and beautiful with a hint of melancholy just under the surface, this album was on heavy rotation in my early summer days. Picture barefoot walks in the summer sun, poolside with an iced tea and dangling feet in the blue waters....okay, okay. Sheesh, I don't write anything for a week and look what happens, sappy sappy sappy. But whatever, I think I'm allowed when I'm dehydrated and left to my own devices...



Okay, I know the following song is not from this album, but good golly it's an amazing track. It just screams summer laziness in volumes. So I'm already breaking my album rules...oh well. I'm also using phrases like "good golly." I think I need a break.

When Life Gets You Down

After the Mavs won the NBA Finals, my life didn't seem to have anymore meaning. Until I saw this...

Dreams Never End

I remember way back in October at the start of the season, hidden somewhere deep inside of me, good feelings and hope for the Mavs in 2011. But never did I imagine this day would come, the Mavs are the World Champions. I can't describe the joy I felt, embracing friends and witnessing the last two minutes of what was already the sealed win of the last game of the NBA Finals. And winning on Miami's home turf much the same way they did in Dallas in the finals of '06 made it seem a bit more special. I'm not one to ever describe my home team in terms of "we", as I see it, it was all them. They certainly earned it. I did secretely took joy in hearing one unnamed announcer proclaim that the Mavs were simply "the better team." This coming from a guy who picked the Heat to win the Championship at the start of the Finals. They earned the credit that perhaps they'll finally receive. A team of virtually no national media recoginition, no big name stars, actually earning the NBA title in spite of all odds, simply put: wow.

What a strange day this has turned out to be. It feels like the end of a movie.....roll the credits.

The Ex Monday

I know this is a written blog post, but this needs no words, save for truly amazing:



Okay, I can't help myself. The latest release by the always amazing Dutch band, The Ex, a band that has consistently released groundbreaking music for the past 30 plus years, is another work of brilliance, more or less the same Ex I've heard from years before, but the same brilliance nonetheless. I still miss the departure of G.W. Sok as the lead vocalist, but nonetheless I hope my enthusiasm for their work doesn't fade...

And in other news, I refuse to cover last night's game against the Miami Heat. A friend of mine was frustrated that the nightly news broadcast was almost entirely covering the Mavs' loss, and I can't say I blame him. It is a shame, but it doesn't need to be constantly observed from every angle on a news station that should be updating us on local and world events. Or said friend could always tune in to NPR or BBC...but that's besides the point.

Sunday Cleaning

It's Sunday....Rest and relaxation. The Clean, one of my favorite New Zealand post-punk bands released this classic back in 1981. Very cheery, and song writing styles harkening back to the pop rock styles of the late sixties and seventies, The Clean were a breathe of fresh air then, and now..

Beat the Heat

Ok, so the Mavs lost the series opener against the villainous Miami Heat, but I'm not worried. Sheesh, is this blog slowly morphing into a sports rant extravaganza? Anyhoo, the Mavs, unlike some teams I know, have actually worked very hard to get to where they are now. It has been a well deserved reward earning their place in the finals, striving and working together to earn the respect they deserve, as opposed to some players who just "take their talents to Miami." I can't express enough how much the Mavs deserve this win. It will be not unlike the small band of rebel forces taking out the Death Star, and a certain Jedi who "took his talents to the Dark Side."

Beat the heat please.