Summer Mix 2021, Part 1: Day

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Summer is back! Kind of. Let’s do what we can to eliminate the delta variant so we can enjoy the summer alongside these tunes.

The tracklist, along with YouTube and Spotify versions of the playlist, are at the bottom. But first, some notes:

  • I’m declaring “good 4 u” by Olivia Rodrigo as 2021’s official “Song of the Summer.” If you think I should be making other considerations, let me know. Other “songs of the summer” for the last few years, according to yours truly: “Savage (Remix)” by Megan Thee Stallion and Beyoncé in 2020, “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus in 2019, “Nice for What” by Drake in 2018, and “Slide” by Calvin Harris, Frank Ocean, and Migos in 2017.
  • I never thought I would like a Modest Mouse song in 2021 as much as I love “We Are Between,” but “here we are.”
  • It wouldn’t really be a summer mix without the most underrated artist of the last 5 years, Amber Mark. People need to stop sleeping on her.
  • Check out the fizzy, bubbly cover of that one Third Eye Blind song (you’ll recognize it). Hilary Duff, rising from the ashes!
  • Is “The Way I Made You Cry” from 2021 or 1967?
  • “Summer Mix 2021, Part 2: Night” coming soon!

Tracklist (meant to be played top to bottom, no shuffle):

1. Modest Mouse: “We Are Between”
2. Wavves: “Sinking Feeling”
3. Dirty Projectors: “Lose Your Love”
4. RAC, Matthew Koma & Hilary Duff: “Never Let You Go” (Third Eye Blind Cover)
5. Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson Paak): “Leave the Door Open”
6. Amber Mark: “Competition”
7. Mourn: “This Feeling is Disgusting”
8. Cool Ghouls: “The Way I Made You Cry”
9. CZARFACE & MF DOOM: “Mando Calrissian”
10. Olivia Rodrigo: “good 4 u”
11. Kiwi jr.: “Cooler Returns”
12. Anna Fox Rochinski: “Party Lines”
13. Fleet Foxes: “Can I Believe You”
14. Flock of Dimes: “Walking”
15. Taylor Swift: “Mr. Perfectly Fine (Taylor’s Version)”
16. Hiss Golden Messenger: “Sanctuary”
17. Bleachers: “How Dare You Want More”

Five (*15!) Quality Tracks: May, June, July 2017

 
I fell very far behind on Five Quality Tracks, and for that I apologize. Here are 15 tracks from the last three months that grabbed me, surprised me, and moved me. (By the way, I should note that these tracks are NOT in order of how much I like them. The order is arbitrary.)

1. The National: “The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness”

When I saw that the National had released a new single, I knew it would be good. But I didn’t know it would be this good. The National don’t “rock out” that often, usually opting for more deliberate mood pieces, but they let their hair down a little bit on “The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness.” The song is built on an insanely catchy drum beat and bass line, with that punchy five-note guitar riff punctuating the song throughout. There’s even a guitar solo! Matt Berninger’s comforting baritone, the one we know and love, is present here, but my favorite part is when he passionately raises his voice an octave, exclaiming “I cannot explain it, ahh-ahhh, any other, any other way!” The song is incredibly gratifying and portends well for the coming album.

 
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Best Albums of 2011

For some reason, Facebook decided by Best Albums of 2011 post broke some kind of copyright, so it (and all of its HTML) got deleted. For those who are interested, here was my list (with a little less pizazz unfortunately).


25. M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming


24. Yuck – Yuck

23. Black Lips – Arabia Mountain

22. The Mountain Goats – All Eternals Deck

21. Atlas Sound – Parallax

20. Ty Segall – Goodbye Bread

19. Real Estate – Days

18. Generationals – Actorcaster

17. Adele – 21

16. The Strokes – Angles

15. Bon Iver – Bon Iver

14. Radiohead – The King of Limbs

13. Cults – Cults

12. Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne

11. tUnE-yArDs – w h o k i l l

10. The Roots – undun

9. Wilco – The Whole Love

8. The Antlers – Burst Apart

7. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo

6. Beirut – The Rip Tide

5. Drake – Take Care

4. The Black Keys – El Camino

3. The Decemberists – The King Is Dead

2. Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost

1. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues