-WARNING, THIS IS A LONG POST! ( But it's interactive now, so I think that makes up for it)-
Hola my lovelies.
Hola my lovelies.
I'm back, having indulged in a cute little two week break (finally) that has temporarily satisfied
my need for travel, sun, hot weather, swimming pools and complete and utter relaxation.
Needless to say, I only got back on Saturday and I'm already craving a holiday
(preferably the beautiful Barcelona or basically anywhere in Europe will do just fine).
But never the less, I'm thankful I got the chance to go and now my fun is over,
the hard work shall begin...
So today's post is aptly called 'SUMMER SOUNDTRACK 2013' and it's basically
my ideal soundtrack for this summer, which I would like to share with you.
And don't you worry, the idea for this post was not conceived on a dull, oppressive, thunderous day
up/down (depends where you live) here in the land locked confines of Derby.
No, no, the idea came about whilst cruising down a gorgeous tree lined road
on a bright, sun streamed, summers day in Devon, on route to the beach.
Perfect.
So with that inspiration in mind, let the soundtrack begin...
1) ARCADE FIRE
So first up is Arcade Fire, who I've been listening to a lot lately and as with the Arctic Monkeys, I've found myself jumping on the bandwagon five years after it's left the station.
But oh well, who cares, they're great, and the euphoric essence of three key tracks led me to purchase
2011's 'The Suburbs' within the week, which is very unlike me.
I can't tell you how impressed I am by this band, and I can't deny that a secret part of me wishes I was a part of it all, the eighth member.
Their music is perfect all year round of course, but I've found that summer especially suits their energetic, powerful, hypnotic, beautiful sound, especially when you're jetting down the road with the sun in the sky or soaring across the world in an aeroplane.
Get Arcade Fire blasting out your speakers, it's what their music was made for.
My three key tracks are:
3) WAKE UP
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2) VAMPIRE WEEKEND
Next is NYC's own Vampire Weekend, a band whose music could quite possibly be the audio representation of summer. If you're in the mood for indulging in music that seems to have been dipped into a pot full of summer, Vampire Weekend are your go to band.
Recent release 'Modern Vampire of The City' is jam packed full of summery tunes that will take you from the early surf mornings when the sun is beginning to rise to nights spent parting on the beach below the moonlight.
Of course 2010's 'Contra' is also full of some true classics, so for ultimate Vampire Weekend appreciation, make sure both these albums are prominent features in your music collection this summer.
My five key tracks are:
1) DIANE YOUNG
2) COUSINS
3) UNBELIEVERS
4) WHITE SKY
5) STEP
4) I GET AROUND
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1) OLD PINE
2) ONLY LOVE
3) THE WOLVES
1) SEX IS ON FIRE
2) RADIOACTIVE
3) SUPERSOAKER
5) FANS
1) UPSIDE DOWN
Recent release 'Modern Vampire of The City' is jam packed full of summery tunes that will take you from the early surf mornings when the sun is beginning to rise to nights spent parting on the beach below the moonlight.
Of course 2010's 'Contra' is also full of some true classics, so for ultimate Vampire Weekend appreciation, make sure both these albums are prominent features in your music collection this summer.
My five key tracks are:
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3) THE BEACH BOYS
These cheeky American chappies make up one of the most universally known and adored quintets,
enjoying years of success due to their effortless harmonizing striking a chord amongst millions worldwide.
Of course one of the major reasons behind their success is the fact that these guys,
as the name suggests, literally promote summer. No forget that, they are summer.
Mention The Beach Boys and you instantly think of sunshine, ice cream, surfboards and of course,
the beach. And who doesn't want to think of all those things.
So to inject a dash of old school summers and the nostalgia it brings with it, make sure to
get some Beach Boys classics.
My four key tracks are:
1) SURFIN' USA
2) CALIFORNIA GIRLS
3) GOOD VIBRATIONS
4) BEN HOWARD
If you're in the mood for a summe sound that is quintessentially English and has the connotations of a quintessentially English summer, Ben Howard is your man. Hailing from the south west shores of Devon, Ben's folk-esque, laid back beauties are what you want to be listening to, especially if you're
spending your summer upon UK soil. This winner of two BRIT awards is a musician you can put your trust into- he knows what he is doing, and if you haven't been able to escape to the sea, Ben's music will bring the beauty and freedom of Devonshire beaches and seas to you.
My three key tracks are:
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5) KINGS OF LEON
The American quartet are hot on the heels of a new album release, 'Mechanical Bull', and although they may not be an obvious band to relate to summer, these guys do have a knack at producing and crafting classic, summer infused anthemic records that have been defining summer for millions for at least the last five years.
Their music really does seem to go hand in hand with summer.
It's like a musical memory card, with people attaching Kings of Leon songs to key summer moments in an attempt to remember them in a deserving and nostalgic way. A way that will generate and match the memory and the feelings that go along with it.
So with that being said, here are some suggestions...
My five key tracks are:
4) BACK DOWN SOUTH
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6) JACK JOHNSON
Jack Johnson is a man who seems to live and breathe summer.
A talented surfer (of course) and Hawaii born, his idyllic beach dwellings seem to have proved very inspirational in terms of his music making, and his gentle, relaxed yet upbeat tunes
are more than essential in any summer soundtrack. Although less active in the music scene over the latter years, Jack has made some real summer gems that will go down as classics for years to come.
My four key tracks are:
2) BETTER TOGETHER
3) YOU AND YOUR HEART
4) YOU AND YOUR HEART
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OTHER ARTISTS
And now for a few other key artists & tracks...
7) DOG IS DEAD
(AKA. Nottingham'a finest, along with the mighty Mister Bugg)
1) TALK THROUGH THE NIGHT
2) TEENAGE DAUGHTER
3) GLOCKENSPIEL SONG
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8) THEME PARK
(a trio typically found dressed in Hawaiian shirts)
1) MILK
2) JAMAICA
3) TONIGHT
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9) PALMA VIOLETS
(Indie-Roc's newest bad boys)
1) BEST OF FRIENDS
2) WE FOUND LOVE
3) STEP UP FOR THE COOL KIDS
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10) THE VACCINES
(Fuelling summers since 2010)
1) TEENAGE ICON
2) IF YOU WANNA
3) WETSUIT
4) I ALWAYS KNEW
5) NO HOPE
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And that's that for now.
Of course there are many, many more artists and songs that can be added to this soundtrack,
many more, but these are 10 key ones to get you going and 10 that have featured prominently in my summer so far.
I hope you enjoy and MAKE SUMMER 2013 A GOOD'UN alright?
(and remember, as Baz Luhrmann once said, always wear suncream)
