Even though there are only a measly two weeks left of summer, I'm trying to stay positive. So, until I stop being lazy and post my mix of songs to carry you through the rest of August, here are a few artists and songs that'll make you forget a case of the end-of-summer-sads, if you are in fact afflicted with the aforementioned condition.
PHOEBE KREUTZ
All Summer Long
I just wish I'd found this song at the beginning of the July. It's perfect: "'Cause every day is getting awesomer and awesomer and awesomer and awesomer / And every night is getting awesomer and awesomer and awesomer and awesomer / And it'll keep on getting awesomer and awesomer and awesomer and awesomer all summer long."
[MySpace and Website]
OLD CANES
Blue Eleanor
Both Falling Bright
This is infectious, excitable folk pop with horns, harmonicas and plenty of stamp-yer-foot acoustic guitar from the lead singer of Appleseed Cast. Makes me want to gather some friends and kazoos and tambourines and take a run through a forest. And that is a compliment.
[MySpace and Website where you can stream Early Morning Hymns in its rather pleasant entirety]
THROW ME THE STATUE
About to Walk
Written in Heart Signs, Faintly
About to Walk sounds like a long-lost Neutral Milk Hotel song with it's buzzy background drone, nasal voice and simple guitar/drums. And, in true NMH fashion, the simple parts work together to create a wonderful whole. I heard Written in Heart Signs, Faintly in Urban Outfitters yesterday and had to stop my woeful browsing [woeful because I am lacking in expendable clothes dollars] to chicken scratch a few lyrics down so I could find the song later, "I want to fall through the clouds to someplace where the kissing never ever stops / I want to spew little lightnings from my hands / so this shield that I got might explode." And it's really nice.
[MySpace and Website]
CHAD VANGAALEN
Echo Train
Willow Tree
This hazy Albertan has it going on. I'm sure the shuffling, grunge-tinged Echo Train would gladly be covered by Pavement, while Willow Tree in all its gentle, dreamy, floaty, banjo-y, understated melodic glory should be played beneath a willow tree. Preferably beneath a willow tree that was alongside a slow river. Preferably beneath a willow tree that was alongside a slow river where Chad VanGaalen was holding an impromptu, late afternoon sit-down concert with members of Hidden Cameras providing some quietly lush orchestral background sounds and somebody was really nice and a really good cook and had brought along a picnic lunch with enough delicious food to feed the crowd of roughly twenty.
Or you could just creatively visualize it.
[MySpace and Website]
Thanks for stopping by,
Alie
