Each year, I tend to have a few albums that take over my summer soundtrack and remain on repeat until the fall. Some are all too familiar comfort albums while others are new to me, curating the perfect mix of personal identity and new beginnings. This summer, my background music was filled with a fair mix of alternative rock, indie pop, and folk featuring albums by George Clanton, TV Girl and Jordana, Father John Misty, and Wolf Alice. The albums are such treasures to me, and not a single song will be skipped as long as I’m on aux.
Ooh Rap I Ya- George Clanton
The first time I discovered George Clanton was through his 2024 collaboration with TV Girl, Fauxllennium (yet another phenomenal summer soundtrack). However, this summer I delved deeper into George Clanton’s individual work. Although released in 2023, Ooh Rap I Ya has an incredible 90’s alternative sound. It focuses on themes of navigating young adulthood, primarily through the lens of finding meaning and purpose in life bigger than oneself. The lyrics include heavy introspection as well as hope for the future, paired with nostalgic instrumentals. I love how personal the whole album feels; it’s like a coming-of-age anthem, perfect for listening by yourself or on a night drive with friends. The most popular track is “I Been Young”, and rightfully so. It’s difficult for me to pick personal favorites because each song has a unique sound and message, but I will say that the title track “Ooh Rap I Ya” as well as “Justify Your Life” and “Everything I Want” are particular highlights for me. That being said, there are genuinely no skips on this album from me.
Summer’s Over- TV Girl & Jordana
Speaking of TV Girl, they’ve been one of my favorite bands since high school. No matter the season, I’m always cuddled up with one of their albums; they’re one of the few artists with which there are essentially no skips in their discography from the time I hit play. This summer, I was particularly drawn to Summer’s Over, their collaborative album with Jordana. With a runtime of just over 21 minutes, Summer’s Over is short-but-sweet, just like that of a summer romance. Fittingly enough, that’s exactly what the album is about. The most popular track is undoubtedly “Better in the Dark”, although my two personal favorites are “Jump the Turnstile” and the title track “Summer’s Over”. Unlike most of TV Girl’s (often cynical and ironic) discography, Summer’s Over (thanks to Jordana) is primarily written through a feminine lens, exploring the bittersweet acceptance of a summer fling coming to an end. I love this album because of the clever analogies and imagery, as well as the beachy instrumentals and vintage samples, which perfectly encapsulate the romance within relationships coming and going just like the seasons. We follow Jordana’s perspective, reminiscing about the time she shared with a summer fling, combined with her conflicted feelings following its end. It reminds us of the charm in this unknown grey area between two people as well as the beauty in coming to terms with this type of relationship’s close. She works towards a bittersweet appreciation for those experiences, as life moves on while the summer lingers like a dream.
I Love You, Honeybear- Father John Misty
One of my favorite songs since my sophomore year of high school has always been “Chateau Lobby #4 (in C for Two Virgins)”, although I had shockingly never listened to the whole album it’s featured on until this summer. The title track “I Love You, Honeybear” is the most popularized from the album, although “When You’re Smiling And Astride Me” and “Strange Encounter” quickly flew to the top of my list upon listening (just under “Chateau Lobby”, of course). The whole album is incredibly sweet, diving into the intimacy of knowing and being completely known by your partner. It’s an ode to true emotional vulnerability: allowing someone to understand you inside and out, as well as loving, accepting, and admiring someone for all of their seemingly quirky and even difficult qualities. The instrumentals are very cinematic with a mix of folk and orchestral, some moments featuring choirs or mariachi-like acoustics and brass. Although not an actual priest, Father John Misty’s work (including I Love You, Honeybear) often contains religious allegories, adding deeper meaning and room for interpretation within the tracks. His deconstructed religious background lays the framework for world-building and surrealism in his work, which I find raw and unique. In my opinion, it would make for a perfect wedding album, or at least a great listen while fantasizing about it. I found myself listening to it the most this summer during my nighttime routines, while I read, and on drives.
My Love Is Cool- Wolf Alice
Yet again, one of my favorite songs, “Don’t Delete The Kisses” by Wolf Alice, has kept its status since my sophomore year of high school. Although it’s not included on this album, it was my introduction to the band, and I found myself continuously drawn to the tracks on their album My Love Is Cool throughout this summer. With higher-pitched, soothing vocals like Men I Trust (although often with more powerful delivery) and instrumentals that remind me of Phantogram, Wolf Alice’s work is a strong mix of dream-pop and alternative rock. My Love Is Cool is a great representation of the introspection that comes with navigating self-perception, love, and friendship in young womanhood. It’s another album that has a vibe very fitting for night drives and even going on a walk by yourself. Most popular on the album is the song “Bros”, which is also one of my personal favorites, if not my top favorite. Also notable for me are “Soapy Water”, “Your Loves Whore”, and “Silk”, although there are truly no skips on this album, in my opinion.
Wrapping Up
Each of these albums brought a truly unique sound and meaning to my summer soundtrack, and I must note that they’re still on repeat; I can’t picture myself getting sick of them quite yet in the foreseeable future. I definitely gained some new favorite songs as well as I enjoyed listening to some of my already personal favorites, and I can’t
recommend enough to give them a listen- maybe you’ll discover some hidden gems to add to your summer soundtrack in 2027.