My favorite series is beginning again. And no, I’m not talking about Dancing with the Stars. My monthly music recaps are back and here to stay. After studying abroad, I came back to the U.S. in late April. This meant that my summer was closer to five months as opposed to the usual three. Summer has always been a time for me to indulge in the things I don’t typically have time for. Setting no goal for myself and allowing my music consumption to ebb and flow naturally, I curated a variety of new releases, clever lyrics, and diverse artists. If you imagine these songs paired with ocean waves and wind in the trees, you’ll hear what my summer sounded like.
This was the summer of album releases that ripped my heart out of my chest and stomped on it. A notable mention happened on August 14 when Phoebe Bridgers released Lost Weekend. It’s been six years since she released a full-length album, her last being her sophomore album, Punisher.
There’s no way to listen to her music without it evoking a visceral response, and some of the songs off the album tore me to pieces. However, “Lost Boys” was an exception in that it wasn’t the song that was as visceral, but it’s the music video that’s captivating. Generally, the music videos that have been recently released give me true hope that this art form is reviving itself in a significant way.
The song itself chronicles Bridger’s experiences with men in her life who are trapped by Peter Pan Syndrome. Visualizing the concept of the syndrome in her music video, she has grown men, boys, and women who are controlled by her. Assuming the role of a witch-like character, she lures a convenience store cashier (Skyler Gisondo) to join her group. As the story unfolds, she implicitly asks the viewer to question what is real, both in strength and in life.
I’ve always wanted to see Mumford & Sons live and this summer I had the opportunity to see them at Fenway Park with my dad. This was a massive deal for me, as the release of their latest album, Prizefighter, is one that I found myself deeply connecting with, in addition to the fact that my dad was the one who initially introduced me to the band when I was younger.
Beyond the main act though, this concert was special as I was able to see another band I’ve appreciated for a long time. Lord Huron was one of their openers, and while I knew many of the songs they played, “Not Dead Yet” was one I’d previously overlooked. After hearing it live, it crept its way into my summer and stuck around.
Recently, amid rumors of Harry Styles retiring and the devastating passing of Dolly Parton, a larger conversation has taken place about the longevity of artists in a given space. For a while, I took for granted that Gus Dapperton would always release music. A combination of original songs and covers in his notable style, it never occurred to me that behind the scenes, his music was actually draining him.
On Instagram, he shared that he would be pivoting to a new genre and assuming the name, Loose Goose. He reflected that for a stretch of time, he’d been feeling unmotivated and ultimately distant from the music he once enjoyed making. This left me both shocked and, over time, nervous. As an artist whose work I love, I began to wonder if he would ever return to his old style.
Prior to releasing a new song, “Take Me Out To The Disco”, on August 14 as Gus Dapperton, I listened to his old music. In my freshman year of college, I religiously listened to his music. Walking around campus one night at sunset, the song “Phases” came on. Listening to the lyrics as a now-senior, with his music making a comeback, the song has never meant more to me.
“I never really tried to stop/ But you never really tried to save it/ I never thought I’d be thrown off by the changes/ I never really tried to stop/ But you’re never letting me explain it/ Yeah I’ll be waiting somewhere caught in the phases/ Come and find me, find me again.”
“The Throwaway Age” • Bob Irwin and the Pluto Walkers
My music collections are nothing without the instrumental tracks. With the track literally including the sound of seagulls and the waves, nothing said summer quite like “The Throwaway Age”.
“Demons In Your Choir” • The Red Clay Strays
Working in a golf pro shop in the summers, where a Music Choice’s Country Channel plays almost exclusively, I’ve been exposed to numerous country songs over the years. With no skip button available, I’m forced to–for better or worse–listen to whatever’s on. One day The Red Clay Stray’s “Demons In Your Choir” began playing and, in a spell-like way, entranced me.
Many country singers have upbringings in churches, and this unique cultural element has embedded itself into the genre. The band, in addition to their own musical strengths, brings in a choir to enhance the song. Fitting perfectly with the lyrics, which speak directly to the listener, the song makes you feel as though they’re going to “pull you from the fire/ then maybe [they] could save you/ from the demons in your choir.”
I have a pit in my stomach, and in there lives the idea that I may never see Tame Impala live. It didn’t happen while I was abroad, and with their tour stop at Ball Arena coming and going, it’s not in the cards for me this year. However, the pit is manageable to live with because it’s temporarily muted by the sound of the band’s music. This cover of The Smashing Pumpkins’ song has the electro-groove indicative of the band’s style, but the weight of the original track.
“Sally, When the Wine Runs Out” • ROLE MODEL
SALLY! Kansas Anymore is the album that people associate with putting ROLE MODEL– or Tucker, Chuck Timely, Sabrina Carpenter, whatever name he’s going by–on the map. However, ROLE MODEL has been someone whose music I’ve listened to since seventh grade. His style has changed dramatically, and watching his recent interviews, he feels that the evolution better represents him as an artist.
However, he now has begun the cycle expressing that while he still appreciates the music off Kansas Anymore, even in the year-long break between Kansas Anymore and his latest album, Chuck Timely & The Hourglass, he mentions some of the lyrics in “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out” are sillier than he intended. While this could be true, my take is that the song is genius. Between it being catchy, making sense, and that it unintentionally ended up as one of the most enjoyable parts of his live shows, I’m happy that not one part of it is different.
“So Nice (Summer Samba)” • Tony Mottola
In a similar vein to “The Throwaway Age”, “So Nice (Summer Samba)” is the perfect instrumental song for summer. It’s grounding and has a beat to it, but it’s perfect for the moments when you want to sit on the beach reading a book.
“Smokin Out The Window” • Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic
At the very start of this article, when I mentioned clever lyrics, I was directly referencing “Smokin Out The Window”. A mark of a great musician is allowing others to relate to whatever feeling they’re conveying through their lyrics. Mars and.Paak take it one step further and enrich the listener’s experience by conveying emotion through their singing. This song is funny, and while it could very quickly turn to a sad song, the singers’ cadence keeps the song an upbeat, relatable hit.
“The Time of My Life” • Benson Boone
Another artist who’s taking the form of a music video and transforming it into a cinematic masterpiece is Benson Boone. Starring Alix Earle, his “The Time of My Life” music video is one of the most beautiful accompaniments to a song I’ve ever seen. Starring in a play, the actions of the actors are simple, yet through effects detailed and interactive.
It feels simultaneously like you’re sitting in a theater and in a cinema. The song itself has all the qualities of the underrated Boone. It’s dramatic, and his vocals are remarkable. Compared to his previous songs, lyrically “The Time of My Life” has a plot and substance, lending itself well to be placed in a music video.
“Sleepless in a Hotel Room” • Luke Combs
Combs’s The Way I Am album was released in March, but I largely chose not to listen because, to me, he’s an artist who’s historically soundtracked my summers. His vocals are incredible and I love that within this song, he takes real care in describing the rooms that he and his wife are in. Through defining these spaces, he’s able to create the real separation that they experience while he is away on tour.
Not really the last and certainly not the least is Bieber’s “YUKON”. If this year’s Coachella proved anything, it was that Bieber fever is alive and well. Whether or not you think his set was underwhelming, it’s hard to not be excited hearing him sing along to his old hits and new songs. For me, his new album wasn’t one that I’d been listening to.
However, “YUKON” specifically from SWAG LIVE FROM COACHELLA (Weekend II)–that was thankfully released on Spotify–was embedded in my summer. One of the most beautiful details about live music is the way artists can change their inflections. Even though I wasn’t at the festival, listening to his live vocals and the crowd in the background, it feels like I am.
Whenever I listen to the country, pop, and bossa nova songs above will remind me of the longest summer I’ve experienced to date. As a senior now, for my September I’m setting my listening goal to simultaneously enjoy the sounds of campus on my long walks and finding songs that make me feel excited to head wherever I’m going–even if it’s to an exam.