Citronella Serenades - The On Warmer Music 2013 Summer Mix

Photo By bandoodie

In my ongoing education called “life”, last summer taught me a few lessons about that season we call summer. Having been raised mostly in the centrally aired rooms of suburbia, I appreciated summer’s heart with the unspoken assumption that, when it became overbearing, I could always retire to a nicely chilled environment to lounge and slumber in comfort. My first full summer without the convenience of AC was an unusually chilly one, which fed my hubris about my body’s ability to deal with prolonged heat. Then came summer 2012 which, like the machinations of fate in a Greek tragedy, brought me abruptly back in contact with my own fallibility.

Days were spent baking next to box fans that circulated furnace-ready air in a pitiful attempt to provide an illusion of coolness. Nights were spent trying to sleep whilst sweating through my sheets. It's hard to describe just how dispiriting to wake up from a night of unrestful slumber to find oneself already soaked in a sweat that you know will be your constant companion all day, save for a few mercifully cool showers. Also, it's hard to over-emphasize just how satisfying it is to step into one of a few cool showers on a sweltering summer day.

This year I finally broke down and accepted an excess window unit from a friend, but I've determined to only use it on truly uncomfortable nights. There's something satisfying about getting to know the heat and sun. About living with a raised body temperature for a few months. Around this time of year I often feel like a solar camel, soaking in heat now so I can draw on that feeling in six months when I'm stamping my feet at a cold bus stop and cursing myself for forgetting my gloves.

So here we are again, Chicago, sweaty-but-happy and overwhelmed by street fests and cookouts. May this celebration of summer society keep you warm until next year!

Download The Mix As A .RAR
1. This Summer - Superchunk  Pre-Order I Hate Music
If ever there were an argument for vanity, limited-edition singles, this slice of driving summer escapism is it. I miss the beach.
2. California Sun - The Rivieras
Is any summer mix complete without a surging 60's organ line? I think not.
3. Into The Sun - Screaming Females  Buy Chalk Tape [EP]
The snake-charmer guitarwork here never fails to delight me. Also, sun... summer? See, it's topical!
4. Juice - Chance The Rapper  Download Acid Rap
Look, hip-hop is meant to bumped in cars with the windows down, so that makes this a fucking summer jam! Also, juice is very refreshing.
5. Shoulder Length - The Sea & Cake  Buy One Bedroom
If ever there were an aural representation of walking out of a climate-controlled location and into the muggy caulding that is a chokingly hot summer day in Chicago, this is it.
6. Books About UFOs - Hüsker Dü  Buy Candy Apple Grey
Walking to the market is something you do in summer, right? Plus this song is just way too happy not to be heard in the summer.
7. Another Sunny Day - Belle & Sebastian  Buy The Life Pursuit
The imgaes in this song are so fucking achingly picturesque, it's hard to stand. Bonus points for use of the word "herbacious".
8. Summer Chills - Radar Eyes  Buy Radar Eyes
The "summer chills" weren't a phenomena that I was actively aware of until I heard this song, which recreates the feeling perfectly.
9. Sunken Union Boat - John Vanderslice  Buy Romanian Names
Just like B&S makes you wish you born a preppy Scottish kid, this makes me wish that I also lived a double life where I was born an adventurous southern kid who spent my summers diving in rivers.
10. Summer - War  Buy The Very Best Of War
Yeah, it's War, but you know what? The percussion alone makes this song awesome. As does it's tempo. THAT'S summertime.
11. Summer's Waltz - Spider Bags  Buy A Celebration Of Hunger
I'm Polish and I love the Spider Bags. How could I NOT include their Waltz? (Note, I don't care that this isn't the song's original title, it fucking WORKS).
12. Always Saturday - Guadalcanal Diary  Buy Flip-Flop
If you're too cool to acknowledge the obvious attraction of the suburban ideal (myth?), then you might wanna get yourself looked at.
13. Summer Madness - Cocaine 80s  Download The Pursuit [EP]
I spent many summers driving up Stoney Island on my way from the south suburbs to LSD on summer Saturday afternoons. This song always reminds me of that.
14. A Dip In The Ocean - Fountains Of Wayne  Buy Sky Full Of Holes
I miss summer vacations. And, again, the beach. FoW will surely soundrack my next one.
15. Me & Jiggs - Josh Ritter  Buy The Golden Age Of Radio
Another like I would like to have lead - small town middle American boy with a twang and mad harmonica/guitar skills.
16. The Boys Are Back In Town [Thin Lizzy/R. Kelly] - Mountain Goats  Buy The Sunset Tree
Both of these songs are unbelievably awesome on their own. Then you combine them AND add John Darnielle? Sold.
17. Summer Nights [feat. Tennille] - The Cook Kids  Download Tackle Box
May I never run out of Cool Kids songs to put on summer mixes. They're breezy fun on the bun.
18. Gospel - The National  Buy Boxer
I love the image of Matt Berninger suffering stoically in an Ohio backyard with an icy drink, swimming pool and string lights in the background.
19. Bound 2 - Kanye West  Buy Yeezus
I have a lot to say about this song but just TELL me it's not a summer jam! Go on, TELL ME!
20. Backstreets - Bruce Springsteen  Buy Born To Run
Although my own youth was FAR less gritty than a Springsteen song, this one always reminds me of wandering the over-heated streets when I was a kid and didn't have a bedtime for a few months.
21. Your Summer Dream - The Beach Boys  Buy Surfer Girl
The Beach Boys must be on every summer mix. This song's hokey emotionalism always makes me tear up so I saved it for the end.