Do They Even Know It's Summer?

It's August which means summer is, for all intents and purposes, nearly over. Not the actual season itself, which is governed by the tilt of the Earth's axis and its revolution around the Sun, it has nearly another 2 months left. I'm talking about American Summer, that time from round about the end of May to the beginning of September (I think there are some holidays that mark these dates but it doesn't matter) we consider summer where it's warm and it's daylight longer so you're supposed eat outside and go on vacation.  Big deal. The only reason summer even means anything to us is because we have this insane school year constructed around planting/harvesting that has stuck around about 100 years too long, leaving school children off from spring to fall to work in the fields dick around. So yeah, I miss summer as a kid. If it was 100 degrees outside I would simply eat a popsicle before going to the pool, problem solved. If it was going to rain I'd heat up some sort of frozen garbage and play DuckTales on NES for hours.

Of course, all of that is no more. The ancient proverb says of summer: "The livin's easy," but every year I agree with this wisdom a little less. Summer is just a slow, hot, boring nightmare of humidity and hot dogs. Luckily, most summers are rife with album releases to make us forgot our misery. Great summer albums fall into two categories for me: the "Summer Jam/Banger" album and the "Kick Back and Enjoy the Sun or Whatever Other Thing It Is You Are Trying to Enjoy" album. These are the ones that most make me feel like I'm back enjoying a popsicle by the pool this year:

• Beach House - Teen Dream: One of the albums of the year but especially enjoyable on a summer evening.

• Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty: Most summers have a their own collection of various hip hop records to claim as their soundtrack. Big Boi went ahead and made them all for us.

• Delorean - Subiza: Delorean do sort of chilled-out Balearic Dance; there is nothing more summery than that.
  
• Sleigh Bells - Treats: Loud, stupid, fun. What else do you need?
  
• Wavves - King of the Beach: More of a banger but also nice to relax with. However, since I think this is one of the best album in the past few years, it is perfect in any situation.