We had a great 4th of July, at the Scottsville
Parade and then on the bank of the James for a picnic.
And this afternoon it
finally rained (a bit), bringing some much-needed relief. The sun is back out now, and I’m sitting on the
back porch after delicious cheddar onion burgers.
-------
For the consensus Song of the Summer 2012, it’s hard to
imagine anything overtaking Call Me Maybe,
which has reached a level of pop culture ubiquity greater than any song the
past few years.
-------
Notwithstanding Carly Rae’s considerable lead, I’ve recently
discovered some great (self-proclaimed!) contenders:
Where Have You Been,
by Rihanna – The beat on this song is completely infectious!! I haven’t had such flashbacks
to strutting into a club in New York City, circa fall 1998, since Taio Cruz’s Dynamite. I assume that this song will
be a legitimate contender for second-place SOTS 2012.
Wind and Walls and
1904, by The Tallest Man on Earth – The Tallest Man
has put out another fantastic album, and these are my two early favorites. The combination of his melodies, distinctive
voice, and mysterious lyrics is tops.
Springsteen, by
Eric Church – I don’t quite understand the connection to The Boss, but Eric
Church does a great job creating a non-depressing melancholy (is that called wistfulness?).
Guardian, by
Alanis Morissette – Martin: If you haven’t listened to this yet, do it! Alanis
re-captures her late 90’s power-angst, and her voice is as good as ever. I’m
curious to see if she’s got an entire album in her.
Back in Time, by
Pitbull – I continue to love Pitbull. His attitude shines right through in his
fun music.
Even the Losers,
by Pat Green – Tucker: Pat Green’s got a new album out! I haven’t listened to
the entire thing, so I don’t know if anything rises to the level of Wave on
Wave, but I am happy to hear his distinctive voice again – takes me right back
to shooting caps with you and Dan at RDC.
No One Will Know,
by Fort Atlantic – This is not SOTS material (it’s not catchy enough), but it’s
got a background bell-line and soft drumbeat that is just right for this crazy
heat.
