Albums of the Summer (so far)

I, like everyone, have certain albums or songs that define my summers. I think summer music is like summer love; it may sneak up on you, totally surprising you, but it's love at first listen and that love is passionate and pure. With no school to busy yourself with, and possibly some excess cash due to a summer job, you court the albums, going to concerts and reveling in their beauty. Despite knowing you should listen to other things, you can't help yourself, and you devote all of your time to these albums until your other albums become resentful and claim you're not being a good friend (or maybe that's just me). And, when September rolls around and the leaves begin to fall, you realize that while the music is still there, somehow the magic is gone; while you can still give a listen once in a while, it's never the same.

Okay, it's an extended metaphor, but I defy you to tell me it doesn't work. So, without further adieu, here are my love affairs for this summer:

1. "No Nations", by Jets Overhead

I really, desperately hope that this one ends up lasting through September and possibly for the rest of my life. I've loved Jets Overhead from the moment I heard them open for Our Lady Peace back in 2006; they're Victoria natives, and their music reflects that islander quality. Their first album, Bridges, is delightfully laid-back and expressive, but No Nations is a complete gem. Whereas Bridges was a collection of songs, No Nations feels like a total, cohesive whole; it begins with the stellar "I Should be Born", and keeps up pace until the dirgelike, slow-building finale of "Tired of the Comfort". It's dreamy, it's meditative, and I can't think of a single flaw except that it's over too quickly. Totally, completely perfect.
Recommended songs: "I Should Be Born", "Heading for Nowhere", "It's a Funny Thing". Oh, hell, everything.

2. "O My Heart", by Mother Mother

This album is a ton of fun, mainly because every song is memorable, and occasionally, totally surprising. I first listened to this album while gardening, and each time I thought "meh, this song doesn't sound too impressive, maybe I'll change it", I was totally blown away. Mother Mother is cheeky, unapologetic, and totally addictive; their lyrics are fantastically strange, like most indie these days, but the songs are complex while still being accessible and a lot of fun. I'm also impressed by the range of songs on O My Heart; the title track sounds like something a pissed-off Joan Jett could have produced if she were more indie, "Body" alternates between a completely bizarre rhyming biology lesson and a surprisingly emotional note to an ex, "Ghosting" is one of the most honest indie ballads I've ever heard, and "Hay Loft" sounds like a song the Children of the Corn might have learned while at evil pre-school. Mother Mother sounds like those weird, fun, arty kids in high school who you wanted to be because they were so goddamned creative at every turn. And, for all of this range, Mother Mother never loses their sense of identity, and they're compulsively, terrifically, awesomely, confidently fun.
Recommended songs: "Wrecking Ball", "Wisdom", "Burning Pile", "O My Heart"

3. (tie) "We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes" and "Transatlanticism" by Death Cab for Cutie

aannnndd continuing the grand tradition of me falling in love with things that were popular and relevant several years ago....
I won tickets to go see Death Cab (at a Jets Overhead concert, actually), and I was blown away by the subtle, mournful beauty of their earlier stuff. Until then I'd only heard Plans and Narrow Stairs, but these two earlier albums are filled with the kind of music that I like to call apocalyptic; they're not necessarily about the end of the world, but while I listen to them I tend to slip into a solitary, meditative, quietly mourning existence that I think I'd be like if I were the last person on earth. This is the sort of music I love when I feel that dark creativity in my head that produces the very best writing, and Death Cab for Cutie is perfect for it.
Recommended songs: "The Employment Pages", "Title Track", "Transatlanticism"

and a few single songs that have dominated in between...
- "Percussion Gun", by White Rabbits; I'm obsessed with this song. You should be too. It's AWESOME.
- "Baptized by Fire", by Spinnerette; like "Ghetto Love", except WAY better.
- "Stadium Love", by Metric; I love their new album, but this one keeps standing out. It's probably the coolest final track they've ever made. Oh yes, I did just go there.
- "Battlefield", by Jordin Sparks; okay, someone on So You Think You Can Dance did an incredible routine to this, and I fell for it purely for that reason. Everyone gets a guilty pleasure.