For all of the free time and relative relaxation of this season, the bliss of jetting around in summer can be marred by the repetitive music on the radio. Britney’s “Till the World Ends” plays so often that I thought it was two different songs because of the two separate choruses (in my head, the other was titled “Take It No More”). While playful beats and singable choruses define summer music, that doesn’t mean these songs all have to come from the radio or that their alternatives need be overly morose indie songs. For best results this summer, mix this handful of new offerings with the most compelling and enduring of the Top 40 hits for a playlist that contains the best of both worlds.
“Got It All (This Can’t Be Living Now)” by Portugal. The Man
The band’s new major-label album “In the Mountain In the Cloud” marks a departure from its usually experimental, and at times uneven, sound. “Got It All” is the first single and is good news for car karaoke enthusiasts everywhere with its unabashedly pop beat, wailing vocals and a catchy hook ideal for singing along with.
Sounds like: Grizzly Bear, Cold War Kids
“Houdini” by Foster the People
Though this is the same Foster the People that churned out “Pumped Up Kicks” and the rising “Helena Beat,” the band is by no means a two-hit wonder. “Houdini” is another standout song from its memorable debut album, “Torches.” Marked by a dynamic beat, the track resembles “Pumped Up Kicks,” but with a welcome spin, toning down the overly synthesized vocals, which led my roommate to think the lead singer was female. The electronic effects are instead inserted into the background and instrumental breaks to form a swirling, psychedelic and infectious dance beat that recreates the mystique of the song’s subject.
Sounds like: A more vibrant and energetic version of “Pumped Up Kicks,” a more electronic The Airborne Toxic Event
“The Saboteur” by The Kooks
The Kooks dramatically announce its return with crashing drums and lead singer Luke Pritchard declaring in his unmistakable accent-inflected voice that he is indeed the saboteur. Alternating between gleeful loudness and sudden, quiet piano interludes, each second is thrilling to hear, providing a great soundtrack for the most exciting moments of summer.
Sounds like: Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand
“Get It Daddy” by Sleeper Agent
Instantly upbeat and teeming with energy, “Get It Daddy” features vocals that are happily half-shouted in unison by the whole band, making it the kind of song that just isn’t complete without a crowd of people jumping up and down to it. Listen for the surprise
near the end – a moody riff that sounds like a tribute to the late, great White Stripes.
Sounds like: Cage the Elephant, but with a female lead singer
“42/18″ by Hazel
“42/18″ frames lead singer Angelica Garcia’s soulful vocals with simply strummed acoustic guitar for a pleasantly cheerful ditty that must have been made for summer. Garcia’s voice is familiar, yet the sound of the song mixes all the best components of similar
artists for a satisfying single in its own right.
Sounds like: Norah Jones plus Colbie Caillat, with a dash of Zooey Deschanel
“Expanding Anyway” by Morning Teleportation
This song’s rapid-fire lyrics aren’t exactly conducive to car karaoke, but it deserves a place in your playlist with its uplifting sound, which brings to mind a less folksy Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes. Also, it features solos that just beg for an impromptu air guitar performance.
Sounds like: The Joy Formidable, The Polyphonic Spree
“Anna Sun” by Walk the Moon
Earnestly sweet and poppy, “Anna Sun” could serve as the song that transports you back to summer whenever you feel the need to reminisce. The hazy beginning swells into a rollicking, addictive chorus, and the song ends in a wave of nostalgia, amid kooky lyrics that make no sense but deserve kudos for use of the phrase “west mezzanine.”
Sounds like: Delta Spirit with the vocals of Darren Criss (who plays Blaine on the television program “Glee”)
You can listen to samples of these songs here.