According to the novel High Fidelity the making of a good mix tape, like breaking
up, is hard to do. Furthermore, a good mix is never finished. You never
know when you will come across a song that changes the dynamic of the
mix you just completed. There is a litany of intricacies to crafting the
ideal mix no matter what the mix’s intended purpose should be. This feature is merely a guide on the cosmic highway of mix making, and while experienced, the writer does not claim to be an expert.
2012 Official Soundtrack of Summer
Summer time equals party time, and no party (or no Summer) can reach its potential without a seriously sweet soundtrack. We look forward to this mix each year, and it seems to get bigger and better each time. So without any further hesitation, here is the ideal playlist for your next barbecue.
1. "Ceremony" by New Order - We start off the 2012 Soundtrack of Summer with an early 80's throwback. Originally released in 1981, it's on this list mainly because of the scene in which it is featured in Marie Antoinette.
2. "Happy Pills" by Norah Jones - Summer is hot and so is Norah Jones. Her latest album is a bit different from her norm, but in a good way.
3. "Never Go Back" by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - Grace Potter and the Nocturnals are a fantastic band. While I normally prefer their bluesier tunes, this one fits the bill for a summer mix.
4. "Ottoman" by Vampire Weekend - Another movie song, this one getting the nod after a showing of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist.
5. "The Harder They Come" by Jimmy Cliff - Few songs sound better on a sweltering summer night than this one.
Since it is currently 88 degrees in Philadelphia, I figured I would break off a little preview of the 2012 Summer Mix. This little 80's gem will be on there with a lot of other fantastic warm weather jams. Enjoy.
In our travels around the world, we here at the What have been lucky
enough to capture a few snazzy moments, people, and other random things
with our cameras. We figured we should start sharing them with you.
Enjoy!
Bienvenido a Miami
Date: April 2005 Location: Miami Beach, FL Story: For about a year of my life, I worked at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, FL. During my second stint with the Mouse, I spent a fair amount of my evenings partying with a core group of friends. One night, in a spot of brilliance only possible when inebriated, we decided to skip work the following day and drive to Miami. What ended up happening the following day has become the one story that is so outrageous and so incredible that I will tell for the rest of my life (with or without certain details, depending on the audience). This photo was taken early in the adventure, just four friends enjoying the fun and the sun that one finds at Miami Beach. The point of posting this photo is this: You are approaching the age where you can't really get away with wild and crazy exploits. If you don't have your "Miami" yet, go find it. You will be glad that you did.
In High Fidelity, the characters compare their top fives in a variety of categories. Being big fans of both the film and novel, we here at the What bring you our Weekly Top Five, a feature focused on five fantastic things that you should become familiar with.
Summer Beers
Beer is a wonderful beverage to enjoy any time of the year. Yet I find that each year the two seasons I enjoy a cold one the most are in summer and autumn. The seasonal varieties offered by breweries worldwide between May and November are some of the best beers available. After highlighting some of the best Fall Beers last year, this year I'd like to take a look at a few summer offerings. For more information on each selection, click the link to see their pages on Beer Advocate.
5- River Horse Summer Blonde
This New Jersey beer is light, tasty, and refreshing, just as an ideal summer brew should be. While many places did not give it very high ratings, I enjoyed it several times this summer, meriting its inclusion here.
4- Brooklyn Summer Ale
I can not think of a beer from the Brooklyn brewery that I have not enjoyed. This seasonal is consistent with their regular offerings in its taste. For me, this beer replaced last year's favorite: Blue Moon Honey Moon.
3- Troegs Sunshine Pils
While Victory makes my favorite Pils, theirs is year-round and their attempt at a summer ale was lackluster. Troegs, out of Harrisburg, puts out this German-style Pilsener each summer and it was definitely a hit for me this year.
Summer is slowly coming to an end, but there is still a good two to three months of grilling left, depending on where you live. Over the past few months, the guys and gals at Primer Magazine have given you tips on grill safety, side dishes, summer drinks, and a lot more to keep you going through the heat. Now that we have every other part of the meal covered, it is time to get down to the main course. With apologizes to our vegetarian friends, today’s lesson in Grillmaster 101 is Cooking with Meat.
According to the novel High Fidelity the making of a good mix tape, like breaking up, is hard to do. Furthermore, a good mix is never finished. You never know when you will come across a song that changes the dynamic of the mix you just completed. There is a litany of intricacies to crafting the ideal mix no matter what the mix’s intended purpose should be. This feature is merely a guide on the cosmic highway of mix making, and while experienced, the writer does not claim to be an expert.
Soundtrack of Summer 2011
Each year I put together a soundtrack to accompany the madness that summer brings. Typically I start with one mix, but by summer's end, I move onto a new one. Last year, I put together the 2010 mix in June. This year, I've waited until August. This enables me to include songs that either became popular over the summer or songs that resonate with a particular event.
1- "Heatwave" by Chiddy Bang I first heard this song in April and knew instantly it would get steady rotation throughout the summer. Philly group Chiddy Bang take a classic summer song here and make it their own.
2- "Feel Me Flow" by Naughty By Nature I really can not think of a song that makes me think of hanging out at a summer block party more than this one. Hearing this song calls to mind riding my bike around as a kid why the adults were chilling on the patio. It's not summer without this jam.
3- "Everlasting Light" by the Black Keys I was a fan of the Black Keys around the time that Black Snake Moan came out, but somehow missed out on their latest album. For that reason, I didn't hear this song until a ride home after a long night of partying in June. Since that night, it has been on every mix I've made.
4- "Love Is Strange" by Mickey & Sylvia The first real party of the summer came in the form of a 1960's beach rock dance party. After that fantastic evening and a viewing of Dirty Dancing, I've been rocking a lot of music from that era, including this little gem.
5- "Dance Yrself Clean" by LCD Soundsystem I am admittedly late to the game on a lot of awesome things. Case in point: I just started watching Arrested Development this week. Unfortunately, LCD Soundsystem is one of those things I was too late for. I first heard this song after a friend showed me the video here. I loved the video (check it out on the right), and loved the song. It has since had a couple of good summer memories attached to it, hence its inclusion here.
In May I wrote an article for Primer Magazine issuing a goal for gentlemen worldwide: take a woman on a picnic within the next two weeks. Several readers responded positively to this idea, and I thought it wise to take my own advice and go on a picnic. I have recently garnered a reputation for coming up with creative dates, and the picnic goal fits perfectly in that niche.
Click the image to see the original article for Primer Magazine
In the Primer article, I gave gents two weeks to accomplish this goal. Week one was set aside for planning and preparation, week two is when the picnic was to occur. I broke the preparation into three parts: setting, tools of the trade, and menu. Unfortunately for me, I did not have a setting, the tools of the trade, or, for that matter, a woman. Luckily, these missing pieces all came together quite nicely. Shortly after the article came out, I started dating a lovely lady and told her about going to the Mann Music Center in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park to watch orchestral performances. As it turned out, the very next day she was able to score tickets to one such performance for free. The cool thing about orchestral performances is that the Mann Center allows you to bring coolers, food, chairs, alcoholic beverages, and more. Just like that, the missing pieces fell into place.
If you are within visiting distance of the City of Brotherly Love, you need to set aside some space on your summer calendar for a visit or two. Each year Philadelphians are keen to top the stellar summer from the year before by packing the calendar full of awesome events. From the best Independence Day celebration in the nation to a superb selection of concerts, Philadelphia is the place to be in summer. Below, check out our picks for each month.
JUNE
Kicking off the summer season is the Elfreth's Alley 76th annual Fete Day Celebration. This traditional event, dating back to the 1930's, is one of the two times each year that the residents of our nation's oldest street kindly open their homes to the public. The main event of this two-day summer spectacular occurs on Saturday, June 4th, between the hours of noon and 5PM. During this time around a dozen of these historic houses will be open for the public to tour. In addition to this decades-old tradition, the Museum of Elfreth's Alley will debut an exciting new event known as the Famous Philadelphian First Friday Auction. Celebrities with ties to Philadelphia have donated original artwork or signed memorabilia to be auctioned off, benefiting the struggling museum's education and preservation efforts. Tickets for this event cover both days of fun and excitement, and are 20% cheaper when purchased online prior to the event.
According to the novel High Fidelity the making of a good mix tape, like breaking up, is hard to do. Furthermore, a good mix is never finished. You never know when you will come across a song that changes the dynamic of the mix you just completed. There is a litany of intricacies to crafting the ideal mix no matter what the mix’s intended purpose should be. This feature is merely a guide on the cosmic highway of mix making, and while experienced, the writer does not claim to be an expert.
2010 Soundtrack of Summer
Each year toward the end of April/beginning of May I find myself yearning for summer weather and its associated activities. It is at about that time that I begin work on the 120 minutes of music that will define the season. Following is the track list for this year’s soundtrack of summer, an ideal mix to play at your summer kick-off bash.
1- “Rastaman Chant” by Bob Marley and the Wailers
This song is the opening track off of a live Wailers CD I picked up at a Starbucks. A British gent introduces the band, and after some applause, the drums bring you into a perfectly chill groove. This song is ideal for summer activities such as drinking a rum-based drink near a body of water or driving nice and slow down the street hoping to catch the eye of the cute guy or gal sitting on their front stoop.
2- “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” by Crosby, Stills and Nash
I am somewhat embarrassed to admit that after years of enjoying CSN (even seeing them live once) that I never noticed the final part of this suite was in Spanish. For those who are not aware, a suite is a piece of music broken into several smaller parts. This four part song details the break up of Stephen Stills and his girlfriend at the time. The acoustic guitar and classic CSN harmonies make this a great song to play at a BBQ, especially when followed by this next song.
3- “Armada Latina” by Cypress Hill featuring Marc Anthony, Pitbull, and Stephen Stills
After the previous song builds towards its Spanish finale for six and a half minutes, this song continues where it left off. With Stephen Stills playing guitar and providing backing vocals, Marc Anthony singing the chorus, and Pitbull adding a verse, Cypress Hill may have created the perfect summer song. The percussion really adds to the summertime feel of the tune and Anthony is doing what he does best, singing in Spanish. If you can picture yourself poolside downing Coronas and/or tequila when this song comes on, you must be a winter person.
4- “Stunned Out” by Paula DeAnda featuring Young Joc
While I am not a big fan of people trying to bring back the eighties, I do really enjoy this song, which practically samples the entire decade. This is the type of summer jam that conjures images of a bunch of people dancing on a deck somewhere. It’s a fantastic party song that is sure to be enjoyed openly by the ladies at your fete, and secretly by the lads.
5- “Bedrock” by Lil Wayne and Young Money
Guys, before you pass judgment on this song you need to realize it combines two things you probably love: sex and video games. The lyrics are all about promising the lady in your life an evening she’ll never forget. Now, listen to the beat and tell me it wasn’t made with Mario Paint! This song was made to play toward the end of a party so you can remind your significant other what they’re in for once the party’s over.
6- “I Want You” by Savage Garden
I promise you that if you play this mix at your party this summer, the party will be remembered as epic and a lot of the reason for that is this song. This mix has been constantly spinning in my car for over a month now and every passenger falls in love with this song. The song delivers a simple message in a complex way, which is to say the singer pretty much rattles off a bunch of nonsense, including something about Cherry Cola, all to say that he wants you. This is a fantastic tune for any summer dance party.
7- “Little Secrets” by Passion Pit
This song has a fantastic beat and high-pitched singing, what else could you need? Besides being a great dance song, this song will help bring your party together. Your party-hardy friends are already on the floor at this point, and this song will keep them there as your hipster friends join in. This is the song that throws your party into full swing.
8- “Ambling Alp” by Yeasayer
The bubbly noises that kick this song off will remind everyone to rehydrate, and then thirty seconds later the synths and drums show up and reinvigorate the dance floor. Aside from keeping your party going, this song has a good message about looking out for number one and is the perfect catalyst to shedding those cold-weather blues away.
9- “Audience” by Cold War Kids
I must admit that the dance party will wane a bit when this song comes on, but don’t worry, it’ll pick up again in about three minutes. In the meantime, this awesome song will allow for some conversation, giving people a chance to get to know each other a bit more. So while this doesn’t necessarily fit the mold of a summer dance party, it’s a catchy song that will have people trying to sing along by the time it fades to the end.
10- “The Opposite of Adults” by Chiddy Bang
With a sample of MGMT’s “Kids,” this tune is going to send your party into the next gear. Pay careful attention to the lyrics when these two Philly boys slam suburban schlub Asher Roth and his terrible song about college. The kicking beat and fantastic rhymes in this song will make it a winner amongst your friends, who will all be amazed by your ability to find the best songs ever. For the record, this is another great song to rock out to while driving slowly and showing off your indie cred.
11- “Bullet Proof” by La Roux
Once this song plays, you will have a full-fledged dancing party that will not end. This is a fantastic dance groove guaranteed to get your guests singing and dancing their butts off, and really, isn’t that the goal of this party?
12- “California Girls” by Katy Perry and Snoop Dogg
Like “Bullet Proof,” this is a hot club song right now that will serve as the musical fuel to power the fire that is your party. Seriously, take a listen and close your eyes, I know you can picture people in swimsuits dancing and singing along to this. Unless of course you are the aforementioned winter person, and should that be the case, I’ll have plenty of those mixes for you in about six months.
13- “Giving Up the Gun” by Vampire Weekend
I realize that not everyone is into the type of music in the last two songs, so this should appease them. It’s another great tune that will bridge the gap between your guests’ varied tastes in music. The echoey vocals conjure up visions of summers past, and in the future when this song comes on, your guests will think of you and your awesome party.
14- “Lollipop” by Mika
Flamboyant vocalist? Check. References to candy? Check. Thinly veiled sexual innuendo? Check. Sing-along chorus and a booty-shaking beat? Check. I really don’t know what else needs to be said about this song.
15- “Kiss, Boy” by Kate Nash
Every dance party needs a song with a decent brass section, and here’s yours. At this point, you’re an hour into the party and people are having so much fun, that you just may get the kiss that Kate sings about wanting.
16- “Lay Me Down” by the Dirty Heads featuring Rome
Normally, this song wouldn’t really be one for dancing. But at this point in your fiesta, it will do the trick. Besides, no summer mix is complete without Sublime, or in this case, a Sublimesque song featuring their new singer. Also, if you’re talented like that, this wouldn’t be a bad song to play on the boardwalk with an acoustic guitar and your stoner friend playing his djembe.
17- “Sweet Dogs” by Trolle//Siebenhaar
This sweet, relaxing song is a carried by a simple, yet kicking drum beat. Likewise, it’ll carry your party along nicely, allowing your guests to slow down and dance a little closer without a vibe-killing slow jam being brought into the mix. Plus, it will add another point to your indie cred scoreboard, if that’s your thing.
18- “Story of My Life” by Social Distortion
I heard recently that people either love or hate Social D with little middle ground. Despite that, the guitar riffs in this song have the summery vibe necessary to carry this mix onto its coda.
19- “Only the Good Die Young” by Billy Joel
This could be a regional thing, but I’m pretty sure everyone loves Billy Joel. This tune is all about a guy convincing a girl to get frisky with him, and let’s face it, half of your guests are doing the same thing. Impure intentions aside, this song is a fun way to cap off the summer mix.
Now that the mix is over, pop on any local radio station that broadcasts a DJ set from a club, and that will carry your party well into the night. Feel free to leave suggestions for other themed mixes in the comment box. Until next time, that’s your Mixtape Madness.
