Well my friends, summer is upon us and what goes better with beautiful summer weather than music. If you are anything like me, your musical tastes greatly correlate with the circumstances of your life. On dark depressing days you will usually find me listening to music that is mellower or even dreary at times. But when the weather is nice, and the biggest issue of the day is whether to have a red or yellow Popsicle, the music I listen to tends to also be bright and sunny. So here are just a few of the albums that I have been enjoying with the weather. Hopefully there’s a little something for everyone.

The Ditty Bops – Summer Rains

What says summer to you more than these two songbirds, harmonizing the days away, while strumming their acoustic guitars, mandolins, ukuleles and dulcimers. I have been in love with Amanda Barrett and Abby DeWald, who are collectively known as the Ditty Bops, ever since I heard “Walk or Ride”, the first song on their debut self titled album in 2004. This, their third studio album, and their first release on their own “Ditty Bops Music” label, is the perfect album for those long hot days of summer. The girls sound as relaxed and carefree as ever and the songs are catchy and sweet. In short, the Ditties we know and love.

Recommended Songs:

Because We Do

-Skinny Bones

The Ditty Bops were also recently featured on KCRW’s “Morning Becomes Eclectic”, click here to check out that performance.

Tilly & The Wall – O

What is there to say? It’s new Tilly and the Wall! The tap dancing wonderfulness is back again! The new album, which is apparently entitled O, is very similar to the first two albums, although I find there’s a little more of an edge to this one. Songs like “Pot Kettle Black” and “Too Excited” sound almost even angry, an emotion I’m not used to associating with Tilly and the Wall. Nevertheless, the album is a very enjoyable listen, and perfect for a summer full of tap dance sing alongs.

Recommended Songs:

Cacophony

-Chandelier Lake

Dengue Fever – Venus on Earth

I literally just discovered this band a few days ago. I had no idea who or what they were, I just went out on a limb and it paid off big time! I am loving this album right now. They are a band from Los Angeles, California, and they play a mixture of Cambodian pop music and 60s psychedelic rock. I know, its not like everything else I listen to, but something about it just grabs me. They sound like something that you would hear in a Wes Anderson movie. It may not be for everyone, but give it a chance, hopefully you won’t be disappointed.

Recommended songs:

-Seeing Hands

-Ocean of Venus

Wolf Parade – At Mount Zoomer

I have never considered myself a big Wolf Parade fan. Every now and then I would listen to a few songs off of their first album and like them, but I never found myself really wanting to listen to them. Their new album, entitled At Mount Zoomer, has changed my mind about them. I can now say that I am officially a Wolf Parade fan. I find myself really wanting to listen to this album. Songs like “California Dreamer” and the epic “Kissing the Beehive” really get me hyped. More hyped than I have ever been about Wolf Parade. So kudos to you Wolf Parade, you have converted me.

Recommended Songs:

Solider’s Grin

-California Dreamer

-Kissing the Beehive

Pomegranates – Everything is Alive

This is another new discovery of mine. I found out about them when I stumbled upon their recent performance on Daytrotter. I immediately fell in love with the songs “In The Kitchen” and “The Bellhop”. Not surprisingly, the rest of the album is good too. The lead singer kind of sounds like a munchkin from Munchkinland, but I like it. It gives the band a kind of Elephant Sixey feel. This is definitely one of my top albums of the summer.

Recommended Songs:

The Bellhop

-Thunder Meadow

This obviously isn’t all I’m listening to, and the list will probably be very different in a week or two, but for now, this is it! I hope you take a listen and enjoy my songs of summer. I’m very curious to see what other people like to listen to at this time of year, so if you don’t mind taking a few seconds, let’s see what you’re listening to. Even if it’s Beach Boys! Besides, what is summer without the Beach Boys?

Until next week…

-The Middle Distance Runner

Stephen Kings Of Leon
Martin A-Missy Elliott
Charles Baudel-Air
James Ellroyksopp
TS Elliott Smith
Charles Bukowskid Row
JK Rowling Stones
Lewis Carroll King
Brett Easton Elvis

And some other clever ones that appear in their comments section:

Virginia Wolf Parade
Nick Drake Hornby
Ray Charles Dickens
James Joyce Division
Sufjan Wallace Stevens
Lilly Allen Ginsberg
Peter Bjorn and John Milton

Can anyone think of any good YBP/Non-YBP related bands as literary figures?

Feel free to comment below!

Call it a habit, call it a custom… Ah, let’s just call it a ritual. When there’s new music out from some of our favourite YBP artists, we have to report it.

King Creosote recently contributed a Malcolm Middleton cover of ‘Choir’ as a b-side to Malcolm’s new single, ‘Blue Plastic Bags’.  You can listen to it on Malcolm’s myspace page here.

There is also a new Wolf Parade album on the horizon! You can sneak a listen to their first single called ‘Call it a Ritual’. The new album, which has yet to be named, drops on June 17th, but for now you can stream their single from their myspace page here.

We’re very excited to welcome Wolf Parade –fellow Montrealers to the YBP roster.