Yeehaw! There's nothing vaguely Country or Western about this mix!* But it's America, dammit, so it doesn't have to make sense. Frequent contributor Kate did another nice job with the art on this one. Summer Fridays 2.3 is a typical mix of mine, kind of all over the place with at least one sore thumb number. But it all kind of works in my mind at least. Ok, folks. Giddyup and download this sucker and enjoy.

DOWNLOAD SUMMER FRIDAYS 2.3

1.  Adorable - Sunshine Smile
2.  The Bicycles - Walk Away (from a Good thing)
3.  Ivy - No Guarantee
4.  Joy Zipper - Baby You Should Know
5.  DEASTRO - Toxic Crusaders
6.  Acrylics - Molly's Vertigo
7.  Summer Cats - Hey You
8.  Lotion - Rock Chick
9.  The Vitamen - The Best TV Watchers in the World
10. Metronomy - A Thing For Me (Breakbot's B-LIVE Miami Mix)
11. Box Elders - Atlantis
12. Big Star - O My Soul
13. Ty  Segall - In Your Car
14. Guided by Voices - Girls of Wild Strawberries
15. The Brian Jonestown Massacre - This is Why You Love Me
16. Cud - Not Exactly D.L.E.R.C.
17. The Pooh Sticks - Young People
18. Spacecamp - Puppy
19. The Verlaines - Death and the Maiden
20. Marty Robbins - The Story of My Life

Disclaimer: this is an actual mix, the songs segue together so don't go hitting shuffle blah blah blah.

If you'd like to contribute cover art to a future Summer Fridays, get in touch. Liner notes after the jump.

1.  Adorable - Sunshine Smile
Forgotten early 90s shoegazers who shot themselves in the foot a lot thanks to the big mouth of singer Piotr Fijalkowski. Their American label (remember SBK anyone?) actually made up promotional schwag tshirts that said "The Band You Love to Hate" which might be a good slogan for a fictional character, not a real band. Nonetheless, Adorable had some great singles. This was their first, and maybe my favorite.

2.  The Bicycles - Walk Away (from a Good thing)
Canadian rock has been hot for the last few years but not so much for Toronto's Bicycles, who are probably just a little too cutesy for mass blog love. They also don't really tour America, which doesn't help, as they are super fun in concert. And great songs, especially the candy psychedelic ones like this.

3.  Ivy - No Guarantee
The first couple Ivy albums are near perfect pop, informed by the '80s but not beholden to it. Big hooks, nice production and the breathy, French-accented vocals of Dominique Durande. What more do you need?

4.  Joy Zipper - Baby You Should Know
Long Island's best-ever (and best-looking) boy-girl semi-shoegaze pop band. This is from thier 2003 American Whip. Apart from contributing songs to a couple tribute albums, Joy Zipper (which is the name of the singer's mother) have been silent since 2005's The Heartlight Set, though Tabitha Tindale and Vincent Cafiso recent marriage was covered by the NY Times.

5.  DEASTRO - Toxic Crusaders
Detroit synth rockers who I like a lot despite their tendency to wear animal masks on stage. There's a lot going on in "Toxic Crusaders," dense and dynamic like the best Mew songs.

6.  Acrylics - Molly's Vertigo
Newish Brooklyn band who recently kind of floored me when I saw them at the Northside festival. These kids really have it together. "Molly's Vertigo" has a Rosebuds sort of feel with the twangy guitars and boy-girl vocals. The rest of their songs are a little more dancey, but no less infectious.

7.  Summer Cats - Hey You
I didn't even know this Australian band had even finished their album, so it was a nice surprise to find it in my mailbox earlier this week. (Songs for Sundays is out July 24 on Slumberland.) Maybe you know their singles "Let's Go" or "Lonely Planet" (Finest Kiss' Single of 2008). Not low fi, but not sparkling pop either. A little motorik in there too. Let's just call it very good.

8.  Lotion - Rock Chick
The syncopation of this song throws me every time, it's groovy but somewhat undanceble. Till the end at least. If ever there was a NYC band that needed to come back, it's Lotion. Vastly underappreciated at the time, this is from their second album, Nobody's Cool. They were.

9.  The Vitamen - The Best TV Watchers in the World
Another sadly-missed NYC band, who actually just reformed to play Black Betty's last week of existence. This is like the ultimate slacker apathy anthem, though main dude Jesse Blockton (who I've watched TV with, actually) might disagree. But probably not.

10. Metronomy - A Thing For Me (Breakbot's B-LIVE Miami Mix)
Metronomy made my favorite album of 2008, the original version of this song was on it, but this is a remix that turns it into some sort of '70s soft rock song, a la Rupert Holmes. Which is amazing. The band just reconfigured themselves into a four-piece with a drummer. It will be interesting to see where Joseph Mount takes Metronomy from here.

11. Box Elders - Atlantis
Omaha's best new band, is there any debate? This is from their debut album, Alice & Friends, due out this August. Sort of early '60s rock n' roll/r n' b filtered through a Leslie speakers and a garage rock mentality. Irresistible. 

12. Big Star - O My Soul
The guitar sound in the Box Elder's song immediately made me think of the opening track from Big Star's second album, Radio City, so here it is. Both of Big Star's first albums got reissued on vinyl this week (as did the combo CD), so... go get it.

13. Ty  Segall - In Your Car
I didn't fully clean out the garage last night, so here's Bay Area resident Ty Segal with a jam off his upcoming second album, Lemons, which is out on Goner (just like the Box Elders LP). It kind of sounds like lurid stripper music from some Ted V. Mikels or Russ Meyer movie. Which is a high compliment. Ty's on tour, go see him.

14. Guided by Voices - Girls of Wild Strawberries
This song came up on shuffle recently, reminding me how good it is. I'm no Robert Pollard worshiper, but there's no denying this one. And it's almost like this and..

15. The Brian Jonestown Massacre - This is Why You Love Me
...the Brian Jonestown Massacre song were joined at the hip. Same key at least. These days, Anton's antics get most of the attention, but he wrote some really really good songs too.

16. Cud - Not Exactly D.L.E.R.C.
I'm not sure why I put a Cud song on this mix -- they're definitely a guilty pleasure. A cult fave to some, a footnote to others, a "who?" to most. But we played them a lot on my college radio station and if you don't mind singer Carl Putnam's Tom Jones-ish delivery, there's a lot to like. I also like anythintg with the "Peggy Sue" beat. "D.L.E.R.C" is one of Carl's girlfriend's initials, if you were wondering.

17. The Pooh Sticks - Young People
The Pooh Sticks' 1991 album The Great White Wonder was the best album of it's kind until Urge Overkill released Saturation a couple years later: big dumb riffs, big dumb lyrics, all delivered with a wink and tongue firmly in cheek.

18. Spacecamp - Puppy
A song about drinking and about drinks. What does go in a hot toddy? Not that you'd want to drink one in June anyway, but this is definitely a Summer song.

19. The Verlaines - Death and the Maiden
Along with The Clean's "Tally Ho," this has to be the quintessential Flying Nun song. "You're just too obscure for me." I get that a lot.

20. Marty Robbins - The Story of My Life
*Finally a song that relates to the cover art. Marty Robbins, king on the gunfighter ballad. But he was a rock n' roll crooner before that -- he did "A White Sport Coat (and a Pink Carnation)" and this 1958 gem written by Burt Bacharach.

The second mix of the 2009 summer season. This one was an attempt at mostly gritty, psychedelic sounds, but I made room for the Jean-Paul Sartre Experience who I've been revisiting lately (I guess they're psychedelic), as well as some other things that don't quite fit in the garage. Cover art this week is by Jinners who you may know from Spicy Times or Door Girl Art. There's a hi-res version included if you want to burn a CD and print it out the cover. If you'd like to contribute art to an upcoming mix, do get in touch.

DOWNLOAD SUMMER FRIDAYS 2.2

As always, the songs segue together so no shuffling please. Here's the tracklist:

1.    The Fall - Cruiser's Creek
2.    The dB's - Cycles per Second
3.    Pas Chic Chic - Haydée Morcelée
4.    Tomorrow - My White Bicycle
5.    Amazing Baby - Kankra
6.    Jean-Paul Sartre Experience - The Loving Grapevine
7.    Thee Oh Sees - Tidal Wave
8.    The Kinks - Funny Face
9.    The Inbreds - You Will Know
10.    Hospitality - Betty Wang
11.    The Go-Betweens - People Say
12.    The Who - Armenia City in the Sky
13.    The Intelligence - Moody Tower
14.    Hell on Wheels - As We Play
15.    Oranger - Stony Curtis in Reverse
16.    Lyres - Help You Ann
17.    The Three O'Clock - Jetfighter
18.    The Weather Prophets - Almost Prayed
19.    The Beets - What Did I Do?
|20.    The Turtles - Outside Chance
21.    The Pastels - Something's Going On
22.    Redd Kross - Play My Song
23.    Sloan - G to D  

Liner notes after the jump...

1.    The Fall - Cruiser's Creek
One of the biggest, baddest riffs in The Fall's catalogue (courtesy Mark E. Smith's then-wife, Brix). The lyrics are pretty good too, some nice imagery... shirtails flapping in the wind. This was a non-album single, though it was appended to This Nation's Saving Grace. One of the greatest bands ever.

2.    The dB's - Cycles per Second
I used to dislike Chris Stamey's songs on dB's records: the weird, close harmonies, skwonky keyboards. But I've since come to prefer them to Peter Holsapple's pure pop. This is one of his best from their near-perfect 1981 debut, Stands for Decibels.
 
3.    Pas Chic Chic - Haydée Morcelée
The requisite French language song on this mix. These guys are from Montreal and features a former Godspeed You Black Emperor. No idea what this song is about, if anything, but it sure sounds cool.
  
4.    Tomorrow - My White Bicycle
Classic psychedelic single from 1967 and the production still sounds amazing today. I love the backwards bike chains, all the cool little touches and phase effects. The lyric, in case you were wondering, is based on the communal white bicycles that were available for anyone to use in Amsterdam.
 
5.    Amazing Baby - Kankra
I'm not sure why people hate on Amazing Baby. Sure, they dress kind of silly but there's no denying the musicianship, the inventiveness of the arrangements and generally awesomeness of their songs. Well there's no denying it to me, at least. From their debut, Rewild, which is out next week.

6.    Jean-Paul Sartre Experience - The Loving Grapevine
Before they became obsessed with becoming New Zealand's answer to Spacemen 3, The Jean-Paul Sartre Experience made some really lovely, mildly psychedelic music on thier debut, Love Songs, which is where you can get this song. If it was in print.
 
7.    Thee Oh Sees - Tidal Wave
New single from John Dwyer and company on Woodsist. Even within such a narrow genre as garage, Thee Oh Sees have manage to create an instantly recognizable sound. Maybe they've patented their reverb and echo settings. Their new album, Help, is worth seeking out too.
 
8.    The Kinks - Funny Face
I know people go on and on about Village Green Preservation Society and Arthur, and I like those records plenty, but I'll take Face to Face and Something Else over them any day. This is a Dave Davies track, sporting a killer riff.  
 
9.    The Inbreds - You Will Know
These duo -- bass and drums -- were part of the Halifax, NS explosion of the early '90s that happened when Sloan became super hot. This was their first album I think, Kombinator, and the only one that got released in the US. Bass and drums is a gimmick but they made it work. Great songs help.

10.    Hospitality - Betty Wang
Misheard Lyric Case File 246: I thought the lyric, for whatever reason, was "Sous chef! Sous Chef! Sous Chef!" but was informed by Hospitality singer Amber Papini that she's actually singing "Su Chia," which is Betty's Chinese name. I love Amber's voice, and her songs fit it so perfectly with it. I am smitten.
 
11.    The Go-Betweens - People Say
This is from "the lost album" the band recorded in '78 - '79 that didn't see the light of day until the late '90s. It's one of my favorites, maybe because it's free of all the clarinets, strings and '80s production which weighed down some of thier '80s albums (Talulah comes to mind, great songs it may have). This is one of Robert Forster's songs, and I won't lie: seeing the Tartans cover this live was the inspiration for its inclusion here.

12.    The Who - Armenia City in the Sky
Opening track to The Who Sell Out, probably my favorite of their albums, showing that Pete Townsend can be as psychedelic and ambitions as Syd Barrett, John Lennon, whoever. The production is kind of weird though, the trippy effects are louder than any of the instruments.
 
13.    The Intelligence - Moody Tower
My friend Toby has been pushing the Intelligence on me for some time and it took me getting their new album, Fake Surfers, on vinyl to finally push me over the edge and declare love for this band. More garage, yes, but this is a weird postmodern take on it. 
  
14.    Hell on Wheels - As We Play
This is probably the only thing on this mix that sounds like it was made now. From Sweden, another find courtesy of Jim at Parasol Records who seeks out the coolest Scandinavian sounds. 
  
15.    Oranger - Stony Curtis in Reverse
Before Thee Oh Sees, Fresh and Onlys and Ty Segall was Oranger, lovers of all things '60s. This was from their 2000 masterpiece, The Quiet Vibrationland. The song title, a Flintstones reference, of course. Perfection in just over a minute.
  
16.    Lyres - Help You Ann
This nugget from 1984 sounds like the blueprint for every Hives song ever written. From Boston, originally signed to Ace of Hearts, the same label as Mission of Burma. Sounded retro compared to all the drum machines of the era, but it now just sounds timeless.
 
17.    The Three O'Clock - Jetfighter
Armed with a voice most people thought belonged to a girl, Michael Querico's The Three O'Clock were one of the main bands in LA's '80s Paisley Underground, so it was called. (See also: The Dream Syndicate and the Bangles.) The band would later suffer from '80s-itis, but this is one of their finest moments.
  
18.    The Weather Prophets - Almost Prayed
Pete Astor fronted The Loft and the the Weather Prophets, mining all aspects of Lou Reed's repertoire. This is perhaps their best song.
  
19.    The Beets - What Did I Do?
From Jackson Heights, Queens, a neighborhood better known for it's Indian and Thai food than any bands. But The Beets are changing that perception. I can't quite figure out why they're so good... but they are.

20.    The Turtles - Outside Chance
Misunderstood as fluff, the Turtles were one of the '60s greatest musical pranksters, almost like a Steely Dan before people really understood irony. But they wrote killer songs in addition to being clever, and you should really seek them out beyond "Happy Together."
 
21.    The Pastels - Something's Going On
One of the Pastels earliest singles for Creation, showing off their immediate way with melody... and lack of musical skill. All for the best.

22.    Redd Kross - Play My Song
The McDonald brothers are supreme rockologists, distilling decades of riffs into killer homages. This was always one of my favorites from their indespensible album, Neurotica.

23.    Sloan - G Turns to D 
What happens when a guy teaches his girlfriend to play guitar? Tragedy. This song tells the tale. "She's aware it's all been done before / It's another song in this key / yeah but this songs about me."
  

Do people who actually still have jobs still get Summer Fridays in 2009? No matter, it's just a hook to hang an excuse for making weekly mixes again. How did it get to be June already? As usual, there's no theme here, just a bunch of song (mostly new this time) that I like a lot. You may remember, I actually segue the songs together because I'm a control freak who wants you listening to the songs in the order I put them in. Cover art for this first Summer Friday is by my friend Kate, who did a couple covers last year. If you have interest in doing art for an upcoming mix, do get in touch.  Anyway, without further ado:

DOWNLOAD SUMMER FRIDAYS VOL 2.1

Here's the tracklist:

1. The Sneetches - Over Round Each Other
2. Miike Snow - Song for No One
3. The Legends - Always the Same
4. Two Door Cinema Club - Something Good Can Work
5. Super Furry Animals - Where Do You Want to Go?
6. Let's Wrestle - We Are the Men You'll Grow to Love Soon
7. The Fresh & Onlys - I Saw You Seeing Me
8. Surf City - Kudos
9. New Order - Dream Attack
10. Jack Peñate - Today's Tonight
11. Mazes - Love to Lay
12. Close Lobsters - Let's Make Some Plans
13. Say Hi - Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh
14. Cats on Fire - Borders of This Land
15. Aztec Camera - Oblivious
16. I Was a King - California
17. My Teenage Stride - Creep Academy
18. Casiokids - Fot I Hose
19. Micachu - Calculator
20. The Drums - Don't Be a Jerk, Jonny
21. Clor - Love + Pain

"Liner notes" after the jump:

1. The Sneetches - Over Round Each Other | San Francisco band from the 80s/90s who clearly loved The Turtles. From their great first album, Sometimes It's All We Have. 
 
2. Miike Snow - Song for No One | As you may have heard, these guys (or some of them) wrote Britney Spears' "Toxic." Don't expect this to sound like that though.
 
3. The Legends - Always the Same | The Legends reinvent themselves again, keeping the same pop melodies but burying them under a blanket of white noise. They're playing NYC in two weeks.

4. Two Door Cinema Club - Something Good Can Work | If you're like me, you'll hear this and say "Are you sure this isn't Phoenix?" Nope, this lot are from Ireland, this single's on Kitsune, and it's quite good I think.
 
5. Super Furry Animals - Where Do You Want to Go? | Super Furry Animals are probably my favorite band of the last 15 years and have yet to deliver an album I didn't like. The new one, Dark Days/Light Years, is a bit unwieldy but there are some amazing songs on it. Like this one.
 
6. Let's Wrestle - We Are the Men You'll Grow to Love Soon | First single from their long-awaited, highly-anticipated (by me), super-awesome debut album, In the Court of Wrestling Let's.  

7. The Fresh & Onlys - I Saw You Seeing Me | If you haven't sought out these San Franciscans yet, you really should. By year's end they'll have six or seven things out, all on different labels. Hopefully all of it good. This is from their 7" on Dirty Knobby. Get it here. Also: I interviewed them.
 
8. Surf City - Kudos | The best new thing out of New Zealand in ages. Their 2007 EP has been worn out by me, so hopefully there'll be an album in the near future. This track is from a MORR tribute to Flying Nun.

9. New Order - Dream Attack | Side two of Technique is pretty much bulletproof, and this is the closing track, a perfect blend of New Order's rock and dance sides. 
 
10. Jack Peñate - Today's Tonight | He's gone kind of world beat on his second album, Everything is New, which is just the sort of thing I usually hate. Yet it works for me. Maybe I need to give Vampire Weekend another shot? Probably not.
 
11. Mazes - Love to Lay | This is a side project by Edward from Chicago's 1900s. Not really that different from what they do, but gives him more of a vocal spotlight. Mellow and warm.
 
12. Close Lobsters - Let's Make Some Plans | The Wedding Present's cover of this song is probably more famous, but I've always like these guys and all three of their releases (two albums and an EP) are worth seeking out if you love '80s indiepop.
 
13. Say Hi - Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh | I can't say that I'm a big Say Hi fan in general, but this song is great. Don't know whether it's the trombone or the Built to Spill nod that put me over the edge. You may have heard this song in an episode of Gossip Girl but don't hold it against it.
 
14. Cats on Fire - Borders of This Land | Fop pop from Finland. The guitar playing on this song is just stellar, all the little flourishes and whatnot. Sort of Cardigans-esque I think. Or maybe a bit...
 
15. Aztec Camera - Oblivious | ...like Roddy Frame, who was still drinking chocolate milk when he wrote this. If you don't own High Land, Hard Rain, jeez what are you waiting for? 
 
16. I Was a King - California | Just when you're getting into this song, it's over. That is not a criticism.
 
17. My Teenage Stride - Creep Academy | From their monthly singles series, exclusively available on Emusic. Maybe the best thing MTS have ever done.
 
18. Casiokids - Fot I Hose | That synth bass gets me every time.

19. Micachu - Calculator | What a wierd, wonderful record Micachu's album is. This track might go well with a lime chaser.
 
20. The Drums - Don't Be a Jerk, Jonny | Up-and-comers from Florida whose debut EP, Summertime!, will hopefully be out soon. This is from that. If you live in NYC, they're playing every Wednesday in June at The Annex. Horrible club, good band.

21. Clor - Love + Pain | Why did you have to break up, Clor? My #1 single of 2005. I have yet to tire of it four years on. Singer Barry Dobbin's got a new thing, Barringtone, but it's not the same.