A Summer Playlist

It is finally summer. In celebration, I have cooked up a playlist to blast at cookouts, picnics, boating trips, beaches, in the car. Anywhere. Leaving out too many cliches, here are 20 great songs to evoke the feel of sandy toes and clear night skies. 

1. “That’s What’s Up” Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

2. “Anna Sun” Walk the Moon

3. “Don’t Leave Me (Ne Me Quitte Pas)” Regina Spektor

4. “Stubborn Love” The Lumineers

5. “Silly Things” Wild Child

6. “Tongue Tied” Grouplove

7. “Cameo Lover” Kimbra

8. “Generals” The Mynabirds

9. “Ho Hey” The Lumineers

10. “I Don’t Wanna Pray” Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

11. “Huddle Formation” The Go! Team

12. “Nancy From Now On” Father John Misty

13. “Nova Baby” The Black Keys

14. “Dance With Me Tonight” Olly Murs

15. “I Get Ideas” M. Ward

16. “Primadonna” Marina and the Diamonds

17. “Walk You Home” Passenger

18. “Can’t Go Home” Good Old War

19. “Ceiling of Plankton” GIVERS

20. “Lost In My Mind” The Head and the Heart

Review 2

Radio pop is wrecking society. That’s not entirely true, but the radio takes the expansive music industry and gives the general public a narrow scope of what is truly an endless array of music. This is why artists like Regina Spektor, who has been making music her entire life, are still relatively unknown. The radio has never given Spektor the credit she deserves. She has an accessible sound and a wide spectrum of styles, from pop to forlorn ballads to electronic beats—the woman has something for everyone. With the release of her sixth studio album, What We Saw from the Cheap Seats, Spektor delivers a uniquely breathtaking batch of songs yet again.

8 What We Saw from the Cheap Seats- Regina Spektor

The album begins with Spektor’s signature piano on “Small Town Moon.” This song is reminiscent of the songs on Far, with its uppity melody and slightly repetitious lyrics, but it is a little gem nonetheless. Her song “Don’t Leave Me (Ne Me Quitte Pas)” appeared on her earlier album, Songs. This time, the song has been revamped with a fuller sound complete with synthesized beats which add a playful, light feel. It is a testament to Spektor’s musical growth since then. The album has the same sort of insight and witty musings as her previous work, but it’s how she is saying it that has evolved.

Each song on the album has a message, and Spektor delivers it with her quirky and delightful vocals. It mixes more of a personal tone into the songs. “How” is the perfect lovelorn, bluesy piece to which almost all listeners can connect. “How can I try to love someone new; someone who isn’t you?” This track could give Adele a run for her money in the breakup-song business. Always edging on political, Spektor delivers “Ballad of a Politician” with a tongue-in-cheek tone. This piece is an obvious highlight of the album, whereas the songs “The Party” and “Jessica” are two that nobody is going to notice. However, these quiet little ditties tie up the album wonderfully. In the last song, “Jessica,” Spektor opts for a quieter, acoustic sound. “It’s February again; we must get older now,” are the perfect sendoff lyrics.

It might not be as catchy as Begin to Hope or as deep as Far, but when comparing this album to her previous works, What We Saw from the Cheap Seats is (as cliché as this sounds) beautiful in its own way. It’s uplifting and intelligent, sweet and sad, chirpy and bright. Spektor sings to remind us of our inevitable mortality and of our stunning youth. “You taste like birthday, you look like New Year.” For these reasons, this album is a success. Maybe Spektor will never get the attention she deserves from radio stations, but she is still worth a listen. The songs play off of each other, and they leave a refreshing sound in the ears of anyone who has been listening to Carly Rae Jepsen too long.