The heat is still lingering in some of the country, but kids are heading back to school after the Labor Day weekend. Summer, that wonderful season of watermelon and excitement, is coming to a close.
Celebrate the end of summer with this playlist
Some songs like “Paradise Waiting” by Vacationer are literally odes to the season’s departure. Others simply sound and feel like summer’s end.
Here’s a playlist to celebrate the dwindling long days and warm nights:
"The Senator's Daughter" by Fountains of Wayne
“Crossing guards start traffic jams/Soccer moms drive minivans.” Summer’s over, and Fountains of Wayne has the perfect sound to start off this nostalgic mix.
“Just The Same But Brand New” by St. Vincent
“Just The Same But Brand New” is a song built on ambiance. It’s never quite clear what instruments are making the sweeping sounds behind Annie Clark’s voice, but it doesn’t need to be. The smooth, soothing sound of this song is perfect for the transition to fall.
“Walk On By” by Noosa
The chorus of Noosa’s “Walk On By” is almost three times as fast as the song’s verses, making its rhythmic chanting and building momentum disappear far too quickly. Just like summer.
“Stay Low” by Ryn Weaver
Weaver’s debut EP Promises is best known for the catchy, addicting “Octahate,” but “Stay Low” is a groovy song that places Weaver’s voice sunnily on display
“Paradise Waiting” by Vacationer
We hope you, too, were a vacationer this summer. “Paradise Waiting” will fill you with memories of your trip. It’s a song about a love, summertime, and casting tensions aside.
“East of Eden” by Zella Day
“East of Eden” would be perfect music for a scene where a movie protagonist walked through an apple orchard casually. It’s rhythmic, has a constant bass line, and uses layering to give Zella Day’s voice the depth it normally lacks.
“West Coast” by Coconut Records
Not only did this song get popularized by The OC — arguably the most summer-y TV show of all time — but it has a great narrative about leaving something behind.
“Trojans” by Atlas Genius
“Trojans” was the first single ever released by Atlas Genius, and though a little rough in melody after its second verse, it sounds refreshing and has an energy the group lost quickly.
“Cigarette Song” by Raury
With its heavy drum beat and whirling background noises, “Cigarette Song” is a better version of a song that a young guitarist might play on a hot summer evening.
“You Don’t Know Me” by Ben Folds featuring Regina Spektor
The pairing of Ben Folds’s talk-singing and Regina Spektor’s perfect, wispy harmonies creates a perfect analogy for the transition from summer to fall in these next few weeks.
“Still Water” by The Samples
Once winter arrives and we have to rid ourselves of all of our cute dresses and shorts and are freezing, we’ll remember summer “like a wish that won’t come true.”
“Lazuli” by Beach House
“Lazuli” is a song that will remind you of your summers as a teenager. It feels like having a few months off, with all of the freedom and opportunity that brings. It’s a great closer for a playlist of nostalgic late summer grooves.
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