OPINION: Nick’s songs of the summer

Hard to believe summer is already wrapping up, but we’re not out of the woods yet! But, I have something fun for this week.

I’m the only reporter at the CNA this week, so I’m pretty busy. Instead of some deep contemplative memory or writing about a movie I only sort of like, I want to have a not-thinky column today. So, what’s the one thing I like to do in my downtime to relax? Listen to my tunes.

For those used to digital music streaming, I highly recommend creating a playlist about once a month of the music you’re listening to. After a few years, looking back at those playlists will conjure up memories and feelings of the time. It’s a really cool way to create a time capsule, especially if you like music.

Here are a few songs I’ve been listening to this summer. Some of them are new, a lot are old, but all of them have defined the summer in some way. A lot of them are melancholic. Sorry!

Glass, Concrete & Stone - David Byrne

I’ve been watching “The Bear” again recently, probably on my personal Mount Rushmore of favorite TV shows, part of it because of the music. I’ve been getting very grumpy with needle drops in movies and TV recently, mostly because they seem so unoriginal and appeal to nostalgia way too hard, but “The Bear” is different.

To me, the music in “The Bear” are all deep cuts. From using the demo version of Sufjan Stevens’ “Chicago” or using Bruce Hornsby and the Range’s “The Show Goes On,” there’s a ton of obscure but powerful music.

This extends to “Glass, Concrete & Stone,” a cut from Talking Heads frontman David Byrne’s solo career which is as meditative as it gets. Lovely marimba, unexpected melody changes and those otherworldly lyrics have a signature Byrne flavor. Byrne is probably the most pessimistic optimist on this planet.

The episode of “The Bear” which has this song has stuck with me for a long time. The concept of service to others as service to yourself has been rattling in my brain as I processed the episode, and the meditation of “Glass, Concrete & Stone” has undoubtedly helped. Go watch “The Bear,” good show.

P.O.V. - Clipse

For something completely different, my most played album from the summer is probably Clipse’s “Let God Sort Em Out,” a phenomenal rap album from Virginia duo Pusha T and Malice (formerly No Malice) with production by veteran Pharell Williams.

A lot of really dark beats and unconventional flows makes listening to the album a treat, and none represent the album better than “P.O.V.” (I could have also put “Chains & Whips” here, but “P.O.V.” has definitely been played more).

With the syncopated melody becoming my favorite brainworm I’ve ever had to a braggadocious Tyler, the Creator guest verse, “P.O.V.” is such a swing. The final Malice verse with a haunting beat switch to match the mood is pure dopamine.

Which Will - Nick Drake

Every once in a while I return to Nick Drake’s 1972 album “Pink Moon” to find a vibrant acoustic guitar song to release all the sad feelings. This year’s pick, “Which Will,” is a softly-spoken, intimate song punctuated with Drake’s signature guitar twangs and featherweight voice.

Melancholy has defined the story of Drake as an artist. With songs closely associated with longing and depression, Drake’s critical reevaluation in the years since his passing in 1974 has been a platform for experiencing his music with a new, forever-too-young lens.

It’s the type of music which can become sincerely mournful, but “Which Will” and by extension all of “Pink Moon” is too quick and too soft to be anything other than emotionally-lifting. It’s a magic song.

Worms - The Japanese House

Weird names for artist and song aside, “Worms” has returned to me this year. Warbling synths and ethereal vocals from Amber Mary Bain makes the indie pop of “Worms” feel vibrant through neon production.

Simple lyrics establish a delicate mood which is surprisingly uplifting compared to other Japanese House lyrics. “Invest yourself in something worth investing in” is a powerful lyric.

It’s a glossy song for sure, but when I’m in the mood for it, nothing really matches the energy.

Color Scheme - The Jephries

Time for something really obscure. If you can make it past the strange gritty vocals of Alaska-based indie rock band frontman Sid Conklin, you’re in for a treat as the mellow instruments clash beautifully with Conklin’s vocals.

The song itself, lyrically a conversation about trying to understand if someone’s green or blue (their “color scheme”), is great for relaxing as soon as you adapt to the vocals. The lead-in lyric of the melody (“When the sun shines in your face / Do you look like a liar?”) has stuck with me since first hearing the song in 2020.