What Were You Listening To This Summer?

So it's starting to feel less and less like summer everyday now. Believe it or not there's a few weeks left. All we've been talking about here are summer records; I listed my favorite record releases of the (spring and) summer and LLV basically gave a run down of what she's been into this summer with a wide range of selections from Eminem to Fleetwood Mac.

I had this idea to ask a few people what their favorite records were to listen to in the summer. For me it's Weezer's Blue Album, hands down. It's as if I forget that record exists until it gets warm outside. The opening chords of the acoustic on "My Name Is Jonas", the lyrics in "Surf Wax America" (and the title!) and the visual I get from "In The Garage" seem to just scream "It's summer, get out, enjoy the weather, have fun!!!". Hell, I don't even own a car this is the feeling I get from popping some ear buds in my ear so I can only imagine what fun I'd be inspired to have if I hopped into a car and cranked the volume up to 'obnoxious'. This summer however I've gotten a bit dark. Along with my beloved Weezer summer pick-me-up I've been putting Kittie's discography on repeat. Ironically, one of my favorite songs by the band is called "Summer Dies"

SO, I asked Raimy Rosenduft, Sarah Bastin, Jamie Holm (Sick of Sarah), Brad Hale (Now, Now Every Children) and Lindsey Byrnes to fill us in on what they've been blasting this summer. I'm nosy, I ask a lot of people a lot of things and you're no different. I'd love to see what you guys have been listening to this summer in the comments!

And yeah The Byrnes' answer is kind of short. But if you're a fan of The Byrnes then you know how busy she is, seriously, I don't think the woman sleeps! Glad I could get a hold of her to get this! Enjoy

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Nada Surf's 'Let Go' it just happened that way, I got back to Los Angeles after being gone for almost a year and it's just what has been on my ipod. That and Next Stop Soweto and Miriam Makeba's Greatest Hits and a bunch of other afrobeat... and the new LCD and Washed Out all on shuffle. It reminds me of walking around Park Slope and Ft. Greene... home.

-Raimy
http://raimyrosenduft.com
http://twitter.com/muthafunka

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my record of the summer 2010 is ra ra riot - boy
because before them i hated the cello and the violin. because their new record makes me sad, happy, joyful, melancolic and summer is all about that. it's the moment of the year to reach a new level in work and life, you start a new year in the summer. ra ra riot is a great band for roadtrips !

-Sarah
http://sarahbastin.net
http://twitter.com/sarahbastin
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The album I've been listening to the most is my boyfriends band, Vaudeville, I'm a nerd. Haha. Other than that I would have to say Mermaid Avenue, Wilco & Billy Bragg. I'm addicted.

-Jamie
http://sickofsarah.com
http://twitter.com/jamiestrange

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I'm not big on summer, so whenever summer happens to come around I need to listen to music that distracts me from the heat. Every summer for the past handful of years I have found myself retreating to the Sufjan Stevens "Songs for Christmas" albums. Maybe it's a bad habit, but it totally gives me this nostalgic feeling that I can never find anywhere during summer.

-Brad
http://nownowband.tumblr.com
http://twitter.com/poopybrad

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Steel Train/Steel Train
Pixies/ Doolittle
Tegan and Sara/Sainthood

These are the CDs that are currently on rotation in my car.

-Lindsey
http://lindseybyrnes.com
http://twitter.com/lindseybyrnes

Illustrations by Jodi Sandler

http://jodisandler.com

http://twitter.com/jodisandler

Everything You Need to Know: Blood Red Shoes

by Sarah Bastin

November 2007. I am taking photos of the Festival Les Inrocks for Brain Magazine. It’s my first time at this Festival, and if I remember well, it’s the opening night. Cold War Kids is headlining this first day but 2 hours before, I was stoked by a duo, Blood Red Shoes.

A drumset and a guitar. Then I remember the blond hair of steve and his blue eyes. But mostly I remember Laura-Mary. How pale is her skin and how dark are her eyes. I instantly got a crush on her, him, them. She acts shy but she rocks hard. Steve looks like a tiny boy but his big eyes are all opened.

I try to do my best to take photos. It’s complicated. I am far from the stage. I am not in the front row. The band is awesome and I am struggling against the work I have to do and the sensations that I feel. Blood Red Shoes gave me sweet warm feelings that I needed. "I Wish I Was Someone Better" blew my mind. So did "It’s Getting Boring by the Sea". Short songs full of riffs suit to my present life. It’s punk rock with the pop that we need. After the show, I’ve spent two weeks listening non stop to their first album. Buying it online, looking for their vinyls in Paris.

(photo set Paris 2007 http://www.flickr.com/photos/redbookprojekt/sets/72157603172364331/)

A year later, in 2008, Blood Red Shoes played a new show in Paris. The same night as Motorhead. First row in a pit full of photographers. Again, nothing on the stage but a drum set and guitars. It’s empty and I already love it. Laura-Mary is wearing the exact same shoes. Black ones. I remembered them as high heels. They are not. "Say Something, Say Anything" is epic and the band offers 3 exclusive new songs.

(photo set Paris 2008 http://www.flickr.com/photos/redbookprojekt/sets/72157610200602485/)

I don’t remember their titles but they are probably part, today, of their new album, Fire like this. After 3 years of intense listening to their music, I saw Blood Red Shoes for the first time in 2 years, at their show in Paris. I am here to film their set for Le Hiboo and I am excited and anxious just like the beginning of term. The new record is a bit more pop but "Don’t Ask" is an amazing single. The show was sold out and I am happy for this band. They played festivals and they deserve to have their own public. I am a bit scared too. What if nothing has changed? What if they don’t give something new?

Don't Ask from bloodredshoes on Vimeo.

This time I am on the left side, right in front of Steve who is facing me. I admit that I don’t remember Laura-Mary’s shoes but she has replaced her dresses for a large Led Zep tee and a skinny jean. Again, she rarely looks at the crowd while she is mastering her guitar. They are both themselves. At least, the same duo from 2007. But 3 years later, they are offering us a show with much more nuances of the rock music. Discret electronic drum intros, slow and fast tempos in the same song. "When We Wake" makes me want to stop filming and enjoy the song. It’s something heavy, weak, sweet, sour, fragile and strong. It’s the perfect symbol of a complementary duo, of an (apparently) shy girl offering heavy riffs, of a tiny blond boy with a huge drum set.

Titles, in no specific order :

ADHD

Can’t Find the Door

Don’t Ask

I Wish I Was Someone Better

It’s getting Boring by the Sea

Say Something, Say Anything

You Bring Me Down

Light It Up

When We Wake

Follow the Lines

~ Sarah Bastin (http://twitter.com/SarahBastin)

photo by Sarah Bastin

Band: http://bloodredshoes.co.uk