I’m not sure how it happened but we’re nearly in the middle of August. Summer is leaving as quickly as it came. Perhaps it’s because I have a July birthday, but summer has always been my favorite season. And I always feel a kind of melancholy as the season winds down and we start the transition to fall.
You should keep this in mind as you read through my suggestions for albums to listen to during the last few weeks of summer. This collection of records is not so much about having a last hurrah of summer but more about basking the ennui that comes with the days getting shorter and realizing you haven’t completed nearly as much as you wanted to on your summer bucket list.
I’ve also realized that the majority of these records were released between 2015 and 2017. Perhaps I’m feeling particularly nostalgic for that period of life, the ending of my 20s. Perhaps it’s the last time I really felt like I was up to speed on the latest music releases. Or perhaps as one friend put it, it’s because that period was the ending of the summer of our lives.
Goon by Tobias Jesso Jr.
Goon is the debut album by artist Tobias Jesso Jr. released in 2015. While Jesso has not released an album since, he is a pretty prolific songwriter, having worked with some of my favorite recent artists like Harry Styles, Orville Peck, Haim, and more. Goon at its core is a breakup album. Jesso starts the album crooning about how he can’t stop thinking about his now ex-lover. This album perfectly captures the feeling of things slipping away from you, even as you try to keep grasping for them.
Jesso cites Randy Newman as one of his favorite artists, something that comes through so clearly on the song like How Could You Babe.
Favorite Song: The Wait
Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys
When you think about The Beach Boys, it’s easy to just focus on their upbeat, pop, surfer songs like Surfin’ USA and California Girls. Despite the reputation of The Beach Boys, Pet Sounds album has some of the most melancholy and wistful songs I can think of. This record is obviously a masterclass of an album. It builds upon the vocals and soundscapes that The Beach Boys are known for and pushes them even further, creating what was at the time an entirely new experience. What Pet Sounds offered would lead directly to what the Beatles created with Sgt. Pepper’s.
To me, this record perfectly captures the sadness of summer coming to an end.
I can hear so much in your sighs
And I can see so much in your eyes
There are words we both could say
But don't talk, put your head on my shoulder
Favorite Song: Don’t Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)
Boo Boo by Toro y Moi
Toro y Moi will always hold a special place in my heart. Chaz Bundick, the artist who goes by Toro y Moi, was based in Oakland during the hey-day of my 20s. I ran into him several times at bars I would frequent, although I never had the courage to actually go up to him and meet him. By the time Boo Boo came out in 2017, I was already a big fan of his music. But after all these years, this is the Toro y Moi record that I come back to the most. This record speaks to a certain nostalgia that lays within me. Nostalgia for the Bay Area, which he namechecks often throughout this album. Nostalgia for my 20s and feeling independent for the first time. This record came out July 7, 2017, just one day before my 25th birthday, a time where I felt particularly stressed about the unknown.
headed back to the bay
people say it’s crazy now
honestly, it feels the same
Favorite Song: You and I
Light Upon the Lake by Whitney
This is the debut album from band Whitney released in 2016. I remember when this record came out, it felt so surprising and engaging. And it still feels that way for me, even as I listen to it now, 7 years later. Light Upon the Lake is not just good for end of summer listening, it’s an all-round perfect summer album. Great for road trips, lounging by the water, and having a summer romance.
It kept me real 'til I'm moving on
But you can't leave feeling like you did no wrong
It's a shame I can't get it together now
It's a shame we can't get it together now
Favorite Song: Golden Days
Carrie and Lowell by Sufjan Stevens
Do not ask me why I associate this record with the summer, but I do, despite its inherently mournful and nature. I’ve put it on this list because of that somber sound but honestly, I could listen to this record at any point during the summer. We all need a soundtrack to get us through the doldrums of summer and this is that record for me.
Favorite Song: Death with Dignity (yes, I associate a song called Death with Dignity with the summer)
Freetown Sound by Blood Orange
I love Dev Hynes, the man behind the musical artist known as Blood Orange. I’ve seen him perform and watched him jump from the guitar, to piano, to bass, song after song. He’s an incredible musician, producer, and performer. He collaborates with some of my favorite artists—Carly Rae Jepson, Empress Of—and just has such a clear point of view in his music. This record gives an accessible insight into his approach of making music. It’s engaging, deep, and is trying to say something.
Favorite Song: Best to You
Additional Listening
Looking for more end of summer sounds? Check out this playlist I made last year.