The Post-Rockist Post-Rad Mix of ‘09: Hazy, late summer jams and wobbly-kneed joints

I could have been productive this weekend, I could have been social. Instead, I wasted way too much of my time on mp3 blogs, digging through elbo.ws trying to catch up with various of-the-moment bands — bands whose careers may very well only last as long as it takes to press play on a single song on a single mp3 blog, but whose one good song is too damn good not to play on repeat (although of course we hope they stay and grow). So this is the trend on display today: bands, predominantly from Brooklyn, mixing surfy aesthetics with scrappy arrangements. Expect lots of crunchy fuzz and propulsive eighth notes. If you care about such things, you’ll notice these aren’t the most original compositions: the vocal melody on the first track comes straight from the Boo Radleys; the guitar riffage on track seven is pure Dick Dale; the fourth track manages to pull from both Gary Glitter and T. Rex without going glam; while the final number plunges headfirst into Brill Building/Langley School harmonies with gleeful abandon. But if you’re not here for the history lesson, enjoy some songs:

01. The Drums – Let’s Go Surfing
02. Let’s Wrestle – We Are the Men You’ll Grow To Love Soon
03. Fergus & Geronimo – Tell It (In My Ear)
04. Smith Westerns – Girl In Love
05. Small Black – Despicable Dogs
06. Girls – Lust For Life
07. Beach Boys – Let’s Go Trippin’
08. Beach Fossils – Vacation
09. The Bilinda Butchers – This Love Is Fucking Right!
10. The Magic Kids – Hey Boy

Right-click here to download the mix.