Stroke 9 "Little Black Backpack"

Here's another Weekend Post:

Another 90s nugget, that has hot weather feel to me.

This one was always a bit of a DJ tongue twister to announce.


See the video on Youtube.

Weekend posts are a chance to revisit songs that have happy memories, not of anything in particular, other than just hearing the tunes.

Many of these songs were tracks that I played during my 90s stint as an Alternative/Modern Rock radio show. They're tunes that I hardly hear these days, but are wonderful to revisit.

Click on the "Weekend Posts" label below, to see other posts like this.

Len "Steal My Sunshine"

Here's another Weekend Post:

Just pulling out some 90s hot weather songs. This one makes me want to run under the sprinker.


Hear the song on Youtube.

Weekend posts are a chance to revisit songs that have happy memories, not of anything in particular, other than just hearing the tunes.

Many of these songs were tracks that I played during my 90s stint as an Alternative/Modern Rock radio show. They're tunes that I hardly hear these days, but are wonderful to revisit.

Click on the "Weekend Posts" label below, to see other posts like this.

Buffalo Tom "Summer"

There are songs you listen put on, specifically to amplify emotion.

You play The Cure to amplify your depression.

You play Rage Against The Machine to magnify your aggression.

You play Rufus Wainwright to ratchet up your melodrama.

You play the early Beatles to make your joy, pure.

Music touches an emotional chord.

But sometimes, the emotion isn't the thing. It's the message.

Sometimes you have to put a song on, as much for what it is saying, as for how it is saying it.

I always make sure I listen to this one around Memorial Day weekend, as a concrete reminder to myself that time is limited, regret brings nothing back, and Endless Summer is only the title of a Beach Boys album, not an actual thing.

"Summer's gone, a summer song, you've wasted every day."

I play it after Labor Day, too, as an emotional, wistful goodbye to Summer. But I play it now, as an admonition to myself:

Summer is short. Enjoy it while it's here.

Sara Watkins “Long Hot Summer Days”

Sara Watkins was one-third of the band Nickel Creek, and this is from her 2009 solo album.

It’s a funny thing, going from a democratic band, to being the solo force.

In the band, you are part of the sound, part of the chemistry. Your contribution is balanced or buoyed or offset by the contributions of the other players.

So when you are on your own, the dynamic that was evident as an ingredient in the group, is suddenly the only flavor there. It’s like eating chicken soup, chicken soup, chicken soup, and then you’re served a steaming bowl of just carrots in broth. It’s not that the carrots taste bad, but you immediately, naturally, miss the other flavors.

It’s kind of unfair. This is a really cool song, with an effective arrangement and some great playing, but the initial reaction is that it sounds like an incomplete Nickel Creek song.

Prejudice is just no good.

Hear Sara Watkins “Long Hot Summer Days”

See her perform it live, here