Soak up the summer sounds

Dartiers, rejoice! The winter that wouldn’t end is finally over. And there’s nothing better to bring in the warm weather with than some good music. Here are some great albums to listen to while you’re out in your yard with a cold beer and a burger in hand.

The Strokes — “Is This It”
Julian Casablancas is well-known for his air of apathy. His leather jacket, shades and long hair make him look like he doesn’t give a fuck pretty much all the time. On the Strokes’ debut, though, he’s not pessimistic. Rather, he’s carefree. It’s the sound of a young New York kid who’s having a great time. His lackadaisical lyrics combined with the high voicings of Albert Hammond Jr.’s guitar and the poppy hooks makes “Is This It” a summer essential.

The Beach Boys — “Pet Sounds”
This Beach Boys masterpiece is the ultimate art-pop album. With its varied instrumentation and heavily layered vocals, it might not seem like a light, summery album at first. But Brian Wilson is a musical genius who could write great pop songs in his sleep. “Pet Sounds” has no shortage of familiar tunes you can sing along to, like “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and “Sloop John B.” Even if it’s an overcast day, “Pet Sounds” makes it seem like the sun is out.

Bruce Springsteen — “The River”
“The River” is far from being the Boss’s best album. But it sure is the most fun. At nearly 84 minutes, the album is the length of a short movie, but it never lacks intensity. For most of the album, Bruce sets aside his extended storytelling tendencies in favor of shorter, poppier songs. Opener “The Ties That Bind” is a brighter, more open production rather than the maximalist compositions from Springsteen’s previous albums. “The River” is the sound of the E Street Band singing all together and having a great time. And they want you to join in.

Pavement — “Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain”
Steven Malkmus and Pavement made a name for themselves in the 1990s by doing whatever they wanted. Their albums often sound like a bunch of kids messing around. But Malkmus knows how to write a damn good pop hook. “Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain” might not even be the best Pavement album.“Wowee Zowee” is more consistent. But it has to be on this list because on it you’ll find what is surely the greatest summer song ever. “Gold Soundz” is the perfect song to usher in the warm weather. There’s no line that sums up the college summer better than “so drunk in the August sun.”

Fleetwood Mac — “Rumours”
The album that inspired this list is the one that pulled off the Southern California rock sound of the 1970s better than any other. Jackson Browne, The Eagles and Joni Mitchell all tried, but on “Rumours,” you can just feel the wind in your hair as you’re cruising down an LA boulevard in your
convertible. It all came together for Mick Fleetwood and company on this album, which seems unlikely since everything fell apart just before they started recording. Christine and John McVie had divorced and were barely speaking, and the tumultuous relationship between Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham led to constant fighting between them. But when you combine anger and passion with some of the best rock songwriters of the 1970s, you get a masterpiece. It helped that drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie were a great rhythm section and Lindsey Buckingham was a severely underrated guitarist. Songs like “The Chain” and “I Don’t Want To Know” will never lose their intensity. And “Go Your Own Way” can fit seamlessly into any road trip mix CD. Some say nothing is perfect, but “Rumours” is an album that begs to differ.