MIX CURE

Ever since the first twenty minutes or so of “isn’t the snow pretty” wore off, I’ve been beyond bummed about being stuck in a city that has two feet of snow in ever-shifting states of frozenness making it a pain in my ass to do anything. So, my defense has been to sit inside, stare at a bare wall, and daydream about summers past. I miss being on a Cincinnati rooftop at night, sitting next to a kiddie pool full of beer and wearing nothing but cutoffs. Normally, we listened to AM 1160 Oldies Radio, but if I was going to choose some other songs, it would be these.

To get the most pleasure out of this little mix, I recommend the following steps.

1. Listen to it now. Just once or twice. Not enough to send you into full summer reverie, but enough to get a taste.
2. Record the songs on a cd/tape/whatever.
3. Stuff the mix and ten bucks into your favorite pair of cutoffs.
4. Forget it exists.
5. On the first really sweltering day of summer – you know, when even the thinnest pants are too much, the kind of day when it’s too hot to care that you smell bad – you’ll pull out that faithful old pair of shorts and hey, what’s that? Oh yeah! Spend the ten bucks on a couple of forties and free-z-pops. Let them freeze, go run around in the sun, then come home at dusk. Crack that malt liquor, eat some flavored ice, and put these songs on. Perfect.
6. Bonus points if you get the cute new girl in town to join you for the relaxation sesh. Here’s a hint – take her to play kickball in the afternoon, then call the gang up for a low key chill on your porch/roof/lawn later. If she’ll sneak into the apartment building up the street’s pool with you for night swimming, you’re in.

Mix #7: Thawing Out

1. Akron/Family – Don’t Be Afraid, You’re Already Dead
2. Molina & Johnson – Almost Let You In
3. Neko Case – Star Witness
4. Real Estate – Fake Blues
5. Forest Fire – I Make Windows