Nothing makes Summer quite as special as the music you listen to, so the KJHK staff put together a collection of some of their quintessential Summer Jams.
Name: Cody Boston
Position: Content Director
Year: Senior
Summer Jam: Green Onions by Booker T. and the M.G.’s
This 1962 instrumental may seem familiar to fans of The Sandlot and
frequenters of the Skate main menu, but the barking guitar and steady drums remind me of lazily cruising down dirt roads on dry summer afternoons
with the windows down. The spontaneous and funky key solos are perfectly reminiscent of aimless outdoor adventures through knee high grass with friends. Its easy for me to leave this song on repeat for hours before I realize how long I’ve been listening to it and there’s something quintessentially summer about that.
Name: Ben Hitz
Position: Rotation DJ
Year: Senior
Summer Jam: Summer Babe by Pavement
Pavement had long been on my To Listen list until this summer when I finally had the chance to delve into the genius and quirky songwriting of Stephen Malkmus. I heard Summer Babe in a friend’s car while on the way back from a camp trip at the lake in early June and it could not have been more apropos. Malkmus’ deadpan, lackadaisical delivery backgrounded by lazily riffing fuzzed out guitars is a perfect background to those hot, languid summer afternoons when you have nothing better to do than drink cheap beer and shoot the breeze with good friends. Bob Nastanovich’s accented drumming add fireworks to this otherwise subdued summer jam. Titular associations aside, Summer Babe is my soundtrack to that season that begs to be appreciated idlely and unhurried.
Name: Doug Bybee
Position: For The Record Host
Year: Senior
Summer Jam: Geschichten Aus Erster Hand by Klaus Johann Grobe
This Germanic duo’s groovy tunes are the perfect soundtrack for cruising in a Volkswagen or taking the Deutschebahn. Their new album 
“Spagat Der Liebe” became a fast favorite of mine with its dancey beats, slinky basslines and plunky synths. The lyrics are all German, but that’s no prerequisite for getting down. “Geschicten Aus Erster Hand” is my favorite track, sounding like an interstellar discotheque full of aliens getting down. Roughly translating to “Stories From First Hand”, all one really needs to know is “k’mon baby, let’s dance”
Name: Ellie Fehlig
Position: Multimedia Staffer
Year: Junior
Summer Jam: Sleeping Lessons (RAC Mix) by The Shins
Although the original song is already bangin’ as it is, the RAC mix adds a calmer, more diverse, summer feel perfect for chillin’ by the pool, a peaceful road trip playlist, or even a rainy day spent inside. As summer is often a time filled with
monotonous daily activities, this tune mirrors that with its repetitious a nd light melody, yet contradicts it with lyrics such as, “Eviscerate your fragile frame,” and, “Jump from the hook,” symbolizing the impulsive moments of summer. Supposedly, this track is about James Mercer’s insomnia – hence the name of the song as well as album title, Wincing the Night Away – which is fitting for those summer back-to-school nights where sleeping schedules have yet to be normalized.
Name: Mason Kilpatrick
Position: Station Manager, Host of At the Movies
Year: Senior
Summer Jam: “Little Honda” by The Beach Boys (cover by Yo La Tengo)
“
Little Honda” is a classic Beach Boys hit that encompasses the mindset of a summer attitude. It was the weakest charting track from the three singles released off the 1964 album, “All Summer Long.” Upon first listen, the track popped because of its placement between serenading love tunes (“Hushabye” and “We’ll Run Away”). “Little Honda” is a minimal surfer-rock, pop song with plenty of that early 60’s fuzz sound to spare. The harmonizing humming throughout the verses, and the excitement-driven, background cheers in the chorus, are some of my favorite backing vocals on any Beach Boy song. I find the lyrics to be highly connecting, despite my lack of interest in vehicles. The newborn desire to a drive a date (in that fresh Honda) reminds me of the blossoming flame that is born with every summer love many experience. Despite my severe fear of extreme acceleration, the chorus is easily the best part. It captures the youthful essence of summer experiences (and could be applied to life in general).
Chorus:
“First gear, it’s alright.” Living life at normal pace is pretty chill, especially when you practice daily social norms.
“Second gear, I lean right.” As you begin to explore and gather new experiences, you feel more of a sensation. Personally, you need to adjust your mindset to get on board.
“Third gear, hang on tight.” You are getting deeper, reaching for the height of your experiences. You still brace yourself, as you could end up making a decision that lasts longer than the summer.
“Faster, it’s alright.” You begin to go all in, with no regard for future consequences. Are you truly alright? Or do you crash and burn? That is what the end of summer is for.
While this song didn’t encourage me to buy a Honda, it definitely helped me understand my previous summer experiences as a young teenager. “Little Honda” is also my favorite Yo La Tengo cover of all time, and I would highly recommend it. The cover basically takes the layer of lo-fi fuzz and turns it up to 11.
Name: Rachel Bennett
Position: Community Engagement Director, Femme FM co-host
Year: Senior
Summer Jam, Femme FM edition: Pirates Cove by COASTING (bandcamp: https://coasting.bandcamp.com/track/pirates-cove-2)
When I think of a summer jam, I automatically think of Pavement. Pavement’s 
entire discography is has been the soundtrack of my summers for years, but this year I discovered myself listening to COASTING just as often if not more. This Brooklyn duo automatically won me over with its lo-fi production and catchy hooks. Their album “You’re Never Going Back” was released in November 2011, yet feels to me like a summer release. The song “Pirates Cove” is by far the best track on the album. The lyric “I’m going to be somebody” is something most people can relate to and is something I think about a lot more when it’s summer and I don’t have school to distract me. The simple rhythms and chords give more attention to the vocals and the production quality making it a solid lo-fi track.