Tracks

  1. Island in the Sun — Weezer
    from Weezer (The Green Album), 2001

    This is the only song I've ever really liked by Weezer post-Pinkerton. There were a few others of note, but nothing managed to grab me like this one did. Obviously it's nowhere near as adventurous as their old stuff, but that's its charm. It doesn't try to be anything other than a sunny pop song. And what better way to start off a Hawaiian vacation-inspired mix?

  2. Freediving — Nigo
    from Ape Sounds, 2000

    It's about now that you should realize these songs aren't exactly about the beach or the ocean or swimming or whatever. Some of them are, of course, and maybe even perhaps most of them truly fit that theme. But, like I said in the intro, these were the songs that ran through my head as I swam in those azure-blue waters and strolled on the soft sand of those beaches. These were the songs I went back and listened to on my iPod between swims and day trips and reading on the lanai. Oh Hawaii, how I miss you… as for this song, it's by Japanese artist Nigo and features my old pal Ben Lee, who also happened to write this catchy Americanized bit of J-Pop.

  3. Like Swimming — Morphine
    from Like Swimming, 1997

    Morphine is one of the best bands ever at creating a certain mood. That mood of course could be a lot of things, but for me it always evoked a warm evening nearing sunset, when the hubbub of the day slowly turns into the mystery of the night. This song, then, would be that last swim before the sun sets and you head out for a night on the town, or perhaps that last swim before the inevitable trip home to not-quite-as-nice Seattle.

  4. Big Wave — Pearl Jam
    from Pearl Jam, 2006

    I'm no surfer, but I do enjoy the board shorts and the flip flops and the occasional big wave. Though they kind of scare me, actually, especially ever since that one time on the Big Island when I dove into a big wave (rather than get crushed by it) only to emerge with a shattered snorkel mask, still on my face yet miraculously not broken into little bits in my eyes. Yeah, that was a big wave.

  5. I'm the Ocean — Neil Young
    from Mirrorball, 1995

    Can I get a little credit for putting Neil after the boys from PJ? Especially a song from the album he recorded with the band? OK, fine, you're right, it's kind of predictable. But whatever, it works. This song, like "Freediving" before it, isn't quite about the ocean per se, but it's close enough. And I love that line: "I am the ocean, I'm the giant undertow."

  6. Ocean Breathes Salty — Modest Mouse
    from Good News for People Who Love Bad News, 2004

    When Good News first came out, I was too busy fawning over "Float On" to fully appreciate this song. Now that the fervor has died down for Modest Mouse's breakout hit, I can see clearly: "Ocean Breathes Salty" is the standout track of the album. It's nearly perfect, in fact, maybe the highlight of the band's stellar career, as it bridges the obtuseness of their early sound with the straightforward approach of their more recent (and future) work.

  7. Burned By the Sun — Beulah
    from The Coast Is Never Clear, 2001

    Beulah's Coast is one of the sunniest pop albums I've ever heard, so it was perfectly appropriate that I include them on a mix of this theme. Ironically, however, I never owned the entire album until April of '08. Luckily I was familiar from back in the days when I would have time to actually read about an album, download it online, and save it for later use. Those were the days.

  8. Sand — The Concretes
    from Layourbattleaxedown, 2005

    I have a confession to make. Before making this mix, I had never heard of this song, and had only read about the Concretes. Thanks to the power of iTunes search, however, I am now educated and enlightened. This is one of my favorite discoveries of a half-year of mixes, and reminds me that I don't just make these for you all to discover new music, but for me to find hidden gems as well.

  9. At the Beach — The Avett Brothers
    from Mignonette, 2005

    And speaking of hidden gems…

  10. Castles Made of Sand — The Jimi Hendrix Experience
    from Axis: Bold as Love, 1968

  11. Here Comes the Breeze — Gomez
    from Bring It On, 1998

  12. The Sea — Morcheeba
    from Big Calm, 1998

  13. Prince Caspian — Phish
    from Billy Breathes, 1996

  14. Driftwood — Travis
    from The Man Who, 2000

  15. No Mermaid — Sinead Lohan
    from On the Mountain Volume 6, 2000

  16. On a Beach — Richard Ashcroft
    from Alone With Everybody, 2000

  17. The Ocean — Sunny Day Real Estate
    from The Rising Tide, 2000

  18. Beachball — R.E.M.
    from Reveal, 2001

  19. Wouldn't It Be Nice — The Beach Boys
    from Pet Sounds, 1966