Best Fourth Albums For The Summer
My Mixtape’s A Masterpiece is a weekly feature in which a guest compiles a playlist around some theme. For Fourths Of July, this week Alex Nguyen assembles the best 12 tracks for the summer from musicians’ fourth albums. Read Alex’s thoughts on each song and listen along to the Spotify playlist on top and/or the YouTube playlist at the bottom of the post.
Following a breakthrough debut, an artist will know the dreaded pitfalls of a sophomore slump. However, discographies and career trajectories begin to vary widely as the artist gets past this. The fourth record can be a period where the artist’s sound needs to evolve to keep up with the times. This can be anything from a grander presentation to a complete shift in direction, leading many songs on fourth albums to be an artist’s best work.
As part of the Fourths Of July theme, I’ve picked the best summer songs on artists’ fourth albums. I made my choices based on catchiness, lyrics, and suitability for playing during the summer months.
1. “Everyday People” by Sly & The Family Stone (from Stand!, 1969)
“Everyday People” calls for unity, peace, acceptance, and tolerance among differing racial and social groups. Unlike the band’s typical psychedelic soul records, the song has a more mainstream pop feel. The bridge of the track says, “different strokes for different folks”, a phrase that became popular after release. Its message remains powerful to this day and is one of the band’s most covered songs.
2. “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” by The Fifth Dimension (from Age Of Aquarius, 1969)
The harmonies on The Fifth Dimension’s vocals do so much in expanding their songs to epic proportions. The lyrics, “Harmony and understanding / Sympathy and trust abounding,” present similar themes to “Everyday People.” The transition into “Let the Sunshine In” is sudden but pulled off flawlessly. The bass pops out of the band’s sound, establishing the soul elements of the track. The song was eventually certified platinum and is featured on the documentary SUMMER OF SOUL from last year.
3. “Summer Breeze” by Seals and Crofts (from Summer Breeze, 1972)
There have been numerous interpretations of this song’s lyrics – anything from a simple celebration of summer to critiquing the modern way of life. However, whatever meaning you take, the song serves well as a soft rock tune to play while relaxing outside.
4. “You’re My Best Friend” by Queen (from A Night At The Opera, 1975)
“You’re My Best Friend” was written by the band’s bass player, John Deacon, who dedicated it to his wife.
This love song’s endearing sentiments rise to the surface through lines such as “Ooh, you make me live now, honey”.
The tune itself is upbeat and celebrates life and love.
5. “That Summer Feeling” by Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers (from Jonathan Sings!, 1983)
Summer seems to always have the power to conjure up feelings from the past. “That Summer Feeling” is a wistful song that makes one long for the summer days of youth while simultaneously pondering whether they were actually special in the first place. It’s suitable for quiet, self-reflective moments.
6. “Summer of Love” by The B-52s (from Bouncing Off The Satellites, 1986)
The B-52s are a quirky new wave band known for embracing the absurd. “Summer of Love” is a fitting celebration of the season. With lines like “for everyone transcends here” and “love energy is giving us a shove”, the song is perfect for the happy times spent with friends and loved ones.
7. “Teardrops” by Womack & Womack (from Conscience, 1988)
This is just a great ’80s pop soul song. The intro is ear-grabbing with its groovy bassline, percussion, and backing vocals. It’s an instrumental that feels optimistic and juxtaposes the raw sense of loss in the lyrics where Linda Womack sings of a woman who tries to dance her heartbreak away.
8. “Summertime” by DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince (from Homebase, 1991)
This song captures the joy of a warm Philadelphia summer – unwinding, cruising in your car, hanging out at the park, meeting girls, reminiscing about growing up, and going to family barbecues. It has a funky, laid-back beat that’s perfect for chilling outside in the summer weather.
9. “B.O.B.” by Outkast (from Stankonia, 2000)
André 3000 and Big Boi demonstrate why they’re one of the best hip-hop duos of all-time by effortlessly rapping over a fast-paced, bass-heavy beat. While the title is an acronym for “Bombs Over Baghdad,” referencing the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the lyrics are mostly a commentary of the hardships and joys of living in the American ghetto. It’s a song I listened to often as a teenager and makes the list for nostalgic reasons.
10. “Machu Picchu” by The Strokes (from Angles, 2011)
The indie rock guitar melodies are really engaging here and Julian Casablancas’ vocals shine on the chorus. While Angles isn’t my favorite Strokes album, “Machu Picchu” has to be one of the band’s catchiest tunes. The mid-tempo song works well as a casual listen to nod your head to.
11. “Fragments of Time” by Daft Punk (from Random Access Memories, 2013)
Like “Teardrops,” the groove is what makes this song memorable. The track’s instrumental break is signature Daft Punk as the band departs from its laid back groove to arrive at a stunning electronic passage. It’s a great sendoff for the duo as part of their final record.
12. “Automatically in Love” by Carly Rae Jepsen (from Dedicated, 2019)
Carly Rae Jepsen is one of my favorite pop artists working today. She has a great ear for production and her lyrics are full of life as she falls in and out of love. The song sounds like a ’90s throwback and is perfect for a nostalgic summer road trip.
