A song that took over not one but three summers, and launched an international dance craze that most Nineties kids can still do in their sleep – “Macarena” is one of (if not the) greatest one-hit-wonders of all time. It went to number two in the charts, its upbeat throb one of the signatures, along with Geri Halliwell leaving the Spice Girls and David Beckham’s tears, of the summer of 1998. The pale tops of his feet in his sneakers and the bare length of his arms had begun to sting, unsuited as he’d been since childhood to the hot hand of summer in the South.

Lee Mandelo (Author of Summer Sons) - Goodreads

A humungous riff, an embryonic rap-metal chorus and a Seventies TV thriller-pastiching video that felt as deliciously retro as box-fresh Adidas. Andrew’s hyper-awareness of men’s bodies—particularly Sam Halse’s, Eddie’s former friend and fixer—is a possible tell for personal revelations he’ll come to later in the book, as are the hyper-masculine postures he’s constantly assuming or confronting.It’s hard to imagine now that it wasn’t entirely clear in 2003 whether Beyonce had the staying power for a career post-Destiny’s Child. In Brown’s worldview, the only downside to lying in the sun with alcoholic libations is that the money and the drink run out sooner or later – but even then you get to go home, switch to cheaper beer, and lay in the sun some more. While Olaf from Frozen seems like the worst mascot for summer, he sure knows how to sum up the season in a striking Broadway-esque song. With the sublime pairing of Frankie Beverly's buttery croon and that funky guitar groove,it’s an amazing soundtrack for a sunny-afternoon soirée. Whirling between the backstabbing academic world where Eddie spent his days and the circle of hot boys, fast cars, and hard drugs that ruled Eddie’s nights, the walls Andrew has built against the world begin to crumble, letting in the phantom that hungers for him.

Summer Sons - Wikipedia

TLC were the originators of the Nineties girl group species, though nobody realised it at the time (not even TLC). In fact, it became an unofficial anthem for the 1965 Watts riots in Los Angeles, but Reeves always asserted it was intended as a party song.Wild Thoughts” is arguably his best offering to date, largely thanks to the brilliant pairing of Rihanna and Bryson Tiller, and the interpolation of Santana’s “Maria Maria”. Under the sleeves of his funeral suit, fat stitches had closed Eddie’s waxy forearms from wrist to elbow, black like tarred railroad ties. Lady Gaga’s song was done up with full modern production, but “Summerboy” is classic-model pop, it’s not hard to imagine it coming from a car radio on the beach.

Review: Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo | The Nerd Daily Review: Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo | The Nerd Daily

Even if you’re long past the days of ‘summer vacation’ being a thing, there’s something about the warm temperatures, sprinklers on lawns and the smell of barbecue that brings you right back to being a kid with no responsibilities again - and the right song can transport you there even in the dreariest of months. It may have been released in January, but “Gin and Juice” became an instant BBQ classic when Snoop Dogg released it in 1993. Lee Mandelo's debut Summer Sons is a sweltering, queer Southern Gothic that crosses Appalachian street racing with academic intrigue, all haunted by a hungry ghost. There are a fair few spooky and eerie moments, which becomes unsettling at times but that’s what can make a book go from good to great because it gets to you.The mix of salsa and trap elements, the frontline of reggaeton superstars (with Cardi joined by Bad Bunny and J Balvin) and the overall good time feel made it something car radios were made for. The song's sing-along lyrics and blistering guitar solos (it's lead guitarist Slash's favorite song to play live) have been elevating chill summer hangouts to hard-rocking parties since it first appeared on the band’s debut album, Appetite for Destruction, in 1987.

Summer Sons - Kindle edition by Mandelo, Lee. Literature

The point was proved beyond doubt as, hooking up with future husband/ muse Jay-Z, she delivered this pummelling statement of intent. Sam Halse had cocaine and a fast car and apparently a goddamn death wish—inviting scabs on his knuckles, plus a mouth that could peel paint off a wall. The feud might have been put to bed now, but in the summer of 2015, Taylor Swift added some serious heat to rumours of “bad blood” between her and fellow pop star Katy Perry.We recommend letting the airy vocals (Hynes is joined by Chairlift’s Caroline Polachek on this tune) and sultry sax solo wash over you as you watch the sun sink beneath the waves. Heat wave, nothing to do / Woke up in my clothes having dreamt of you,’ sings Lindsey Jordan mournfully, before she and the rest of the band kick things up a notch to achieve an enjoyable, '90s-indie vibe. But its earnestness was irresistible and after Samuel T Herring led his band through a heartfelt performance on David Letterman, “Seasons”’ moment was sealed.