Laura Veirs – Summer Is The Champion

In my neck of the woods, summer is all about cookouts, fireworks, and hot days in the sun at the pool with cold beer and great friends. Unfortunately, the patriotism got a little out of hand this Independence Day and some drunken jagoffs at my building shot fireworks off into the pool. As punishment, the landlord has very cruelly instituted a lockout of the pool.

Fortunately, the summer spirit is resilient enough to persevere, and Laura Veirs sums up why in the jaunty, uplifting ‘Summer is the Champion’. Built on a basic four-chord riff, this folk-pop masterpiece from last year’s solid ‘July Flame’ LP showcases both the delicate beauty of Veirs’ voice and her ability to paint a picture with evocative lyrics. The music is warm and lush, just like you’d expect from a summer song. Pianos and guitars stake territorial claims on the peripheral edge, leaving the minor-key horn arrangements to carry much of the melodic weight as the song swells to bursting like the clouds of a summer storm.

Champions don’t sweat the small stuff. Though the pool is closed, the hot days continue. The beers still flow, meat still sizzles on the grill, and as Ms. Veirs suggests, there will be plenty of chances to get dizzy in the grass before the champion succumbs to a worthy challenger.

Joseph Avary

Laura Veirs – Summer Is The Champion

More Info: Official
Buy Songs: Laura Veirs
Year: 2010