Here at the Just Relax. Please, home offices, we like to keep ourselves busy. Most of the time this means we keep ourselves so busy that we neglect to update, which, I suppose makes all that busy-bodying a bit pointless, but we're scatterbrained, alright? And we have no stinkin' interns to boss around and we drink a lot and pass out drooling on the computer. It happens, ok?

In any case, I don't know about you people (the few of you that are actually reading this thing. By the way, leave some comments, will ya? It would really help!) but the summertime has always been my favorite season to make and exchange mixes and I figured I might as well continue my summer mixing tradition by incorporating it into my blog. So, without further stalling, I'll get right to the nitty gritty. Here, a tiny diversion for your viewing and listening pleasure, my first youtube "mixtape" (with freaking commentary!)

Oh yeah, most of these videos are going to be from new or newish releases, since, according to one of my internet friends, I need to "crawl out from under that rock that [I] got buried under back in the 60's" (huh? I wasn't even born yet!) and enjoy something new. Well, hey man, I got you!

1. Jennifer Gentle - I Do Dream You 2006, from the album Valende on SubPop



I kicked the mix off with this song for two reasons. Jennifer Gentle's new album The Midnight Room comes out this week and the band is on tour. They're actually playing in Philadelphia (where I live) on Aug. 28th and I couldn't be more excited. Also, I love the old, silent film feel to this video.

2. Dan Deacon - Crystal Cat 2007, from the album Spiderman Of the Rings on Carpark Records



I had the good luck to see Dan Deacon the week his record dropped at a warehouse show in W. Philadelphia. He was the last artist to play on a huge bill (seriously, there were like 7 bands, one of them being To Live and Shave in LA) and the man held his own. I've never seen so many sweaty hipsters jumping up and down and dancing jovially (cause you know, usually it's all ironic posing and hip shaking, right?) Anyway, this single from the album is one of my favorites and the video completely captures the fun that is a Dan Deacon live show....minus all of the psychedelic blue screen stuff, of course.

3. Panda Bear - Bros 2007, from the album Person Pitch on Paw Tracks



I have to admit, the only reason I picked up this album was because a friend of mine wouldn't stop pestering me about it. I love Animal Collective, but Panda Bear's earlier, pre-AC releases never did much for me. Still, my friend kept toting the new album up to me as being the "perfect summer release" and, I'll admit it before anyone else, I am a huge sucker for sweet and happy summertime sounds. So, weeks later, I still think Person Pitch is one of the better releases to hit the stacks so far this summer. And this song, Bros, is definitely going to end up on quite a few of my "regular" mixtapes.

4. Gang Gang Dance - Before My Voice Fails (live in London)



If someone were to ask me which show I was looking forward the most to this summer, I would answer, without hesitation, that I've been looking forward to seeing GGD for months now, and luckily, their Philadelphia show is only a few days away! Anyway, above is an example of how amazing they sound live. I just wish the sound quality were a little better, but as I've said before (and will say again) sometimes you take what you can get on youtube and this particular clip isn't anywhere near as bad as a majority of clips out there.

5. ? and the Mysterians - 96 Tears 1966, from the album ? and the Mysterians on Cameo Records



Every time I hear this song, it sticks in my head for days and it's one of those rare songs that doesn't annoy the hell out of me because it gets stuck in my head. Anyway, here's a weird and kind of crappy live recording of the band performing their famous single. Don't "cry, cry, cry", it's old stuff. And really, check out ?'s dance moves! (Actually, check out everyone's dance moves!)

6. Deerhoof - The Perfect Me 2007, from the album Friend Oppurtunity on KillRockStars



I was a little underwhelmed by the new Deerhoof album but this particular track shines amidst a slew of mediocre songs. Also, the video is cute.

7. The Concretes - Warm Night 2004, from the album The Concretes on Licking Fingers



Before Peter, Bjorn and John released their album Writer's Block, Sweden was already home to many amazing indie-pop acts. One of my favorites has always been The Concretes (and incidentally, the female vocals on PB&J's Young Folks belong to the Concrete's lead singer Victoria Bergsman) and the video for both You Can't Hurry Love and Warm Night are beautifully animated, but since I could only include one here, I settled on Warm Night cause cats are cute.

8. Devandra Banhart - I Feel Just Like a Child 2005, from the album Cripple Crow on XL Recordings



Ok, ok. Seriously, I know. Banhart/freak-folk backlash has already started to settle in the cold, fickle hearts of hipsters everywhere, but please...just watch this video with Banhart dancing around in his hanes and tell me you don't wish you were dancing around (in your hanes, if you have them), too.

9. Silver Jews - How Can I Love You (If You Won't Lie Down) 2005, from the album Tanglewood Numbers on Drag City



Seriously, how can I love you, if you won't lie down? This is great, fun video that, of course, makes me think of the summertime.

10. TV on the Radio - Wolf Like Me 2006, from the album Return to Cookie Mountain on Interscope Records



Let's wrap this mix up with another video that pays homage to the silent films of yesteryear. I still need to listen to the whole of this album. One of these days, I'll get around to it.

Enjoy!