July! July!

The firework friendly Fourth has come and gone and I never got to make a festive post. I’m not really shedding any tears over it, but here are a few MP3s and a short clip from a hilarious (uber-American) South Park episode.

[MP3] Kelly Clarkson – Miss Independent
[MP3] Elliott Smith – Bottle Up And Explode!
[MP3] Jeremy Enigk – Set It On Fire
[MP3] Iron & Wine – Free Until They Cut Me Down

I’m not sure if the rest of you are aware, but July is chock full of various Independence/Bastille days around the world. And how about the fact that it is National Hot Dog Month in the USA?! I bet you didn’t know that, unless you have some unhealthy fetish with sausage or Oscar Meyer. Or how about the month deemed as Cell Phone Courtesy Month too? Maybe you know of National Picnic Month? Or, my personal favorite, Anti-Boredom Month. This being known, I can’t forget some awesome July themed tunes. I think this Decemberists track is one of the best summertime songs ever, really.

[MP3] The Decemberists – July, July!
[MP3] Third Eye Blind – 1000 Julys

Cell Phone Courtesy Month: [MP3] Backstreet Boys – The Call

National Hot Dog Month: [MP3] Led Zeppelin – Hot Dog

National Picnic Month: [MP3] Modest Mouse – It Always Rains On A Picnic

Anti-Boredom Month: [MP3] The Walkmen – I’m Never Bored

Stereogum posted a hilarious Best Week Ever rendition of the new Apple vs. PC commercials. I’m a Mac guy so I’ve always liked the commercials from the get-go, but Stereogum’s post-worthy parodies are comically truthful.

Rolling Stone put together a sweet little Fourth Of July playlist that includes a ton of different “Star Spangled Banner” renditions. I posted a Sufjan version in an older post and might as well bust it back out. Check out how many artists have covered the anthem and hear their versions here.

[MP3] Sufjan Stevens – The Star Spangled Banner