Elvis Costello, ‘The Other Side of Summer’ – Depressing Summer Songs

One of the best things about those early Beach Boys records is the complete lack of cynicism and irony. To Brian Wilson and the gang, Southern California was a paradise of hot rods and hotter girls -- "the only place," as Best Coast would later put it. Here, Elvis Costello flips the script, turning wonderland to wasteland on the most twisted 'Pet Sounds' homage you'll ever hear. As Elvis surveys the L.A. scene, he sees wealth disparity, drug abuse, materialism and the "pale pathetic promises that everybody swallows." Even the beach offers no solace. "From the foaming breakers of the poisonous surf," he sings on the chorus, describing a panoramic vista marred by "burning forests in the hills of Astroturf." As Costello scowls, the music grins, and the contrast makes it irresistible.

Watch Elvis Costello's Video for 'The Other Side of Summer'