Roadtrip Soundtracks | LovetheMusic

So this post kind of got put on the back burner with the Ozma review and everything going on, but I still feel one of the most important aspects of a roadtrip is the soundtrack for it. Here are a four pointers for creating a mix disc or MP3 playlist to fill in the silent miles.
Call me clichéd, but I find songs about the road very roadworthy. There are a lot of Through Being Cool era Saves the Day tracks ["Vast Spoils of America", "Shoulder To the Wheel", etc.], but my favourite is definitely "Take Our Cars Now!" from the EP I'm Sorry I'm Leaving, so I've supplied it here for you.
Another great thing to consider is the sing along factor of a song. "Take Our Cars Now!" is a perfect example of that. Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" proved pretty good at it, too, plus it's danceable. For your enjoyment in this category I give to last years slammin' summer anthem "If You Got the Money" by Jamie T. It's a British clean version, just so you know, the edited phrase is "Do you give a toss?" For those who plan on traveling through the Great Plains or the Desert South West or any other vast expanse of empty drudgery, music for driving fast becomes essential. Songs that just cause your foot to drop on the gas. Songs like "La Grange" by ZZ Top or something from that old Fat Wreck Chords compilation you've got kickin' around. One you wouldn't have thought of that I discovered going through southern Nevada is "Fortress" by Pinback, which is my offering to you. Finally, you must consider that the road to and the road from are generally quite different trips. Heading out to adventure warrants more raucous jamz. The trip back usually involves more night driving, and begs more reflective tones, stuff that the whole crew can feel united, maybe even infinite, around. Suitable sounds come from the Shins, acoustic Ben Harper, and Johnny Cash's American Recordings. One of the best night rides I've had has been set to Death Cab for Cutie, and I'm giving you "The Employment Pages" 'cuz I think it fits the mood I'm thinking of perfectly.
As always, though, remember my rules for mixtaping and be original, throw in a couple joke tracks and, above all, keep your audience in mind. Happy mixing!