The Prep Rock Playlist
[Saturday, January 21, 2012 | 2 comments ]

What does "preppy" sound like? That's the question I set out to answer with this compilation. I had two basic guidelines in mind:

  1. The music should be generally similar to Vampire Weekend (since anyone who knows anything about either Vampire Weekend or prep would probably agree that they're two peas in a pod).
  2. The music shouldn't sound out of place if it were played in an American Eagle store. (Yes, I know the old-school preps out there will choke on their gin-and-tonics and protest that "American Eagle isn't really prep!" But prep rock? Yes, I would say it is.)
I wasn't really concerned with representing a wide variety of artists, so some of them get significantly more time than others (Vampire Weekend and Shout Out Louds, in particular). What I was most concerned with was capturing the right sound and mood. I also tried to ensure that songs flowed nicely into one another, which is why I decided to feature this basically as a CD-burnable playlist, and why I would recommend that you listen to the songs in order, at least the first time.

The zip file includes all 23 songs, plus cover art, and high-quality printable PDFs of CD case inserts (of which I'm rather proud, if I do say so myself). And here's the track list:

  1. Peter Griffin - The Spirit of Massachusetts
  2. Vampire Weekend - Mansard Roof
  3. Shout Out Louds - Fall Hard
  4. Canvas Kites - Vacation (Take You Away)
  5. This Is Ivy League - The Richest Kids in Town
  6. Shout Out Louds - Your Parents Living Room
  7. Mystery Claws - Phony Checks
  8. Ra Ra Riot - Massachusetts
  9. Vampire Weekend - Oxford Comma
  10. Surfer Blood - Take It Easy
  11. Hungry Kids of Hungary - Wristwatch
  12. Vampire Weekend - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
  13. Ra Ra Riot - Shadowcasting
  14. Shout Out Louds - Normandie
  15. Spoon - The Underdog
  16. Vampire Weekend - Holiday
  17. Shout Out Louds - Shut Your Eyes
  18. Dr. Dog - Stranger
  19. Two Door Cinema Club - Eat That Up, It's Good For You
  20. Vampire Weekend - Walcott
  21. Shout Out Louds - Impossible
  22. Prep-Unit - Tea Partay (Director's Cut)
  23. Peter Griffin & Company - The Spirit of Massachusetts (Reprise)

2 comments

High School Diploma said... @ April 13, 2012 at 12:51 PM

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Anonymous said... @ February 20, 2013 at 1:32 PM

American Eagle? Seriously?

In what douche-fest, guido, fist pumping area of the country do you live when you think American Eagle is preppy.

For preppy clothiers go with places that have stores on Nantucket like Murry's Toggery Shop (come on men why have any other pants?)

If you are landlocked then your local Neiman Marcus or Nordstrom will carry Lilly Pulitzer and Ralph Lauren. In addition better areas will have a Brooks Brothers and J Press.

If you are young Fratstar and need to order stuff off the internet from college get your Vinyard Vines, Southern Proper, and Southern Tide gear delivered to your door. If you are Sratty get your Lilly in your letters ordered online only.

But for the love of God, never....ever....ever....ever...ever think that American Eagle is at all Prep!

Seriously if you go up to someone who is wearing some American Eagle clothing and ask them where they prepped, they will have no idea what you are talking about.

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