With Summer fast approaching (as well as an abnormally chilly wind blowing off the coast of Antarctica), there is no better time to start organising you Beach House Mixed CD collection. It's a big decision - it really is! Full albums just don't work on holiday as there are too many musical tastes that need to be catered for (especially in a car ride there and back), so a mixed tape is always essential. 

There are so many moods and situations you have to cater for, and one false move can ruin an entire weekend.

Indeed, you'll need a pretty poppy mix CD for the ride up, as everyone becomes quite excited by the warm weather, and the thoughts of what to come - and you need to enhance those feelings in order for the weekend away to be success. Just ask Oprah, she knows much. 

You'll need a good "beer songs" mix for the BBQ in order to prepare for some fun in the sun, however the most pivotal CD mix of the day will come around 5pm-7pm. By this time everyone is buggered, still full from lunch - but beginning to get the hankering for dinner, and the weather is at it's lukewarm prime. You need a chill mix. And while the simple answer used to be to chuck on Jack Johnson's "Brushfire Fairytales", times are a-changin' and a more eclectic mix is needed to appease a range of different tastes.

The second Volume in the "Acoustic" compilation series is a bit of a mixed bag. Consistency is the key, and things get off to a bit of a shaky start on the first disc with only a handful of recognisable songs including the "Bouncy Balls" song from Jose Gonzalez. Okay, it's called Heartbeats, but everyone I played to went "Oh, the bouncy balls song." Weirdos... 

So, apart from that - and the dashing of Martha Wainwright and Ryan Adams - it's pretty much slim pickings. Not because they aren't name brand artists, simply because they are just a bit to down in the dumps for a summer holiday.

Disc Two works much harder for it's cash and it pays off. There's the Josh Pyke ditty Middle of the Hill to get this trundling along, as well as some superb tracks from Sophie Koh, The Sleepy Jackson, Moloko, Jack Johnson's impersonator Donavon Frankenreiter and Tommy Guerro. There are some seriously impressive inclusions here including some acoustic work from English rockers Bloc Party and a rare demo of Ziggy Stardust' from David Bowie.

However, the stand out track over both discs is a tie between Bob Dylans' Most of the Time and the superb track I Will Release Myself (Unto You) by a personal favourite of mine Dan Kelly & The Alpha Males (in fact, if you get a chance to yourself on the time away - chuck in "Fountain of Youth" - it may leave you a tad more satisfied).

It's not the best mix CD in the world, but hopefully by track three you will have dropped off to sleep, meaning the CD has done it's job, and that you will be pumped for a big party later on in the night.