It's only halfway through the summer and I'm already sick of the scene. It seems everyone gets their barbeque fare from Costco or Sam's Club. The bagel chips and dip and the zesty raspberry vinaigrette glaze that was so new and imaginative on Memorial Day tastes pretty tired after you've grazed on it through July.

Everyone seems to have a frozen sleeve of half-pound patties in their freezer, so you are all but guaranteed that you will be served the exact same cheeseburger the same exact way each weekend.

To add insult to injury, the music served at poolside is all the same. Even the most pathetic technophobe has figured out how to burn a CD on their driver or populate a playlist on their MP3 player by now, and in light of these new tools for free expression, most folks tend to thrill you with the same Jimmy Buffet "Cheeseburger in Paradise" and Gypsy Kings mélange as you scarf up the salsa with that cheeseburger from hell.

"I am so sick of this plastic parrot music," I grumbled to a friend during one such outing after "Margaritaville" played in a continuous loop. "Where is the Irish music?"

"You play island music in the summer, you play Irish music in March," came the response.

The comment hit me where I live, obviously, since I am an Irish music columnist. Isn't Ireland an island just like Jamaica? Of course it is.

Don't we have the same funk and soul? Bono once said that the Irish are Jamaicans that can't dance, and I tend to agree with him.

My buddy made me think about not only upgrading my social circle of friends, but how we can upgrade those backyard barbecue playlists to include some green sounds from the Emerald Isle. The task proved easier than I thought!

Since Horslips made the world safe for Irish melodies to go hand in hand with rock and funk sounds in 1970, there has been a proliferation of Irish artists who are not afraid to dip their cut of brown bread into a world music gumbo to create sizzling sounds for the summer.

Submitted for your approval, and in no particular order, are some summer sounds you can insert among the Bob Marley and UB40 that stream over the speakers at your next bash. These tunes will show that the host in your home is much more imaginative than the neighbors, who do not read this column and only have the faux country drivel of Jimmy Buffet and Kenny Chesney as a garnish to their margaritas.

Santiago, The Chieftains: When bandleader Paddy Moloney first heard Carlos Nez, a young recorder and bagpipe virtuoso from a far-flung Celtic outpost in Spanish Galicia, he was intrigued and inspired by the Celtic connection between Irish and Spanish cultures.

"Santiago" is loaded with Spanish melodies and rhythms, punctuated by the pipes and flutes that made Moloney and crew earn their nickname of Irish music ambassadors. Nez is not the only guest that joins the group; Linda Rondstadt and Los Lobos deliver spine-chilling performances. The disc is chock full of sounds that say summer, particularly the track "Guadalupe."

Shots, Damien Dempsey: I have said before that this folk singer from Dublin is Ireland's answer to Bob Marley for his unflinching social commentary on Irish life, but he earns that praise for another reason as well. He told me stories of how he played Marley's music constantly in his formative years, and the influences show in his phrasing and beats. Download "Negative Vibes" of "It's All Good" on iTunes and see what I mean.

Luna Park, Kila: Kila has been blending relentless traditional chops with tribal textures for more than a decade, hitting their stride on this brilliant disc. Sometimes their jams and grooves can be so ferocious that syrupy bar drinks could fly out of your guests' hands within a few beats, so stick with songs like "Bully's Acre." It is a beautiful Irish melody saturated with the humid sounds of a rain stick.

"Hebden Bridge" has caliente flamenco percussion that tangos with the flute to thrilling effect. Kila has a number of albums like Lemonade and Buns that can also dish up some summer sounds as well. For more information, log onto Kila.ie.

Throw Down Your Arms, Sinead O'Connor: I know the idea of inviting this bald high priestess of melodrama sounds insane, but hear me out! The Divine Miss O visited Bob Marley's Tuff Gong Studios in Jamaica for three weeks in 2005, choosing some of the top musicians and producers (Sly and Robbie) on the island to create a modern roots masterpiece.

From the sparse a capella read of "Jah Nuh Dead" to the bubbling bass line of Burning Spear classics like "Marcus Garvey," Sinead immerses herself in the island vibe with brilliant results.

The tribal drum bashing of Bob Marley's "War" is delivered with characteristic fire and indignation. This streak has gotten her in trouble in the past when she took out her rage on pictures of the Pope, but serves her well here.

The charming "Curly Locks" and the mellow call for peace, "Throw Down Your Arms, " provides that perfect, lazy vibes.

Sinead has flirted with reggae and island themes on some of her other albums, which are also worth checking out. "A Hundred Thousand Angels" from She Who Dwells is a great reggaefied ditty, and "The Lamb's Book of Life" from Faith and Courage is a tune from a criminally underrated album.

"I know that I have done many things to give you reason not to listen to me/especially as I have been so angry/but if you knew me you'd understand me/words can't express how sorry I am if I've caused hurt to anybody," she pleads on the stirring track. When Sinead plays at your barbecue, all will be forgiven.

Rebel Massive, Seanchai and the Unity Squad: Chris Byrne learned how to mix Irish music with different beats from his time with Black 47. When he formed his own band, he immersed himself in black music styles that include soul and reggae.

On Rebel Massive, Byrne mixes hip hop, reggae and ferocious uilleann pipes on tracks like "50 Pints of Stout," a jam that will get any backyard cookout cooking.

His time with Black 47 yielded some great island moments. Check out Byrne rapping in a credible Jamaican accent on "Desperate" from Trouble in the Land or on "Black Rose" from Home of the Brave. For more information log onto seanchai.com.

Volume 1-5, AfroCelt Sound System: The glorious globe trotting of former Pogue James McNally is a virtuoso on so many instruments that Van Morrison once called him The Master. The five discs he released with the Afro Celts are proof positive of his talents.

He was an all-Ireland champion on the accordion, piano and bodhran, and brings all of those ancient instruments into the electronic age with his band. Big club beats and African textures mixed with the fiddles and bodhrans create a dish that is unique.

Peter Gabriel's "When You're Falling" sounds like it could have come from Paul Simon's Graceland, while Sinead O'Connor's "Release" is a simmering beat with pipes and flutes bringing the mix to a rolling boil.

Punjab musicians bring humid elements to an already hot mix. While this is music of a far reaching global scale, Cork-based singer and poet Iarla O'Lionaird sprinkles gorgeous Gaelic prose that keeps the vibe firmly on Irish soil.

The ballads, as they say in Ireland, 'twould bring a tear to yer eye. Mix this into the playlist and put your summer on steroids!