Let's Never Forget Summer.

Summer is the best time of the year, obviously. But let's make a promise to one another. To never forget summer. We go to Elementary School- Summer, Middle School- Summer, High School- Summer, College- Summer. That's about seventeen years of our lives that we get a warm fuzzy feeling in us when we hear "summer". We know what it means. No work, hanging out with friends, and just happiness.

Let's not forget summer.

Let's not fall into a pattern of not doing anything different in the summer. It's the summer! It's supposed to be filled with heat, swimming, driving and most of all- great music. You have to listen to awesome "summer" music in the summer.

So here, I've compiled a collection of 20 songs that remind me of summer. Some of these are blatant songs about summer; others are songs that just connect to summer with me for whatever reason. Here's the list, ya'll! (download link below)

DOWNLOAD MEEEE!!!

Anthony Parks

...is an artist I heard about through Friendly Neighborhood Records once I joined them. His release was a week before mine, so I decided to check it out.

It is excellent.

Anthony Parks' release "A Treatise On Substance" combines his masterful guitar skills and beautiful voice to create a magnificent album. 13 wonderfully crafted songs with touching lyrics and a sooth voice that makes you feel like Anthony is sitting on your bed, lulling you to sleep. While on the surface, you may write him off as just another folk act, he certainly isn't. Anthony Park has what a lot of folk acts have lost sight of- feeling.

Once again, a masterful album! You'll want to have "O What A Beautiful Day" on repeat all night. I look forward to more Anthony Parks and hope he treks down to North Carolina soon.

DOWNLOAD HERE!

Caught in the act of not being awesome!

This is an awesome short, fast-paced album by Johnny Hobo & The Freight Trains. This is the now dead project of Pat The Bunny and some friends. It's also the most produced album you'll find of theirs, the rest being recordings of live shows and/or on tape. Although, there is a rare little collection of songs that use a drum machine. Try to find that.

Pat The Bunny sings songs of politically charged drug madness. Underneath that though, his lyrics are elegantly simple and touching. For me, it kind of knocked me off my feet for it's brutal honesty.

Who needs love? Not me! Who needs friends? Not me! Who needs drugs? ME! Who needs sex? I've got me!

In late 2007, this was posted on the band's myspace: "JOHNNY HOBO IS DEAD! I can't sing these songs any more because they are not true any more. I am not straight edge, just sick of misery. Here are new songs I wrote". And then a link to Wingnut Dishwasher's Union (not as good). Pat the Bunny entered a rehab center this past December. He doesn't know if he'll continue to play music after he's done; but it's safe to say you won't hear any Johnny Hobo songs at any shows.

Johnny Hobo has been called many things- the simplest being punk and the more original ones being riot folk and drunk punk. Call it what you like, but listen to this!

DOWNLOAD HERE!

i wish you never said that i was just a boy, cause now i know what it is to be destroyed.

Ghost Mall's EP "Goons" was given to me for free after I played a set. If I never make another dime through making music, that would be just fine by me.

The EP is hand-made on recycled paper and the songs are stamped on the box that unfolds. It contains five songs and they now are the most played songs in my iTunes.

I may be a little biased because it was my first show the night I saw them. I was coming down from the natural high of a room full of people approving me. Genuinely approving me. Not pity claps, but seriously liking what I was doing. That's when Pierce went to his table and pulled out a CD and handed it to me. Then the 3 Brained Robot did his always insane set. Then Ghost Mall set up. I had been talking to the guys all night and thought these four awesome guys must have some sort of talent. It'd be interesting at least.

The first song started and my best friend in the entire world looked at each other and nodded. So much was said in that nod. At a glance it was just "this band rocks" but it was obviously something deeper. Ghost Mall combines the best of both worlds: music that makes you want to jump around in a room full of people, and music that you connect to. Somehow these four awesome guys from New York created something that I'll never forget.

The next thing that I may be biased about is the fact that the music was literally brought to my door. Ghost Mall stayed at my house the next weekend. I had listened to that CD all week and was giddy. Really embarrassingly giddy. "Ghost Mall is staying at my house tee hee hee!". You don't just connect with the lyrics in these songs; you have the chance to connect with the people who wrote the lyrics. Directly from the source!

My best friend Bleeker (Austin Huet. But please call him Bleeker) feels the exact same way that I do about this band. I can sit here and tell you all of the lines that effect me and make me say "wow", but just listen to it yourself: http://www.myspace.com/ghostmall

I think Ghost Mall may be my favorite band of all time.

I realize that is a huge thing to say based on five songs. It's like love. You question yourself about it for a while (do I really love them? That's such a big thing....). But at some point you say 'fuck it' and tell that person you love them.

Fuck it.

I love you, Ghost Mall.