Music Blogs

Now this is more like it: so far this year, spring time in New York City has been annoyingly cold and rainy, but as I'm writing this post, the sun is streaming brightly through my window, baby birds are chirping on the sill, and children are riding bikes up and down my street. Summer, it seems, is finally on its way.

Naturally, this means a change in my listening habits. Warm weather and abundant sunshine brings with it an optimism that, to my mind, is best met with crisp guitar, easily hummable melodies, and straight ahead rhythms. So see ya later, dour mumblers and gloomy metal mavens. Nice to make your acquaintance, jangly guitar strummers and cocksure riffers!

If you also switch over to upbeat sounds during flip-flop season then I've got some recommendations. Below are three albums (one is already available, two arrive later this month) that are perfect foils for backyard barbecues, patio drinking, and whatever the hell else you like to do from June to September.

1. Firebird, Grand Union: Pull on some bell-bottoms and rev up the GTO! Led by ex-Carcass and Napalm Death frontman Billy Steer, Firebird's Grand Union (out June 23 on Rise Above) trades those bands' extreme metal grinding for meaty power trio rock in the vein of Grand Funk Railroad and Mountain. Aided by the awesomely named bassist Smok Smoczkiewicz and only slightly less awesomely named drummer Ludwig Witt, Steer fills Union with bluesy single-string guitar riffs, swaggering solos, and horndog lyrics (Bon Scott would get a kick out of "Jack the Lad"). There's even a power ballad, "Lonely Road." Cowbell? But of course.

2. Pete Yorn, Back and Fourth: With his shaggy good looks and knack for catchy folk-rock melodies, Pete Yorn seemed like a solid bet to become a major star back in 2001 when he released his debut, musicforthemorningafter. Though neither his looks nor talent faded, big time stardom never quite found the New Jersey native, who instead has matured into a thoroughly likeable journeyman--a sort of Tom Petty for the dive bar and graduate degree set. That mix of pop smarts and emotional grit is all over Back and Fourth (also due the 23rd, on Columbia). Blast the crashing "Last Summer" on the way to the beach, then switch over to the mandolin-kissed "Don't Wanna Cry" when the sun starts to set.

3. Jason Lytle, Yours Truly, the Commuter: Released May 19 on Anti-, Commuter sounds a lot like Lytle's old band Grandaddy. This is a good thing. The mellow Californian's homespun melodies, warm acoustic guitar picking, knack for rickety synth lines, and lyrics about coming home from work and enjoying the weekend are both utterly distinctive and strangely soothing. The new album's swooning "Brand New Sun" and laconically epic "It's the Weekend" come off like early Neil Young run through a Macintosh 128k--technologically endearing and gently humane. The album is a perfect complement to some mellow front-porch musing, cold beer in one hand, iPhone in the other.

So those are my picks for summer '09. What albums do you turn to when the days get long and the grills start to smoke? Post your answer in the comments section.

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