Heeb

Tropical drinks, long bike rides and good music are a few things that keep me in good spirits from from Memorial Day until mid- September. The first two you’ll have to take care of yourself—here are some suggestions for the jams.

Princeton

Bloomsbury

Striking Peasant

Do you miss the glory days of Belle and Sebastian (first three records)?Has lack of sophistication in American songwriting got you down? Look no further than the L.A. trio known as Princeton. Comprised of twin brothers Matt and Jesse Kivel and piano player Ben Usen, they wrote this wonderful EP of twee-inspired wonders, basing the songs on the Bloomsbury Group literary collective. I liked this so much that I had to ask the guys if there are more musical caricatures in the near future? "We are seriously contemplating following Bloomsbury with a concept EP about Giant Squid and a couple of scientists (Tsunemi Kubodera and Steve O’Shea) who are researching them." Maybe the gentlemen of Princeton will unveil some of their odes to cephalopod’s when they play Diamond Days on July 18 at Ghost Town Gallery.

The Explorers Club

Freedom Wind

Dead Oceans Records

The Explorers Club are the definition of sunshine pop. I dare any band to out-Beach Boy these guys.

Bonnie "Prince" Billy

Lie Down in the Light

Drag City

Year after year it becomes more obvious that Will Oldham is one of the most gifted songwriters/music makers around today. In the case of "Lie Down in the Light," Oldham puts fourth a batch of songs that are as chilled out as a drunken day on a front porch (or stoop, for us city folk), and they make this album the best material of his since his 2005 collaboration with Matt Sweeney.

The War on Drugs

Wagonwheel Blues

Secretly Canadian

The War on Drugs comes from Philadelphia, but taking a listen to this album, you would think they spend their time way out west smoking pot and trying out how to meld Bruce Springsteen with The Byrds, because that is what most of the songs on this album sound like. Which, of course, is a very good thing.