Songs of the Summer

With September starting tomorrow (where the HELL has summer gone, really?), I thought I'd share a quick list as to what I've been listening to this summer. It's been a good one, music wise, with new albums by Ryan Star and Jimmy Gnecco with releases upcoming this fall by SafetySuit, Josh Groban, and David Cook among others. Here's my quick list of drive with the music down songs to check out.

• Ryan Star - Start A Fire
As if there was any doubt I'd start with a Ryan Star song. Or at least include one on here. But this song is amazing. Its sexy, fun, catchy, and is going to be the next single releasing to radio on September 13. There's no way you can stay still while listening to it. And its incredible live.

• Ryan Star - 11:59
This song starts out slow but picks up in the middle with the band kicking in - and once it does, its rocking. "Don't let the moment pass us by, put the windows down and drive.." It's really for me, a mantra to live by, a reminder to live in the moment, always.

• B.O.B Featuring Hayley Williams - Airplanes
I hadn't really heard this song before mid-June. Then Ryan sang it mashed up with Back of Your Car, so I had to check out the original. However, it really is a great song. Its catchy and it quickly became a favorite to turn up and jam to. Plus I kind of love the video.

• Kris Allen - Alright With Me
This is a song that's grown on me. It was never a favorite of mine when I first heard it on the album, but the more I listened to it, the more I loved it. The 'yeah yeah yeah' intro and the crashing guitar chord make the song what it is. I hit repeat on this song more often then anything else on the album.

• Katy Perry - California Girls
As is typical with first listen on many of her songs, I hated this at first. Hated it. Changed the station every time it came on in the car. But it kind of worked its way into my head and won't leave me alone. Then I saw the video and I thought it was a great concept. Now this song really is just fun and catchy and everything a great pop song should be. Her new song, Teenage Dream is also immediately catchy, poppy, and fun. Surprisingly, I didn't want to stab my eyes out with a spork when I heard it.

• Jimmy Gnecco - Gravity
This is one of my favorite's off of Gnecco's album, The Heart if not for the fact that it's just so happy. It makes me grin like an idiot when I hear it, and I just want to sing along and forget about anything in my life that's not happy for those 4 minutes. 

• Seventh Room - Good or Bad
This song by a local Boston band isn't happy go lucky per say, but its intriguing. The droning guitar chords that open the song draw me in immediately and make me stop and listen. There's not many songs like this out there. It's a bit of a throw back to the early 90's grunge rock, but with some modern tweaks to it, which is what makes it so good. It's not out on an album yet, but I've heard it live a few times and its the one song I constantly want to listen to.

So there you have it. What are some of your songs that grabbed you this summer?