Ten Albums for Your Summer Soundtrack

As midsummer approaches, vacations are being taken and road trips being embarked upon. Here is a list of some great artists who albums are sure to keep you thinking and rocking as you take those long trips to the beach, the mountains, or anywhere in between.

1 Eric Vinson "Rhythm of the World" www.ericvinsonmusic.com

This Nashville native has turned in a record that is introspective and moody providing the perfect backdrop for a warm night time drive. With "Rhythm of the World," Vinson sings of love, loss, pain, hope, and happiness in a way that will pull at your heart strings.

2 Matthew Perryman Jones "Until the Dawn Appears" www.mpjmusic.com

Already a heavyweight on the indie music scene, MPJ has declared that he is ready for his music to go in a new direction. But before making this change he has recorded "Until the Dawn Appears," a collection of his favorite songs from his catalog thus far. But this is no mere greatest hit project. Matthew has taken a sampling of his songs that have meant the most to him as an artist and a human being. Furthermore MPJ recorded "Until the Dawn Appears" completely on acoustic instruments; you will ¯¬nd no electric guitars, no ampli¯¬ers, no synths. Still the passionate ballads sore with emotion and the driving rock tunes never lose their edge. This record is perfect for an afternoon by the beach listening to the crashing waves.

3 Andrew Belle "Ladder" www.andrewbelle.com

Another "Nashvillian," Andrew Belle writes songs of relationships won and lost and ¯¬nding hope in brokenness and loss. Always uplifting and melodic and thought-provoking, "Ladder" is the perfect summer musical companion.

4 Jeremy Lister "The Bed You Made" www.jeremylister.com

If the name of Jeremy Lister sounds familiar, you may have seen him as the lead singer of the acapella group Street Corner Symphony on the singing competition television show Sing-Off. After years of making compelling indie records and being an in¯¬uential ¯¬gure in the Nashville music scene, Jeremy Lister has come forward with an amazing pop rock record, "The Bed You Made."

5 Switchfoot "Hello Hurricane" www.switchfoot.com

The moods and themes of "Hello Hurricane" were born out of lead singer Jon Foreman's reflection on the destruction brought upon the southern United States by Hurricane Katrina. There are moments of brutally honest introspection on this record but they it always gives way to hope, rebirth, and change.

6 Ben Rector "Into the Morning" www.benrectormusic.com

Ben Rector's latest LP "Into the Morning" is a record full of tunes of love. Love lost, love found, love treasured are all themes running through this beautiful, well-orchestrated emotional album. Perfect for those romantic walks on the beach!

7 Nick Flora "Hello Stranger" www.nickflora.com

Singer/Songrwriter Nick Flora turns in an effort that is fun and thought-provoking. But this doesn't mean that it's heavy or dark. Multipart harmonies, clever (and even humorous) lyrics, and bouncy tempos keep "Hello Stranger" on the fun side of introspection. You will find some great driving music on this great album.m

8 Matthew Mayfield "Now You're Free" http://www.matthewmayfield.com

Emotional, passionate, desperate, powerful, and raw are all adjectives that will come to mind when listening to the latest from Matthew Mayfield (former lead singer of the band Moses Mayfield). Mayfield's sound is rootsy Americana and his delivery is one in which he reaches down deep and pulls out raw emotion and longing on every track. "Now You're Free" is an excellent companion for those early summer evenings when the sun is sinking low, the moment between the bustle of the day and the deep quiet of the night.

9 Josh Garrels "Love & War & The Sea In Between" www.joshgarrels.com

At times quirky, at times solemn, completely engaging. Josh Garrels' neo-folk style paints a sonic portrait of beauty in the world, pain in the world, hope through faith, and a longing for something more in this life. "Love & War & The Sea In Between" provide a philosophical element to your summer soundtrack.

10 LEAGUES EP www.LEAGUESMUSIC.com

LEAUGES may be a relatively new band but its members are hardly strangers to the indie music scene. Thad Cockrell, Tyler Burkum, Jeremy Tutito, and Mike Simons are musicians with existing and successful solo and session careers. With LEAGUES' three song EP they have created a sound that is unique from each members' past work and, indeed, would have been impossible without each other. These three tunes are groovy and feature a vibe that will keep the listener hitting that play button and wishing for more material from this great band.

What are some other records that remind you of summer or that make a great companion to summer time?