Guitars, Drums, Tones, and Saxophones

OK, so this is a bit different for the site, but with the nice weather approaching/already here, and trips to beaches and things imminent, I figured it would be a good time to talk about great albums for the summer. What are some of your favorites for laid back afternoons in the sun?

A short list of mine:

• American Steel – Dear Friends & Gentle Hearts
• Mos Def – Mos Dub
• Chris Wollard & the Ship Thieves – self-titled
• Jimmy Buffett – A1A
• Cheap Girls – My Roaring 20′s
• Harvey Danger – Little By Little
• Latterman – No Matter Where We Go!

That’s what I can think of off the top of my head. What about you?

Chris Wollard & the Ship Thieves

Chris Wollard is most notably one of the singer/guitarists- along with Chuck Ragan- of Gainesville’s beloved post-hardcore quartet Hot Water Music. After the departure of Ragan, he and the rest of the band formed the Draft, and now, he’s assembled a team of musicians to back him on what is more or less his solo album, Chris Wollard & the Ship Thieves. Comparisons to Ragan’s post-HWM work are inescapable, particularly in light of Chuck’s collaboration with Austin Lucas last year.

The album kicks off with the rocker “No Exception,” which is definitely a highlight of a rather strong album. Chris honed his chops, both in terms of writing and playing, in Hot Water Music, and it comes to a fore here, with songs that range from straight-ahead rock songs, to more quiet, country-influenced ones.

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