Vacations

Can't afford to take a trip? Listen to Vacations. It's almost as relaxing.
- from Oh My Rockness

Ahhhhh. Vacations. Slip into these songs and let your cares go where doves cry, er, fly. Actually, now that I'm considering it, these songs can make you really angry too. Like, "Why am I in a stupid cubicle listening to this and not on a hammock right now!" So consider this the rare band that makes you relaxed and agro.

But moving on, Vacations is seriously the perfect name for these guys. Listening to this, I'm transported back to the Caribbean, where the drinks come cheap, the sea breeze comes free, and the frequent flip-flop wearing comes with plantar fasciitis.

This Chicago band is made up of two former Chin Up Chin Up guys (singer Jeremy Bolen and keyboardist Greg Sharp) and one Joan of Arc/Love of Everything/Make Believe guy, Bobby Burg. Together the trio creates warm mandolin music (or is it a ukulele? Maybe it's just a FAO Schwartz guitar?) meant for tropical holidays, if only in the mind.

Now maybe I'm biased because I've been a longtime Chin Up fan, but give these guys a listen and I bet Vacations' easy-going melodies give you the itch to float away. And hey, they just played two shows with Sunset Rubdown if that also helps to ease your concerns

Click here to download their entire album.
Pay as little or as much as you'd like.