Song Premiere: Dan Godlin, “Summer Roads”

Summer, perhaps more than any other season, has a tendency to produce songs that are evocative of that season. They are the kinds of songs we throw into yearly Song of the Summer competitions and turn to full volume when they come on the radio. As of late, we’ve veered towards beat-driven pop (“Blurred Lines,” “Get Lucky”) or the Americana-musings of Mumford & Sons or the Lumineers, but on “Summer Roads,” Dan Godlin is taking a more traditional approach. Anchored in guitar and piano melodies, Godlin’s high-reaching vocals describe the summer shenanigans and youthful indiscretion that you only find on the aforementioned roads.

“Unlike spring, fall, or winter roads, summer roads are infused with a special kind of love,” says Godlin. “I was inspired to write ‘Summer Roads’ back in early May when I was visiting LA for my MUSEXPO showcase. I had rented a Mustang convertible for my trip, and as I drove up the Pacific Coast Highway, I became nostalgic for the summer days of my high school years spent enjoying the warm weather and driving around top-down in my Jeep Wrangler. ‘Summer Roads’ evokes the same relaxed, feel-good vibe that I experienced from the people and landscape of southern Cal. As soon as I got back to New York, I started composing the song and over the course of June, ‘Summer Roads’ grew and developed into the single you hear now. I see this song as an anthem for the love of sunshine, romance, freedom, warm weather, and all things summer.”