It’s about that time of the year when I am gearing up for long road trips.

To Bellingham. To the Gorge in George. To my beach place near Gig Harbor. To my brother’s place in San Diego.

Which means I need to find some good summer tunes for the road.

Of course I’ve got the classics: Loggins and Messina’s “Full Sail.” Hall and Oates’ “Abandoned Luncheonette.” Then I’ve got the standards: anything by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sublime, Rooney, The Kooks – you know, summer stuff. But I’m always looking for something new.

This week marked an awesome week in music – especially in regard to tunes perfect for a sunny afternoon. And that makes this girl really happy.

For the past few days, my headphones have been my best friend. Because not only have I spent my days listening to new jams (between talking to you lovely folks), but I’ve also started to build my NEW road trip playlist.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve barely scratched the surface when it comes to my summer music discovery – as there are so many more albums coming out in the next few weeks. Even so, I’ve got some front runners, in the form of three solid albums: Paramore’s “Paramore,” The Postelles’ “…And It Shook Me,” and Phoenix’s “Entertainment.”

Do you want upbeat tunes to match the sunny disposition of summer in the Pacific Northwest? I think these will help you get to the beach!

Now, what are you listening to?

Keegan Prosser: 425-453-4602; kprosser@bellevuereporter.com