Summer is just around the corner; most people say it unofficially kicks off during Memorial Day Weekend with thousands of pounds of steak and hamburgers. But what’s a good barbecue without some tunes to kick back and relax to — whether you’re sitting poolside, manning the grill, or just catching some rays during an unusually hot Memorial Day? This week’s Music Monday selection is brought to you by Katie Blitz, Meghin Moore, Sam Cooper, Ali Fogarty, and Zach Berger.

Guster — “Bad, Bad World”

Guster, who performed at The State Theatre in April, is the ideal summer band. All of their songs makes me want to dance. “Bad, Bad World” from their most recent album–Easy Wonderful (2010) is a song I could listen to on repeat from Memorial Day until Labor Day without stopping. Guster’s reassuring lyrics, put together with Adam Gardner and Ryan Miller’s melodic harmonies, makes this song so incredibly catchy. You will want to be on your feet dancing after a few seconds of listening. Summer is full of carefree moments, and Guster’s upbeat music will only enhance the relaxing mood that you’re looking for.

Jack’s Mannequin — “Holiday From Real”

‘Everything in Transit,’ the debut album released by Jack’s Mannequin in 2005, is probably one of the best summer-y albums out there, featuring the song “Holiday From Real.” Summer vacation can be seen as simply that — taking a break to let your hair grow long and waste time in the sun. Even the lyrics of the song seem to paint a picture of the ideal summer: “Oh, it’s a picture of perfection. Oh, and the postcard’s gonna read: Fuck yeah, we can live like this, we should live like this. But if you left it up to me, every day would be a holiday from real! We’d waste our weeks beneath the sun; we’d fry our brains and write it’s so much fun out here!”

If only summers on the East Coast were like that of Southern California, where this song has it’s roots. Of course, if you want more SoCal summer jams, just listen to ‘Everything in Transit’ in its entirety with the volume all the way up, and the windows down while driving down the highway. That is a perfect way to spend your summer, even if you don’t get to go to the beach. It’ll set your mind in full time summer mode.

Guided By Voices — “Class Clown Spots a UFO”

Guided By Voices was one of the most prolific bands of the 90’s and 00’s, releasing 16 albums and handfuls of EP’s and collections (not to mention front man Robert Pollard’s 17 solo albums and various other side projects) up until they called it quits in 2004. But the band reunited with their classic 1993-1996 lineup in 2010 for Matador Record’s 21st anniversary celebration. After their initial performance went well, they planned an entire tour and returned to the studio.

Their first album of 2012, ‘Let’s Go Eat The Factory’, was released in January, and they have already recorded two follow-ups to release this year. Class Clown Spots a UFO will be released on June 11 and the band has already released three singles from the record. The third single is the album’s title track — a re-making of an old demo, “Crocker’s Favorite Song” — which was originally from their 5-CD Box set release in 1995. “Class Clown Spots A UFO” takes the melody and lyrics from the old acoustic demo and gives it new life, transforming the track into another one of the pop anthems that the band has become known for.

Florence and the Machine — “Spectrum (Calvin Harris Remix)”

Coming off the success of their 2009 debut, ‘Lungs’, Florence + the Machine is back with their sophomore album, Ceremonials. The band will be releasing the video for their 5th single from the album, “Spectrum,” later this week, but in the meantime, here’s a preview of the song. The band released the audio of a remix by world-renowned Scottish DJ Calvin Harris, who has gained notoriety on Top 40 charts with “Feel So Close” and a collaboration with Rihanna on “We Found Love.” Flo’s haunting, soaring vocals mixed with Harris’s beats make for a combination I’ll definitely be playing this summer.

Porter Robinson vs. Carly Rae Jepsen — Petty Langauge (3LAU Edit)

I really couldn’t care less if I get shit for putting a “Call Me Maybe” mashup in this week’s Music Monday. Though the original version of Carly Rae Jepsen’s hit is a pop nightmare, it is extremely catchy. This edit by up-and-coming DJ and WashU student Justin Blau, better known as 3LAU, gets rid of the boring, bland melody of the original track and replaces it with “Language” by Porter Robinson. The electro house feel gives “Call Me Maybe” an entirely different vibe and turns it into a song that’s actually worth listening to. “Langauge” is already blowing up and becoming a surefire summer anthem, but it’s just infinitely better with the world’s catchiest lyrics and some great vocal melodies cleverly mixed in by 3LAU.