Totally Awesome Summer

Totally Awesome Summer is a fresh electro­-pop project out of Saint Paul, MN, featuring the mantra that music should be fun, without apology. In a crowded Twin Cities music scene, members, Joe Adrian and Ron have elbowed their way to the front of the fray with a commitment to smart lyrics, hot drum machines, sweet synth lines and infectious melodies. Both members share songwriting duties, while Joe handles the guitar and Ron handles the nightmare that is midi programming as well as production and engineering.

While neither wants to lose their well ­paying humdrum day jobs, they know fame will find them in the end. Their tunes are built for everyone, the casual listener to the music snob who listens for chord inversions, key changes and non­traditional song structure. Just like summer is meant to do, their music begs you to roll down the windows and stay cool.

Their latest, Adventure, featuring the classy production of Erik Appelwick (Tapes n' Tapes, Vicious Vicious), is a tightly­ crafted pop tribute to 1985's Pee­wee's Big Adventure. Loosely based on the cult-­classic film, this concept album aims to please crowds of Pee­wee fanboys and fangirls as well as lovers of synth­-pop that goes down easy. Filled with subtle and not-­so-subtle callbacks to the classic film, each track explores a different perspective and theme such as love, ambition, fame, and of course, Adventure.