The April weather here in Ohio has been utterly miserable. Gray, rainy, sometimes cold and other times stormy. So there hasn’t been much opportunity to blare awesome songs with the car windows down. This song by Sweet Sweet Moon has likely jumped near the top of the heap I’m stockpiling for summer, when hopefully warmer temperatures and clearer skies will allow me to let everyone know how catchy and fun it is.

Sweet Sweet Moon is 20-something German musician Matthias Frey. His debut album was apparently very down-tempo, but the pace and pep of “Smoke Up” are delightful. When the strings emerge — much like rays of sun poking through thick gray clouds — from behind rollicking drums and strumming guitars at the one-minute mark, this song gets downright magical. I hope the weather where you are is warm enough to play this tune at the appropriate volume. Or that it soon will be.

As a bonus, we’ve included the far more string-heavy cover of Beirut’s wonderful track “My Night With A Prostitute from Marseilles.” It will make you sway and tap your toes as well.

Sweet Sweet Moon – Smoke Up by The Wounded Jukebox

Sweet Sweet Moon – My Night With The Prostitute From Marseille by Siluh Records

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–Sean