Monday Motivation: The Summer Set

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If you’re anything like me, you probably started the day by recognizing that the start of a new work week had indeed arrived and then immediately began shaking your fists at the sky in anger. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, and from what I have seen firsthand it feels safe to say it’s the one day of the week some people outright hate. I guess to them the arrival of the work week symbolizes the end of their quote/unquote freedom, and as a result they head into the office/factory/restaurant/store with a negative outlook already on their mind. This leads to bad attitudes, which only makes the experience of being at work worse, and for some reason it also seems to make time slow to a crawl. We’re not about that life, and we hope this post can do the same you that the song contained within it did for us.

Here’s a headline you’ve probably read before: Growing up is hard. I never thought of myself as the type of person to relate to the generic motivational phrases disguised as groundbreaking ideas juxtaposed against nature or floral backgrounds you most often find plastered across the Instagram and Tumblr pages of today’s youth, but if we’re being entirely honest I’ve probably always been that type of person. We all are, I think. We are all hope that steering the ship of life in our favor is as simple as thinking positive and behaving in a proactive manner, but as time continues to pass that alleged reality is repeatedly proven false.

I don’t write all of this to dishearten your, but rather to prepare you for everything that will force itself in your way as you continue your journey in life. Sometimes even when it seems our dreams are coming true we learn the truth about those goals is nothing like we imagined it would be. Sometimes we reach what others might call the height of success only to find ourselves yearning for something more. As human beings our thirst for adventure is endless, which it should be, but that doesn’t mean we like having to find new paths to self-fulfillment when our original plans prove insufficient.

From an outsider’s point of view, The Summer Set seem like a band that couldn’t ask for much more out of life. Having found a sound all their own in the vastly overcrowded world of pop rock, the band has spent the better part of the last decade building a dedicated global following that now spans two generations of alternative music fans. Their 2013 LP, Legendary, is considered an essential record for anyone hoping to understand the current alt-pop climate, and therein lies one of the many reasons the band is only just now, in April 2016, releasing a follow-up. 

You see, Legendary catapulted The Summer Set to their heights of their music scene, but not the height of music in general. Though the record spawned several singles that eventually garnered radio play the album didn’t quite have the push needed to breakthrough to mainstream audiences in a meaningful way. Any success is good success of course, but the member of The Summer Set were unsure how they could outdo what they had just created, and as soon as they were presented with the opportunity to begin working on something new they chose collectively to a break instead. Countries were visited, memories were made, and slowly, but surely the group began piecing together more material. Still, something inside them questioned whether or not it would be good enough to push the group beyond the success of their previous album, and that uncertainty eventually lead them to question their future as a band.

It wasn’t until vocalist Brian Dales penned “Figure Me Out,” which serves as the opening track on the band’s new album Stories For Monday, that the band found their purpose and drive once more. The track, which tells of someone struggling to know themselves in the midst of realizing that their dreams might not be as ambitious as they had anticipated, reminded the group as a whole why they played music in the first place. The Summer Set didn’t start out with plans of being Billboard sensations. That would be nice, of course, but simply having recognition was never their intent. The band started because they wanted to connect with people, and through writing Stories For Monday they remembered they were already able to achieve that goal, as well as many more. They still want success, but they understand they have already achieved it as well, and a result they no longer worry whether or not every new track is good enough to be a hit at radio. They create because it’s what they want to do, and they play the music that makes them happy. What more could they really ask for?

When I listen to Stories For Monday I am reminded of the importance of knowing why you’re doing whatever it is you’ve chosen to do with your life. All too often we get distracted with what the world tells us is an indicator of success and we forget to ask ourselves what would make us happiest. All the accolades in the world may look good on a press release, but unless you believe in what you’re doing you’re never going to feel good about the results. The Summer Set may have taken years to find themselves, but we all benefit from their hard work. Stories For Monday is reminder that we are at our best when we do something for reasons other than personal or financial gain, and it’s also one of the best album you will hear all year long. Don’t miss out.


James Shotwell is the Digital Marketing Manager for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.

James Shotwell