Ok, the summer is winding down, and the fall (and school year) is winding up. It's time to mellow out from the frantic summer, and put on some music that is a bit folky-er and kooky. It's time for Guster...September's Band of the Month!

Guster is a jam band formed in Boston, Massachusetts. These New England boys know how to put on a good show. Any concert they play is a new music experience, as they take their songs, and just transform them into something completely different and unique. The band is not a band known by their name, but by their music, as I found out when I went to my first Guster show in December 2003. I thought I only knew one song by the band, their 2003 single "Amsterdam," but in actuality I knew many more.

Their music is hard to describe. It's mellow yet rocking at the same time. I think the best way to describe it is a college jam band that made it big, but yet is hip and socially conscious. Their songs run the gamut from the beat driven, energetic "Airport Song" and "Barrel of a Gun" to the extremely mellow and soulful "Demons" and "Mona Lisa."

This band holds a special spot in my music loving heart, because I found about Guster from my now future husband. First semester of college, and it was just before we began dating. My guy knew that I love concerts, and asked me if I liked Guster. Knowing only ONE song of theirs, and wanting him to like me, I said I did. He then told me about a concert happening in my home state, Maine, at the beginning of Christmas break, and that Guster was going to be recording their live DVD/CD there (he also told me that never been able to see them live, and that he was totally jealous that Guster was recording their live DVD at this concert.) I immediately called Caity, and told her about the show, knowing that she wasn't one to turn down a concert. So, when I came home from university, Caity and I immediately drove down to the concert with a couple of our friends, and I fell in love with the band.

Ever since that concert, Guster has been the ONLY band that my guy and I agree on (he loves Ben Folds and Weezer. Nuff said.) For his 22nd birthday, I surprised him with Guster tickets in Atlantic City, NJ; and was able to take him to his first Guster show (ok, now you can stop going AWWWWW, I can hear you over the internet.)

So, as you all can see, my love for Guster is deep, and I want it to be deep for you as well. So, here is my recommendation for Guster virgins:

Guster on Ice: The live DVD/CD combo that the band recorded at my very first Guster show in Maine, December 2003. The best way to experience Guster is live, so start with this CD/DVD. If you cannot find this, go to archive.org. They have numerous Guster live recordings for download for free (don't worry, it's not illegal or anything. The site got permission from Guster before putting those recordings up for free download.)

So, I know that this band is probably out of left field for most of you, but give them a nonjudgmental listen. You won't be disappointed.

I got into Guster back in High School when Doctah J asked me to go to a concert in Portland, Maine. I had heard of the band before, but never heard what they sounded like, so always one to hear something new: I was totally in! We drove down, and by the second song that Doc played in the car to pump us up for the show, I was down with Guster.

This band remains my high-spirits band! If I'm in a blah mood and need a pick me up, I toss in Guster's live CD "Guster On Ice" (Live in Portland Maine, baby! We were THERE!) and groove around the apartment in my pajamas, instantly I'll be in 10 times the better mood!

My best Guster moment would have to be the concert that Guster filmed the live CD/DVD "Guster On Ice" in Portland, Maine. Midway through their song "Come Downstairs and Say Hello" their G5 went down, leaving the band hanging, and while Joe rushed to reboot the G5, the percussionist Brian (I say percussionist rather than drummer as Guster utilizes more than just a standard drum kit, my favourite Guster moments are when Brian goes apeshit on the bongos.) came out from behind the percussion set and preceded to blow our eardrums with squeeky pre-pubescent sounding "State Song" in which he sang all of the United States in alphabetical order, for no apparent reason other than there was awkward silence while the G5 rebooted...

(Watch Guster's "Come Downstairs Mulligan" and Brian singing the State Song here.)

Caity's Top 5 Guster Songs to Dance Around in your Skivvies To:

• Airport Song (album: "Goldfly" [1998])
• Parachute (album: "Parachute" [1998])
• So Long (album: "Lost & Gone Forever" [1999])
• Careful (album: "Keep It Together" [2003])
• Manifest Destiny (album: "Ganging Up On The Sun" [2006])





Alright, I'm not the biggest Guster fan on the planet (they're not really my type of music), but I have a few staple songs that I have from them on my iPod thanks to Caity.

They're super Mellow in comparison to what I usually listen to, and every now and then it's nice to just sit back and listen to something chill. My absolute favourite song, which... can make me cry sometimes depending on what mood I'm in (shut up), is definitely "Two Point For Honesty". Try and find that from them if you try to find nothing else. I don't know why, but it's just an awesome song.