As a recent college graduate, I spend most of summer days racking my brain for exciting post-grad life plans. You know, intellectually stimulating but badass; somewhat financially sound, but totally spontaneous; completely unique and fulfilling. Like maybe recording a solo album in a solar-powered van in the California wilderness? Something like that...

Wait, that's been done already?

Damn you, Mike Preuss!

Last March, the Renton, Washington born Preuss (and former guitarist of The Growers) released his album, Big Sur, after spending four months alone in Big Sur, California with a microphone, laptop, bass, harmonica, guitar, trumpet, rattle, tambourine, hi hat, snare, a synth and some vinyl. As the album sleeve puts it, his music "...has a Microphones + Animal Collective + Max Tundra feel at times and then it just recedes back into pretty and simple guitar and voice moments."

In other words, Big Sur is the ideal summer album. The complexity of Preuss' songs come from trying to imagine him individually layering all the sweet sounds and vocal hums into one harmonious blend; it flows so well-from moment to moment and even song to song-that it's almost impossible to believe he recorded it all one instrument at time, adding his voice in at the end. Particularly with songs like "Soul Elastic," "Brooklyn and Miky," and "Angel Dust," you can sense the creative escape that comes with playing in the middle of nowhere. It's like Into the Wild with a synthesizer. And not depressing.

You can download Big Sur for free on Mike Preuss' Web site.

And bug him on Facebook or MySpace to come back to Washington and play for us. Do it!