By Paul V.

Beck -- Girl -- Interscope

Our favorite ex-Silver Lake resident made a terrific comeback on his latest disc, and "Girl" -- his new, groovy-bouncy New Wave single -- proves to remind us what a cool cat he really is. Sometimes it's the silly 'n' simple songs that become our summer anthems.

Paradise Boys -- The Young & The Guest List -- Five Points

First things first: this is the most genius album title of the year! And with a name like Paradise Boys, you just gotta know this is a party record. Based in San Francisco, the core of the group is two DJs, Jeff Fare -- aka DJ Jefrodiziak -- and Bertie Pearson -- aka DJ Birdy P. Self described as a "dance f**k explosion," Paradise Boys take their hipster disco-punk-dance and infuse it with a sense of humor and art-damaged glamour. After a few well-received underground singles, The Young & The Guest List sees the Boys come together as true indie dance divas, sculpted by producer Johan Sharp (aka Spacetime Continuum). With influences as far reaching as Frankie Knuckles, T-Rex, Sasha, Erasure, and Gang of Four, the now fleshed-out quintet traverses through a bunch of groove-laden styles. From their cover of Jamie Principle's '85 house classic "Your Love," to the moon-walk electro of "Summer Of Love" and "I Burn For You," to the Brazilian dub-funk of "Thunderbird," to the Franz Ferdinand-esque "There's A Riot Going On," you'd almost think you're not listening to the same band. Yet it all gels extremely well, and in a genre saturated with more style over substance, this record offers just the opposite. If Tiga, The Rapture, or DJ Hell keeps you moving, make some room for Paradise Boys too. Their lyric on "2 O'clock" sums it up: "Just because it's 2 o'clock/Doesn't mean we gotta stop."

Bob Mould -- Body Of Song -- Yep Roc

Post-punk/rock pioneer -- and openly queer -- Bob Mould continues his evolution as a gifted eclectic artist on his terrific latest disc. After a so/so foray into electronica on his last solo record, Mould energetically bounces back with a sort of best of both worlds output, in that you hear shades of his power-pop work in Sugar, but with much more of a bouncy -- even dance-y -- spring to its step. The infectious, thick 'n' crunchy rockers include the urgent "Paralyzed" and the practically grunge-sounding "Underneath Days" and "Best Thing," two tracks where Mould's voice really showcases its unwavering strength and power. Then there's the Fugazi meets Velvet Underground psychedelic vibe of "Always Tomorrow," where Mould keeps the lyrics sparse but still spreads out emotion. And it's emotion and a gorgeous melody that anchor two of the beautiful, gently introspective ballads here, "Days Of Rain" and "High Fidelity" -- most inspired by early Elvis Costello but still 100 percent Mould. And Mould pours out some clearly gay, he-pronoun depth on the poignant "Gauze Of Friendship." While this is definitely a rock 'n' roll record, some of the more club-minded tracks like "(Shine Your) Light Love Hope" -- yes, that's indeed a Cher-style vocoder effect in there -- and the New Wave beat of "I Am Vision, I Am Sound" could easily keep toes tapping happily. I truly recommend this record -- Mould is for sure an underrated songwriter and musician who could use some love.

Suzanne Palmer -- Home -- Star 69

As the voice behind countless Peter Rauhofer/Club 69 floor filler singles in the late '90s, Chicago's Suzanne Palmer finally steps into the solo spotlight with her much-delayed debut collection. Produced by house heavy-hitters like Cevin Fisher, Orange Factory, Eric Kupper, Angel Moraes, Murk, Dezrok, Fred Jorio, Blue Room -- and with Rauhofer acting as executive producer -- Home is a non-stop flogging of beloved circuit anthems, including the recent hit singles "Luv 2 Luv," "Sound Of The Drum," "Show Me," and the title track. Anything but a disposable voice and another pretty face, Palmer solidifies herself with the release of an album that proves she's more than generic vocalist shoved behind the mic. What seems to set Palmer apart from the wailing diva pack is how much gospel and warm soul she packs into her performances, and that she has chops as a songwriter, too. Another highlight is her cover of the cheesy '80s club hit, "Fascinated" (by Company B). Palmer gives the track -- and its undeniably catchy chorus -- a breathy, understated sex appeal. Granted, by the end of these 14 relentless beat-laden tracks, the floor in your house might start to feel sticky, and obviously, this is best experienced with hands-in-the-air, shirtless, instant gratification abandon in some fogged out, laser driven hotspot. But as far as flat-out circuit collections go, Palmer more than keeps up with the pace and rhythm and adds some class and warmth to the all-night party.

Catch Paul V. spinning tunes in Silver Lake: "MegaMonday" at MJ's, Dragstrip 66 (second Saturday each month at 1160 Vermont Avenue), Spit (third Saturday each month at Faultline), and "Milkshake" Thursday nights at MJ's. Tune in for his "Smash Mix" on Indie 103.1 FM on Fridays at 5:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.dragstrip66.com.