Bob Schneider describes the inspiration for A Perfect Day, his 11th studio album, as coming from a cruise he and a friend took around Lake Travis, near their Austin, Texas home. He explained that he wanted to make a CD “where you could be hanging out on the lake on a beautiful day and put it in and you’re never going to press skip.”

The 12 songs on his soulful and easy-going album meet this goal. It is not impossible to listen to A Perfect Day straight through without skipping to the next track.

From the opening single, “Let The Light In” (which is also the first track on the album), where Schneider exhibits both his skill at tongue-twisting wordplay and a syncopated beat that has a strong hip-hop sensibility, to the utterly charming double shot of “Peaches” and “Yeah, I’ll Do That Shit,” to the slightly darker, but still mellifluous “Penelope Cruz,” Schneider shows that at this stage of his career, he is capable of creating any musical atmosphere he wants to.

The singer exhibits his musical range on tracks like “Am I Missing Something,” whose horn-laden opening and funky groove makes the listener want to dance and dance and dance.

Schneider finishes strongly with the closing track, “Hand Me Back My Life,” where  he brings the album full circle with its infectious groove that almost overwhelms the amusing lyrics.

Years of live performing have ensured that Bob Schneider will never disappoint when he hits the studio. While this is not his strongest collection – this writer still considers his 2001 release, Lonelyland, one of the best albums of the last decade (and one of the most underappreciated albums of the last decade) – A Perfect Day is extremely entertaining and definitely worth purchasing, before the dog days of summer bare their fangs. You’ll want this album when you’re sitting on the porch, downing that fifth beer, and relaxing in the hot summer sun.