Not only are they the guys behind one of this summer’s best road trip albums, but Limbeck’s Robb MacLean and Patrick Carrie are also the type of easy-going, fun-loving guys you would want along for such a trip. Limbeck’s new album, Limbeck, may be a great car accessory, but it’s really a fitting soundtrack for any sunny outdoor activity from splashing in the ocean to a cookout with friends.

According to MacLean and Carrie, Limbeck’s jovial yet introspective tone was not purposely written that way; however, speaking with them the attitude of the album seems to be more a personification of themselves.

“Lyrically there was no conscience direction [for Limbeck],” MacLean says. “And musically, it’s a culmination of what we’ve done in the past and some new stuff.”

“We had more fun and time to experiment on this one then in the past,” adds Carrie. “We got to mess around and get crazy- lots of fun.”

“We really had time to pursue silly ideas,” says MacLean.

“…and bad ones,” Carrie jokingly adds.

“In the past we might’ve just used [a song], because we were pressed for time,” says MacLean.

Although the record might not have an overriding theme, certain songs were definitely written to describe a certain time or situation.

“’Reading Street Signs’ was sparked by a lady I saw bawling on a bus. [1] wondered what she was crying about. Wondered if she was sad, or crazy, or whatever. I was kind of funny how no one would ask her what was wrong,” recalls MacLean.

“A lot of our records are deemed “road records,” but 'Big Drag' is really about sticking around the house being broke,” shares Carrie. “Robb doesn’t sugar coat it; he tells it like it is.”

“’Wake Up’ was really an inspirational song for myself,” grins MacLean. “If you wake up early, you can enjoy the day. They’re a lot of things you miss out on while sleeping in, like swimming, going to the hotel lobby for a continental breakfast, exercising and all sorts of things.”

While their song topics range from having fun to being socially conscience, Limbeck’s musical sound is just as diverse.

“My favorite label is ‘emo-country’,” jokes MacLean.

In recent months, critics and fans have given Limbeck glowing reviews, but they have also personally labeled the piece into many contrasting genres.

“I prefer not to give ourselves a sub-category,” says MacLean.

“Just rock,” adds Carrie

“We try to be all across the spectrum from rock to ‘emo-country’ to hippie,” describes MacLean. “It’s all relative to what you’re into. If someone listens to country, then they would think we are defiantly not country. But, to someone else, we might be the most hokey country band.”

Limbeck is currently on a cross country tour with The Format.

“This tour is really cool, because we are all old friends and we’ve all progressed as musicians in our own scene,” says Carrie.

Limbeck is not only touring with good friends, but they’re also making friends at every stop. Even a nasty thunderstorm didn’t keep the “friends” from coming to see the boys at Atlanta’s Masquerade on July 24, 2007. Although it would have been more fitting to see the band play with a backdrop of crashing waves instead of the venue’s back walls. Onstage the band brought a nice summery calm; fans sang along with the group and even those unfamiliar with Limbeck could not resist tapping their feet to hits like, “Let’s Get Crazy” and “Bird Problems.” Other hits like, “Big Drag” seemed fitting for a young audience mostly enjoying the lazy days of summer.

“We always mix up the set list,” says Carrie. “We like things to be unexpected. Some spontaneity can be good, whether good crazy or crazy bad.”

“But, crazy things make it fun to talk about on the mic,” smiles MacLean.

Luckily Limbeck’s set was an entertaining one without any “crazy” disasters, or at least not any observable ones. Even after Limbeck wrapped their set, MacLean and Carrie remained familiar faces returning back to the stage to join The Format’s lead singer Nate Ruess on “Snails,” a slow but upbeat song more fitting for a Limbeck set list. MacLean and Carrie also helped close the night with The Format’s final encore, a cover of Van Morrison’s “Caravan,” with MacLean on trumpet and Carrie on keys.

With all of their accomplishments and critical acclaim, the boys of Limbeck maintain humility and humor. When asked if there was anything they would like their fans to know, MacLean calmly responds, “We just want them to know, we are really proud of the new album. And, we like to swim. We actually went swimming last night at the beach.”

Check out Limbeck's website!