One evening, Chris Portka was learning songs by Pavement and Silver Jews when his wife lit a Christmas candle that had once been a gift from his mother. That simple, unexpected moment became the spark for “Fun in the Summer” – a song filled with warmth, nostalgia, and a deep love of music.
Initially recorded at the legendary Sear Sound studio in New York and later completed in Oakland, the track became part of an album that moves effortlessly across eras and genres while remaining rooted in the rich tradition of the American singer-songwriter.









