Hope you’re having a great summer. Me? I haven’t been arrested or thrown out of any bars so life’s good. Here’s a quick, brief overview of what we’ve been missing musically since our last issue.

On June 18, hip-hop fans hit the trifecta with three hugely anticipated albums released on the same day, J. Cole’s Born Sinner (Columbia), Watching Movies With The Sound Off by Mac Miller (Ingrooves) and of course Kim Kardashian’s baby’s daddy Kanye West’s Yeezus (Def Jam).

All have their strengths with very few weaknesses and each fan will find their own favorite. J. Cole’s background is too diverse to go into detail here but the kid that was born in Germany with Tupac as his inspiration.

Good ones on this his second album include first single “Power Trip,” as well as “Forbidden Fruit” with that killer Ronnie Foster “Mystic Brew” sample and “Crooked Smile.”

Mac Miller is a true home boy in that he entered hip-hop contests, released his mix-tapes in his hometown of Pittsburgh, and when big time record labels came sniffing around, he stiffed them and signed with his small-time local label. His Blue Slide Park was only the second album from an independent label, ever to debut at #1.

His second album, Watching Movies With The Sound Off, has that same dedication and loyalty that is the foundation of his music. He is staying true to himself and ultimately to his music. The 19 tracks here show his maturity and growth as an artist. I like the fact that it still sounds like a mix-tape.

I’m partial to “I Am Who Am,” “Watching Movies” and “Remember.”

Kanye West is another artist that has never repeated his past successes, not two of his albums are the same. His latest, Yeezus, is without question his most ambitious but that’s not always a good thing.

Look, I understand that West feels no one can restrict him but everyone needs boundaries, otherwise art can become gibberish. That’s not the case here but it’s one step from becoming so.

I think it’s great that Executive Producer Rick Rubin has a very liberal approach to artists making records but sometimes you need to rein the horses in. That is the case here.

Standouts are “Black Skinhead” and “I Am a God (feat. God)” both produced by…

…Daft Punk, who’s second album Random Access Memories (Columbia) which came out in June is still the funnest record of the summer.

Daft Punk is Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter two French DJ’s that perform in space helmets and have taken the French house movement to a multifaceted career as producers and much in-demand artists.

The album features the likes of Nile Rodgers of Chic fame and producer Giorgio Moroder as well as Julian Casablancas of The Strokes and Pharrell Williams on standouts “Get Lucky,” “Lose Youself To Dance,” “Instant Crush” and “The Game Of Love.”

For you fans of rock guitar  here’s a pleasant surprise, Tom Keifer The Way Life Goes (Merovee Records). Here’s another guy who has a huge background story that we can’t get into here, but after throat surgery Keifer spent 10 years working on this solo album.

Usually after that much tinkering, it loses its spontaneity, spark and energy, not here though. Self-produced with Chuck Turner and Savannah Keifer, this has a great Rolling Stone, Black Crowes vibe to it. Good old-fashioned guitar, bass and drums with a healthy crunch to it.

Standouts include “Solid Ground,” “Cold Day In Hell,” the acoustic driven “The Flower Song” and the bluesy title cut “The Way Life Goes.”

The surprise of the summer.