Writing a good pop song is easy. All ya gotta do is come up with a catchy guitar lick and a melody. The lick should play counterpoint to the melody, and both should stick in separate parts of your brain so that you instantly recognize either one. Lyrics help. Okay, you do it. Not so easy, is it? How many great musicians never had The Knack (pun) of writing a timeless, three-minute symphony?

“Relax,” by Nick Ramirez, has each of the vital elements mentioned in the preceding paragraph. I think I’ll go out and buy a 1966 Chevrolet Impala just to play this song through the AM radio with the little mono speaker in the dash. I challenge you not to smile when you hear it.

According to his Bandcamp page, “Nick Ramirez is an 18 year old crooner known for beachy indie-rock music.” He’s got an excellent voice and has already written a better song than most people will ever manage to do. Hearing “Relax” and knowing that it was conjured up by an eighteen-year-old should be infinitely frustrating to those of us who have spent the last infinity years riffing on the same G-to-C on the third fret and hoping Something Good will magically materialize.

As a Certified Music Journalist, I’m obligated to provide at least one obscure reference. When I heard “Relax,” the first song that sprang to mind was J.J. Jackson’s 1966 hit, “But It’s Alright,” described by my fellow reviewer and close personal friend John Bush as “driven by one of the catchiest guitar hooks in the history of rock and roll.” Full disclosure: I am not a Certified Music Journalist and John Bush has no idea who I am.

“Relax” is the first single from Nick Ramirez’ soon-to-be-released five-song EP, Relax. Nick plays all of the instruments except the drums, which were provided by “his rhythmic wizard of a brother, Matt Ramirez.” I don’t know much about Nick Ramirez, other than that he lives in Pasadena, Maryland and previously recorded as Photosonic.

You can help support deserving independent musicians like Nick Ramirez by visiting his Bandcamp page, listening to his songs, and downloading your favorite tracks. And be sure to follow Nick and/or Photosonic on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.