The Slackers - 'Peculiar'

With connections to the Skatalites and Rancid, the Big Apple's Slackers exude a cheery sunshine that sounds a world away from the grimey streets of Greenwich Village. Horn heavy; smooth organ and wakka-wakka guitars are ever-present, and the tempo sticks to an easygoing skank. But there's enough rock swagger to keep the hippies at bay, especially on the hellacool Rider. Another gem is on Sauron, where an evil sax stomps about to a cheering crowd. They never draw heavily upon the punk elements of their music, save for the occasional vocal sneer, so there are no circle pits to be had, if you like that kind of thing. There's nothing groundbreaking lurking within this disc, but it's one of those albums that just makes life better. Consume once a day, with water. [Ali Maloney]