THE Jayhawks return after a five-year hiatus with ninth album Paging Mr. Proust and without co-founder Mark Olson, but the magical jangle of the opening Quiet Corners & Empty Spaces is as exhilarating as hearing their 1992 debut Hollywood Town Hall for the first time.
Working from Gary Louris's initial home recordings, the Minneapolis country rock band are in mature mode, graceful, assured and at ease, still on a hotline to gorgeous melodies (Lies In Black And White) and harmonies (Isabel's Daughter).
The American sound of the summer has just arrived in the golden, soaring form of Lovers Of The Sun, while there's room for new adventures too, such as the kraut-rocking funk of Ace, the burning fires of Lost The Summer and the urgent surges of Comeback Kids.
REM's Mike Mills pops in for guest-singing duties on Leaving The Monsters Behind and the production work of Tucker Martine and REM's Peter Buck brings just enough modernity to the gentle nostalgia.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here