America

Ventura Highway gets repaved. Forget state fairs - America's hip again, thanks to joining up with Ben Kweller, James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins), Jim James (My Morning Jacket) and producer Adam Schlesinger (Fountains Of Wayne) for this, their first major studio album since 1984. Their cover of MMJ's "Golden" could be the standout track here (even if it doesn't surpass the original), and indie rockers will be amazed at how much all of this simply sounds like early Teenage Fanclub, especially the jangly "Work To Do."

Who knew these Seventies folkie hitmakers had such pull with young'uns? Here & Now
features instrumental contributions from Ryan Adams, Ben Kweller, James Iha and members
of Fountains of Wayne on all new songs that are breezy and assiduously tuneful but skew
dull: Check the ramblin'-man anthem "Work to Do," which sounds like good Fountains of
Wayne; zone out at drab prettiness like "One Chance."