Classified Personal

The four Of Us are back, and reflecting a new kind of maturity. Classified Personal is notable for its laidback mellowness. If you were feeling overworked, hungover or otherwise emotionally stressed, the fourteen tracks here could provide a soothing balm for your frazzled soul.

This is the kind of smooth music that you find yourself horizontalising to. Most tracks are slow and easy, featuring soft, gentle singing over frequently beautiful slide guitar, in pieces that seem to flow naturally into each other.

The album opens with the excellent 'One More Shot', reminiscent of Grant Lee Buffalo, and typical of the rest of the album in the acoustic-sounding way that it's been recorded. In fact, the production quality of Classified Personal is so intimate, you'd almost think that The 4 Of Us are there in the room with you.

There's not much change in tempo on this album, which makes it a relaxing listen, though there's the risk sometimes that it may become a little too soporific. A couple of tracks - like 'Uptight', 'Come Alive' and 'Wasted' - remedy the situation, adding interesting programming and drumbeats to the acoustic guitar, creating a good dance groove in several of the tracks, that's reminiscent of David Gray in his White Ladder album. 'Finger Prints', a glinting, 30 second guitar piece, adds another sweet touch.

Classified Personal won't blow your mind with its innovation, but the songs - featuring love as the overriding theme - beckon a sumptuous, even narcotic, lethargy.

Put this on the stereo, lie back on the couch and slip into the land of lucid dreams.