LEMONADE - G. LOVE
When you align G. Love’s ragged, gentle blues-funk with Jack Johnson’s Brushfire label, the only possible result is a summer-themed backyard party, one well worthy of its cold beverage title. G. Love’s billed solo here, but has called out the cavalry — Special Sauce appears as do Blackalicious, Lateef the Truth Speaker, Ben Harper, Tristan Prettyman and Johnson, who contributes to the light-as-the-breeze lullaby “Rainbow.” As befits his guest list, G. Love leans heavily on the warm, front-porch groove (”Can’t Go Back to Jersey,” “Hot Cookin’ ” with Donovan Frankenreiter), and though he stays near his organ-and-harmonica-kissed playbook and relies often on Brushfire-approved sentiments like “Love is what I’m teaching/Let me show you some,” the sun’s shining too much to mind. Billboard
