Zee Avi – Zee Avi

This disc followed me home because it’s on Jack Johnson’s Brushfire Records, and I tend to really like the music they offer to the world.

Avi’s music sort of sounds like Johnson’s backing band swallowed a few jazz records on a Sunday afternoon and, after running happily barefoot in the grass for a while, now they want to snuggle. And there’s ukelele occasionally, too! Her vocals are a lighthearted cross between Feist’s breathiness and Norah Jones’ inflections. Of course, she also sounds like herself in a pleasing way, and maybe comparing her to anyone else is a bit of lazy description from a lazy reviewer. Anyway.

This record is fantastic. It’s buoyant, joyful and highly creative. It swings, it shuffles, and it bounces.

Get this.