Sometimes it's the little things that make you fall in love. Like a fumbled backing vocal on a Beatles track, or the Undertones’ tank tops. From the moment I heard the sonic 'bump' of a lead being plugged in during the airy intro to 'Gone Gone Gone', something seemed to click. These West coast slacker country-rockers are too busy having a good time (bong induced or not) delivering on Gram Parsons vision of 'cosmic American music' to bother to iron out that blip. And to paraphrase Spinal Tap, their vintage sounding amps must go all the way up to about, say, 6. On this their second album, The Donkeys deliver a warm loose-fitting sound that is all enveloping in its comfortable loveliness: tick-tap drumming, subtle electric organ, delightfully weedy sixties electric guitar, sweet harmonies. Gorgeous.

All those currently enjoying a spot of backwoods time travel with Fleet Foxes might tune in to this similarly not-of-our-age feel. As a 'critic' it's about time I invented a new movement/genre based on a sample of about, err ”¦, two, anyway. I just need a name for it. Tardis rock? OK, scrub that, let’s move on. This is a tasty burrito of tuneful Byrds/Buffalo Springfield, bluesy The Band, laid back Beggars Banquet Stones, and the country leanings and sense of humour of (Monkee) Mike Nesmith, all wrapped up in 'tinny' light late 60s production, which is an exceedingly good thing. Heavy on the relish indeed. Then listen to the lyrics chronicling relationship problems and cheap nights out in everyday coastal suburbia for this quartet of youthful surfer dudes. They're not living in the past, and everything is presented gently but soulfully, never lazily.

'Walk Through A Cloud' should be the first stop for those wanting a pick-me-up taster. Guaranteed smiles all round. I'm still puzzled by how often I find myself humming the chorus line of the following more morose 'Dolphin Centre': "I might end up in a dolphin centre". What's that all about? Maybe a reference to the famous attraction in their hometown San Diego. Well I suppose there's always the aquarium at the old GLC building for me. Nice restrained guitar jam with great tone at the end anyway. The gentle lilting strum of 'Pretty Thing' leads into the even more relaxingly hypnotic, if song of post break-up regret, 'Traverse Wine'. That'll have you searching for a hammock and a large pitcher. 'Bye Bye Baby' has a lolloping bluegrass bent and simple old time lyrics: "Love ain't nothing but a human disease"; "I've got a bad case of 'she'". The Donkeys stay in the saddle but ease down to the rhythm of a slow bluesy walk to dump a girl in 'Downtown Jenny'. Thus free of commitments, they then perk up and set off for a fun night out on the lash as chronicled in 'Nice Train'. To continue my imagined storyline 'Dreamin'' describes the next day's come down - woken by the sun at 5am but still in bed at 3pm, with a wonky plucked sitar too. Funny what you find in your bed after such nights out isn’t it. 'Boot On The Seat' might just be the track that lingers most in the memory. Cooing backing vocals and harmonica ease us through the first half of reflection on a(nother) break-up, before stoking up the pace as solace is found with a six pack. Closer 'Excelsior Lady' sees the cycle completed: exclaiming "I believe I'm in love again" to anyone who'll listen. You get the feeling romance is a never ending rollercoaster ride for these guys.

Thank you Messrs. DeNardo, Gulati, Lukens and Sprague. Living On The Other Side definitely just hits the right spot of atmosphere and quality to make it this year’s summer record for me: sprightly Americana for the noughties generation. No marks for the cover art though. Now that just is plain lazy. 89%mp3:> The Donkeys: 'Walk Through A Cloud' mp3:> The Donkeys: 'Nice Train'The Donkeys on MySpace