After reuniting with his old band Pavement and tapping Beck as a producer, the slacker king has traded paisley-print guitar freak-outs for faster, breezier pop songs. That means his funniest lyrics are no longer buried under noodly solos: ''I cannot even do one sit-up,'' he sings on one track. ''Sit-ups are so bourgeoisie.'' Still miss his psychedelic side? Listen to ''Senator,'' a classic-rock tribute to ''smoking weed in our truck.'' B+
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Vintage rocker Senator
Pretty folkie No One Is (As I Are Be)
