Air Conditioning School: General Mountain Time

Chris Heidman, formerly of Sukpatch, returns as the driving force behind Air Conditioning School. Veering dangerously between mellow, sunshine pop and easy-listening pap, the album usually — though not always — manages to keep on the right side of that divide.

The opening three songs are among the record’s strongest, with “Busymore” and “Days and Days” combining mellow vibes with easy-on-the-ears lushness. Heidman’s croon helps wash the songs down as easily as a mouthful of cool river water. The middle of the album sags a bit, but “Sealife” perks things up again, and the last couple songs get back some of the oomph (gentle oomph, but oomph nonetheless) lost in such syrupy detours as “Calm Will Come Around” and “Up On”.