Uncle Kracker

His singing is still no great shakes, but the fourth album by Kid Rock's laid-back sad-sack pal is as accurate a facsimile of '70s mellow gold yacht-rock as you'll hear in 2009. Whether lazing in a hammock lamenting the lady who left him for another lady and the one who left him for some California guru; "picking through dumpsters for ramen noodles" as his house and car get repossessed in the recession funker "Corner Bar"; or covering Bob Seger, interpolating Whitesnake and hoping his ex meets Phil Spector, Kracker maintains an easy groove and humor that feel like summer even when life sucks.