Swell - Whenever You’re Ready (2003)

San Francisco dream pop veterans Swell have always been a hard act to pigeonhole. Their delicious hooks and poignant observations are often obscured by their moody California soundscapes and minimalist production. Their seventh record, the aptly titled Whenever You're Ready, reunites founding member Sean Kirkpatrick with co-founder and longtime leader David Freel. The result is a swirling, beautiful, and warmly complex road trip of an album. The hypnotic, prayer-like "Soon Enough" opens with the sound of traffic and states, "Want to find the way to the world/better the weight of the world," and then launches into the sunset-drenched highway anthem "Next to Nothing." Other highlights include the sprawling lament "Miss It" and the stark September 11-inspired "War Comes Down." The sonic blips and quick edits bring to mind Radiohead's Kid A, but unlike Thom Yorke's utter distaste for the human condition, Swell inhabit a world where salvation seems optional rather than unobtainable. It's heavy stuff, but like all good road records, Whenever You're Ready winds down with a reason to keep driving.