Get in the 'North Mississippi' groove

With a dash of rock, a pinch of pop and a sprinkle of country added into their blues-based quartet, North Mississippi All-Stars deliver Polaris, a grooving album full of fun, calming tunes.\nPolaris showcases a wide range of styles all rolled into one CD. Some songs, including "Never In All My Days" and "Bad Bad Pain," are reminiscent of old-school blues, while the last track, "Be So Good," incorporates some funk and rap. Still others are more rock or pop oriented.\nThe talented guitar, bass, drums, and other various instruments combined with the beautiful vocal qualities and harmonies of the group, compliments the varied musical styles perfectly, allowing for an album with a laid-back, pleasing groove.\nThe lyrics, however, are not quite so pleasing, recycling the same old pop lines always used. In "Eyes", for example, the song basically consists of one line,"I can't keep my eyes off you, baby," repeated approximately 1,000 times. Don't start listening to this CD with the expectation of discovering the meaning of life or being challenged by thought-provoking lyrics. It's basically the same tired pop fluff.\nBy far, Polaris is not the most exciting album ever recorded, but it delivers a calm groove, perfect to relax or daydream by.