When considering the bloated, money-making machine the Beach Boys have become, it is easy to forget how they became popular in the first place. This confusion is easily dispelled after a quick listen to Adventures in Stereo; the British six-piece band borrows liberally from 60s beach blanket ballads in constructing their breezy pop songs. From the breathy vocals to the gentle, jangled guitar, this album is a sonic trip to the beach. You can almost hear the seagulls behind the gentle toe-tapping of "International," a song that combines a banjo and strummed guitar with vocals dripping with ocean spray. Despite their obvious influences, the band avoids simple tribute by virtue of Judith Boyle (formerly of Spirea-X), whose gossamer vocals bring new feeling to the familiar musical approach. The overall effect is something like the Primitives covering Pet Sounds.

The band also includes Jim Beattie, a founding member of Primal Scream, but there are no similarities between the two bands. Instead, Beattie and friends have concentrated on paying tribute to Brian Wilson. While an album's worth of this sugar can occasionally make my teeth hurt, more upbeat tunes ("Running" and "Birds") are interspersed among the fey tracks. By the end of the album, you are left with the same sensation that a day at the shore creates: overwhelming relaxation and satisfaction that your time has been well spent.