G. Love's Lemonade

G. Love is a founding member of a fraternity (est. circa 1992) of musicians that includes the ubiquitous surfer-songwriter Jack Johnson, Ben Harper, and Donavon Frankenreiter. A regular jack-of-all-instruments, he sings his own material as well as plays guitar, harmonica, and tambourine. Everyone from Blackalicious to Tristan Prettyman to Johnson, Harper, and Frankenreither back G.. Love up. G. Love, a.k.a. Garrett Dutton, was born and raised in Philly and damn proud of it. His trademark “Philadelphonic” sloppy blues sound is all over Lemonade — the cover has stamped it right on it “product of Philly.” Most of the songs on the first half are semi-rapped by G. Love. The second half of Lemonade is slower and more melodic instead of beat-oriented, especially the duets with Prettyman (“Beautiful”) and Harper (“Let the Music Play”). If you’re itching for something new to listen to since the Curious George soundtrack came out, Lemonade might, uh, quench your thirst.