any young bands speak of their desire to make the "perfect" record. But is flawlessness really a sensible thing for a musician to aspire to? Are your favourite albums really the ones that come closest to "musical perfection"? Obviously there’s nothing wrong with a record that’s consistently good from start to finish, but aren’t bands frequently made more endearing by their flaws? My own ears frequently cry out for chaos and inconsistency.


The Jayhawks may just have made a "perfect" record. This set of country-tinged power-pop has consistently strong melodies from start to finish. The harmonies are breezy and well-crafted, the guitar solos neat and concise. No track is too long: in fact, no song here extends beyond four-and-a-half minutes. Rick Rubin’s production is crystal clear but carefully manages not to smooth-away the necessary rough edges. Chief songwriter Gary Louris has been penning songs for The Jayhawks since the late eighties, and he’s clearly becoming a master of his chosen craft. The pace is pleasingly varied between ballads and more upbeat country-rockers.


The problem with this kind of record is not that it’s hard to find fault with, but that it’s hard to get excited about. One moment of melancholic country loveliness follows another, but precious little forcibly grabs the listener’s attention. You find yourself yearning for songs not to take the obvious route - for the melodies to meander somewhere left of centre, for an unexpected burst of noise. But there are no surprises in store. It isn’t that sort of album. Why tamper with perfection?


Fittingly, Rainy Day Music has a familiar, unsurprising set of influences. Neil Young, The Byrds and Big Star have all made their mark on this music. Matthew Sweet is not an unexpected choice of collaborator, either – like Louris, he excels at the straight-ahead, sugar-sweet pop-song.


Highlights? There aren’t any, and no nadirs either for that matter. Nothing is offensive enough to be deemed a dud, but there are no classics either. If pushed I’d admit that a couple of songs shine marginally brighter than the rest. Opener "Stumbling Through The Dark" - co-penned with Sweet, and reprised later in acoustic form - is a delicious slice of fizzy power-pop. "Don’t Let the World Get in Your Way" is a grand, string-laden ballad, successfully bringing David Bowie’s anachronistic influence into an alt-country record.


There’s plenty to recommend the purchase of Rainy Day Music. If you find yourself enjoying one track, chances are, you will enjoy the rest. Many acts would kill for this sort of consistency. In truth, there are worse ways of spending a rainy day than in its company, but we know there are much better ways, too.