During our long, hot summers, we sun loving lizards’ in the Southwest dream of cool, white sandy beaches, with spritzes of ocean water pelting our bodies. It’s the only relief we can afford besides a box fan and a creaking, old evaporative cooler.

Fortunately for us, ex-Luscious Jackson front woman Jill Cunniff has crafted a beautiful slice of life album with her solo debut City Beach, offering comfort for everyone needing a break from the broil of global warming.

City Beach mixes myriad musical styles, from Brazilian jazz to alternative rock into an intoxicating brew of mood pieces. From the opening number “Lazy Girls” to the sullen ending piece “Disconnection”, Cunniff paints pictures of her beloved New York City, infusing personal memories of ‘eating orange popsicles’ to observations on how the city is changing for the worse, to deep examinations of male/female relationships. In a way, City Beach is a musical novel based on real life, the ebb and flow of carefree adolescence to the unpredictability of adulthood, much like the shifting tides of the ocean.

Cunniff has packed City Beach with powerful support, from her collaboration with music critic Vivian Goldman, and Emmylou Harris, who provides back-up vocals on “Disconnect”. Cunniff contributes guitars, bass, organ and an extraordinary vocal range; handles much of the production duties and works programming on the project. Special call outs go to Rachel Yamagata for a sterling turn on keyboards on “Kaleidoscope”, drummer Tony Mangurian; and Nathan Rosenberg, Sam Hollander, Dave Schommer and Jim Kissling for being Cunniff’s partners in crime on the post production.

It’s rare to find an album so flawless. Cunniff brings a colorful sensuality to her vocal chops, beckoning the listener with intense harmonies that add vitality to the entire album. The instrumentation is relaxed, almost lazy in a sense, rolling along with Cunniff’s direct vocals. It’s a change from the almost chant-like vox from her Luscious Jackson days. Ultimately, City Beach achieves a nearly impossible goal - you’ll find yourself humming to these songs during your morning commute while contemplating meanings of the vivid lyrics.

Unlike so many solo projects, City Beach is not for Luscious Jackson fans only. If anything, Cunniff stamps this project with her persona. It’s the kind of album for anyone who appreciates the dynamic range of female vocals and blended with the looping fun of music sampling. Listening to City Beach is a bit like listening to a tougher, edgier Sarah McLaughlin record. It’s simply that good.

For my fellow Southwesterners, you don’t have to wait until summer vacation to head for the Pacific. You can share a blanket on the City Beach all year with Jill Cunniff, but beware — she'll bewitch you into staying with her on that beach long past your vacation time.