Sony's
Nick at Nite: Patio Pool Party, a 14-track collection of '60s and '70s radio classics with enough yacht-rock sensibilities to out-smarm all of the poolside scenes from
Will Ferrell's Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, dutifully revels in its own "laid-backness" with smooth cuts from the likes of
Bobby Goldsboro ("Summer [The First Time]"), amiable pop artifacts from
Lighthouse ("Sunny Days") and
Donovan ("Sunshine Superman"), midtempo jams from
the Isley Brothers ("Summer Breeze") and
Sly & the Family Stone ("Hot Fun in the Summertime"), and, of course, "Afternoon Delight" by
the Starland Vocal Band. Cannonball! ~ James Christopher Monger