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Written by Mike Tangaro Monday, 09 July 2007 15:01

Mann's strength lies in his ability to add subtle flourishes to the tired singer/songwriter formula, but with his experimentation, he is prone to make a few mistakes.

Operating in the oversaturated world of indie singer/songwriters, San Francisco's Jake Mann desperately attempts, and occasionally succeeds, in separating himself from the herd. On tracks like "Our 1st Assumptions Were Correct," with hand claps and a lazy acoustic guitar mixed with a computer-generated drum beat, Daytime Ghost nearly reaches new heights.

Mann's strength lies in his ability to add subtle flourishes to the tired singer/songwriter formula, but with his experimentation, he is prone to make a few mistakes. The spoken-word verses on "Mudflat" hide one of the album's catchiest choruses, and on certain tracks the guitar is fuzzed out beyond recognition. Daytime Ghost is heavy on guitar-driven, hauntingly atmospheric pop that, when led by Mann's breathy vocals, is sometimes beautiful and usually enjoyable. B | Mike Tangaro

RIYL: Elliott Smith, Shearwater