by Jason AnkenyThe Legendary Jim Ruiz Group successfully updates the garden-pop sound of early Everything But the Girl and Aztec Camera on the wonderful Sniff. The vocal tandem of Ruiz and wife Stephanie together suggests a pairing between Chet Baker and Astrud Gilberto, complete with airy guitar textures and light bossa nova beats. The west coast jazz influence extends to Bigfoot (I Remember Wes), a tribute to Wes Montgomery, while a cameo appearance from French indie-pop star Katerine further underscores the album's cosmopolitan leanings. Suave and sophisticated, Sniff is that rare indie-pop album that's much more than the sum of its influences.