Tahiti 80 - Puzzle - Minty Fresh

Review by: Jennifer Perkins

Sometimes I like to judge how good a record is based on the parallel urges that arise from listening to the CD to sing along. In other words the stronger the urge to hit the karoke bar with a CD the better the CD must be. I'm a singer at heart. Do I have a lick of talent, well no, but none-the-less I still love to sing a long. My sister used to always trick me with asking me "who sings that", and the Matt Pinfield in me would rear it's head and I'd chirp the answer right out, and she would retort "Why don't you let them sing it then", I always fall for that one. Tahiti 80's Puzzle is one of those CD's I can't help but sing to and would fall for her prank about every time.

Refreshing and zippy is what this album is. If it were a beverage, it would be some sort of alcoholic citrus drink: sweet, but with a little tart punch to it, and you walk away feeling a little buzzed. There's so much studio production you would be hard pressed to find any unfinished corners. Everything is glossy and pop-coated. It features smooth, melodic male vocals, with an accent to boot. The first song, "Yellow Butterfly," is an addictive ditty that will constantly be swirling in the back of your mind after a few listens. Horns and keyboard tempos remind you of 60's summers on the French Rivera. Let's add one of those cute little umbrellas to the citrus drink analogy.

To top this all off, the band can pull it off live as well. I have seen them, and it comes across just as silky smooth and danceable. The even had a horn player and samplers on board. And incase you are wondering, it took all the will power i had not to sing along at he show. The urges have not been that strong since i saw The Spinanes tour with Manos.

The effects on the vocals on "Swimming Suit" are perfect, as are the string arrangement that swirls in the background. Suddenly on the title track, the vocals get a little less subdued, and an electric guitar with distortion is brought out. Although things get turned up a notch here, there is still the sampling of rain and birds in the mix to all the while give it that tropical drink feel. A member of The Cardigans apparently helped produce the CD, so that might give somewhat of an idea as to what these gentlemen sound like.

If addictive pop music is your g-thang and you like a good ditty to sing along to, might I recommend Tahiti 80's Puzzle. Probably my favorite record of this year so far. Pop music at an all time high.

Read a review of Tahiti 80's Extra Pieces here.