Living City

Review by Darren Gawle

Those of you who continually whine about how there's nothing new in music these days had better flip to a different review for the time being. The Colorifics fit rather snugly into the "lounge revival," re-hashing that Dean Martin/Henry Mancini/Cab Calloway thing like there's no tomorrow. Did I just say re-hash? Sorry, I meant re-invent.

Living City takes a few shop-worn ideas -- the bolero rhythm in "Frankinscense," for example -- adds a few extra embellishments here, a few 'what if...' scenarios there, and comes up with a taste of an era which has been maligned for nigh on forty years now.

"Tell Me Why" starts off all Charades-ish Mancini and then morphs into a rockabilly Connie Francis. "Soda Pop" shuffles like the Searchers jamming a Vince Guaraldi number. "Vista Cruiser" is Squirrel Nut Zippers territory invaded by the 007 theme, with a few Doors-ish sound effects thrown in for good measure.

You'd probably go insane trying to track down a record collection the size of the Colorifics', so just buy Living City, sit back and light a Havana. A lush, evocative and professional effort all 'round.

Artist Contact Info: #204, 310 Water St., Vancouver, B.C., Canada, V6B 1B6