It’s as if Paula stepped into the most attractive car ever put into production and drove it inch perfectly right up my street. As it did, on its car stereo Relaxed Fit played.

Waverly got me immediately interested but I was tragically made bereft when it stopped short at one-minute nineteen-seconds. You see, this is why Paula’s charming. The great Calvin Johnson was feted with: “He turned up into town, made an instant impression and then rode off into the sunset.” With Relaxed Fit, David Carriere (who is Paula) does the same.

Even if It’s True bridges the reason why this album’s called Relaxed Fit. It puts it into one. The melody, I was shocked and surprised to discover, was stuck in my brain after just one listen. That rarely happens. There are tinges of 81 synth drums on it; however, I don’t care as they’re used to a startling effect.

Change The Subject starts off by reminding me of We Make Love by Puppets of Mankind, but then it changes into a completely different sound – many times thereafter. It’s another instant favourite.

I often trawl the Internet to find catchy songs, to the point that it’s a detriment to my health. Blonde is one that’s fortuitously landed my way. It has been played non-stop and it’s sending me into a deranged spin (the good kind, of course).

My only worry with this album is its inevitable fate of being compared too much to its influences. The only way out of being ladled with such unwanted platitudes is to listen to the music put on record. And it’s the music on the record that outruns its influences to the extent that it becomes a lonely, long-distance runner. David Carriere, please Carriere (sorry) on with what you’re doing.

-Michael Cornin-