Jamaica
's sophomore album and U.S. debut, 2014's
Ventura
, is a fun, often dance-oriented mix of '70s and '80s-influenced melodic soft rock and new wave pop. Clearly cut from the same neo-vintage cloth as their French contemporaries
Phoenix
,
showcase the talents of
Antoine Hilaire
(vocals, guitar) and
Flo Lyonnet
(bass, vocals). The album, which started out as a recording project in a rented house on Ventura Boulevard (hence the title) in Los Angeles with producer
Peter J. France
, was finished in Paris with
Laurent d'Herbecourt
, who previously worked on
's
Bankrupt!
Not surprisingly, there are some similarities between
and
, with
Hilaire
Lyonnet
clearly sharing a love of vintage soft rock, disco, and electronic music. Essentially, with
amp up the '70s and early-'80s influences of their 2010 debut,
No Problem
, with a set of immediately catchy songs. "Houdini" sounds something along the lines of
Marc Bolan
fronting
ELO
, while "All Inclusive" sounds like a combination of
the Fixx
Player
. Similarly, the synth-heavy "Ferris Wheeler" is a romantic anthem perfectly suited for an '80s teen comedy, while cuts like the very
Tubes-esque
"Ricky" and the psychotic, video game-ready instrumental "Turbo" reveal
's more theatrical, hard-rocking side. Which isn't to say that
just sound like a collection of musical influences. On the contrary,
have enough of their own quirky likableness and vocal style to always register as a completely unique entity, albeit one that wouldn't sound out of place on late-'70s and early-'80s AM radio. ~ Matt Collar