Graham Clark, Music Features Writer
Albums: Tristan Frou Frou
Changes; Call Me; Will You Ever Stay; I Just Can’t Stop; I’m Gonna Love You Just A Little Bit More; Brand New Shoes; Confuse Me; Northern Light; These Arms; Taste of Honey; Frou Frou; Circumstances
(Isolde)
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The album could be filed in your record collection alongside Incognito, Brand New Heavies, The Crusaders, Shakatak and Tower of Power, which should give you some idea of where their influences come from.
Confusingly, the opening track, Changes, continues from where the band signed out on their last album. The track is a blend of smooth R&B mixed with a jazz coating, topped off with the vocals of Irma Derby, who combines the soulfulness of Donna Summer with the smoothness of Randy Crawford.
What follows is one of the best cuts of the album, Call Me, a song which is aptly described in the lyric 'as sweet like honey'. A quavering melody with an addictive chorus showcases all that is best about Tristan: quality musicianship and timeless songs.
Will You Ever Stay has already been released as a single; the ballad offers a different perspective to the band before the funk of I Just Can’t Stop takes up the tempo.
The Crusaders influence comes into play again on the instrumental Confuse Me, where guitarist Glenn Black adds some impressive fretwork to the track before the Rhodes piano of Coen Molenaar concludes the track in style.
These Arms could be a long-lost track from pop-jazz artist Basia. The song mixes the sophistication of Steely Dan with the emotion of the former Matt Bianco singer.
Saving the title track to almost the end of the album – the instrumental, a seductive slow groove, pulls the listener in, refusing to loosen a tight grip as the freshness of a spring day when you finally ditch your jacket and feel the sun on your skin, combined with brighter days gives an optimistic feel.