Guitarist Jason Winter-Jarnigan, and drummer Jesse Atchison, met as children, long before the band "Floraline" was conceived. They played in punk and rock bands together for years. A need for a change led them to recruit high school friends, bass player Abe Burgess and keyboardist Darren Tablan, to round out their sound. The new members' interests were far afield from those of Jason and Jesse, citing soul, disco and electronica as influences. At that point all they needed was a vocalist. They met jazz singer Linda Sharp at the MJQ club in Atlanta, and the final line-up of "Floraline" was complete.

In "Floraline," these disparate elements come together to form a smooth as silk pop sound, that's infectious as well as intelligent. There's a simplicity to the songs of "Floraline" that remind me of the late seventies Canadian band "FM," who sometimes opened for "Rush." They don't really sound much alike though. Other obvious influences are, "Steely Dan" and "China Crisis," with an occasional nod toward the "Smiths." If all of these elements sound like they won't work together, you owe it to yourself to buy this album just to find that they do. There is a definite Euro-pop feel to the whole album.

The opening track, "Just The Way," is a winner. Synthesized noises lead into a metronomic beat and soft guitars. Sharp's vocal floats, nearly mechanically in its precision, over the simple melody. Their sound nostalgically recalls, but doesn't imitate, something that feels like the sixties. The song fades with the same synth with which it began. Sharp's voice converses back and forth between the two speakers at the beginning of "Harmony." There isn't much in the way of drums. Most of the rhythm is kept by electronic beats. "It all depends on the way/ The patterns color you/ Seek a cautious way/ On a crowded avenue."

"Morningside" begins with rhyming guitar strokes, with Sharp's sure vocal joining it. Funk and jazz guitar styles mesh with guitar parts reminiscent of Johnnie Marr. Synthesizer rounds out the song, creating a pleasing mix. Synthesized beat and melody coalesce on "Concourse." The song is both simple and complex at once. Layered synthesizer parts set off Sharp's voice well. "Eighty One" is a bit more bubble gum than the other songs presented. Funk guitar joins the heavy synthesizer base of the song, creating a catchy byproduct.

Funk strummings mesh with a brass section to set off "I Should Say" from the other songs. The bass line is intense, reminding me a bit of "Icehouse," but the comparison ends there. Sharp sings, "I should say/ I'm the one for you/ And you're the one for me/ Like lovers often do. . ." Jazz influenced "I Forgot" is laid back and smooth. The drum beat is joined by synthesizer, then bass, in succession, easing the listener into a light, moody landscape.

Where "I Forgot" floats soothingly overhead, "Picture Show" has a definite destination, as winding synthesizer and bass parts speed us along to Sharp's vocal. This one is a great ride that makes you want to move. "Fade" starts off abruptly, with synthesizer and bass creating a metronome beat. This one has a jazz/ funk influence too. The brass section and synthesizer parts remind me a lot of Steely Dan. "Wedding Day" begins with bird-like synth samples. Synthesizer heavy, it winds along, Sharp's voice picking a path through the electronic layers.

There's an airy quality to "Floraline's" music one wants to revisit over and over. I've been listening to it for about two weeks now and haven't tired of it. There are no real stand outs, but the whole album feels so good that there's no need to play favorites here. I highly recommend their self-titled CD. If you like a mellow, jazzy sound, or Euro-pop, you'll want it in your collection immediately. You won't want my copy, though. It's quite worn already.