Still Flyin' - 'Never Gonna Touch The Ground' (Moshi Moshi) Released 06/04/09

In the yesteryear of 2004 singer/songwriter Sean Rawls brought Still Flyin’ together in sunny San Francisco. After asking everyone and anyone he knew to get involved, fifteen people showed up at the band’s first practice. Perhaps it is the pure number of people engaged in this project that reflects the sheer wealth and depth of musical influence that surges throughout this album.

The record clatters into motion with their debut single ‘Never Gonna Touch The Ground’ which is a relaxed Reggae number and sets the scene perfectly for the rest of this sprightly summery CD. Every track has something different, from rock-a-billy bounces to afro beats. Choral chants and girl/boy melodies fuse with chill-out West Coast indie-pop and the individuality that a shining sun, good friends and good laughs can bring. Album standout comes in the form of  ‘Good Thing It’s a Ghost Town Around Here’. To categorise this song would be to call it a song for the road; dynamic and lively, its cheerfulness has the ability to plonk a smile on anyone’s face. In fact to describe Still Flyin’ as a band I would do so as joyful. Their music emanates a feeling of irresistible contentment and their positive vibe isn’t overstated or overwhelming either; with chilled out tunes such as ‘Haunted Houses’ oozing understated cool.

What began as a few nods of the head to some bobbing beats has developed into a phenomenon in San Francisco. Still Flyin’’s gigs have been compared to massive parties, and when listening to this album it’s not hard to imagine such a prospect. They have previously been joined on stage by various members of Architecture in Helsinki, who also mixed this album.

In fact Gigwise see's them as perfect festival material, and definitely deserving of their Moshi Moshi status. Still Flyin’ have more charm than Slow Club, more jingly jangly offbeat goodness than Lykke Li, and more life and vibrancy than Friendly Fires. If feel good music is your thing, as it is mine, then this album is a summer essential for your collection.