Glasgow Underground
2000
Pascal + Mister Day
About This Album
Ostensibly a dance record, Pascal + Mister Day's High Flying is probably too relaxed for most dancefloors, yet it's also too beat-heavy for most smooth jazz stations, and not soulful enough to qualify for urban formats. Like the similar-minded Jamiroquai, Pascal + Mister Day specialize in sophisticated, white-soul dance music inspired by 1970s R&B. Vocalist/guitarist Mister Day lovingly resuscitates the Isley Brothers' "It's a Disco Night," and uses scratchy guitar and flute effects to pay tribute to Curtis Mayfield on "Curtis," which Day wrote and produced. Songwriting partner Pascal Rioux handles the rest of the production, and the duo employs jazzy sidemen like a clubland version of Steely Dan, minus the lyrical complexity. Most of the vocals are reduced to repeated chants that serve as merely another instrument woven into the breezy arrangements and programmed beats. It's a testament to Rioux's production talents that the simple vocals, repeated riffs, and extended instrumental passages transcend the status of aural wallpaper, although some of the tracks could have benefited from editing, such as the otherwise effervescent "Salvation," which clocks in at over ten minutes. The bland opening ballad, "Looking for Your Smile," should have been omitted entirely, since its lethargic tempo renders it incongruous in this context. Once that song is skipped, however, the rest of High Flying percolates from one positive vibe to another, although it barely breaks a sweat. ~ Vince Ripol, All Music Guide
Track List (try tracks 2,3 and 4)

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