Loaded with some fine pop melodies, exceptional songwriting, great musicianship, and a couple of nifty covers Blue Cartoon have released a terrific debut CD. Full of charm and a more laid-back approach to pop, Blue Cartoon is yet another installment in what is turning out to be a banner year for "the debut". Reminiscent of the more folk side of such artists as Marshall Crenshaw, Alex Chilton, and newcomer Michael Shelley, Blue Cartoon have crafted a hypnotic 15-song set that had a hard time leaving my CD player. Delicate harmonies and wonderful, evocative arrangements are destined to make this a "dim-the-lights" favourite. Parachute starts things off in a very pretty folk-pop vein with a great Beatlesque bridge. The more folk approach is also present on Imagine Me Without You, one of the CD's finest tracks. As appealing as Imagine Me Without You Is as a pop song, the somber feel here is what truly sets it apart. Falling Backwards, the closing track, works in much the same way except it benefits from the piano playing of producer Ron Flynt. Obviously putting great care in their harmonies and vocal arrangements, Blue Cartoon often center on their talents in this area, as with Coming Around. Of course, the great rhythm and solid guitar solo doesn't hurt either. Notes I'm Sending is even better, the vocal being more daring over a bright and sunny arrangement. Using harmonies and counterparts together on the dream-like Look Who's Lonely is a treat as well. Favouring the same electric guitar approach of, say Teenage Fanclub, Blue Cartoon is far less concerned with dynamics as they are with letting their songwriting speak for itself. The solid 60's groove of How Many Times never takes away from the overall feeling that Blue Cartoon conveys. The harder guitar sound of Someday Girl is another example of the band approaching things a little differently, but somehow managing to stay within their agenda. This measure of control, while remaining far from cold, is something that many artists do not really get the hang of so early in their career. And the covers! Staying within their framework, Blue Cartoon's treatment of Bill Lloyd's Trampoline fits so well that you could be convinced that it was written FOR them. The Sylvia Tyson track, You Were On My Mind, works at least as well. Some solid drumming from Barry Simon as well as the exceptional backing vocals make this a highlight. While bassist Lee Elliot handles the bulk of the songwriting, guitarist Jeff Tracy and guitarist/vocalist John McElhenney are not without making their solid contributions as well. Each contributes to the Blue Cartoon "sound" so naturally that we really have a "band" at work here. Their enthusiasm for what they do comes through as well, as in the infectuous Forgetting About You or Question Mark Smile, which sounds like it could be a Rubber Soul outtake. Do yourself a favour and get hip to Blue Cartoon - you'll be glad you did. --Claudio Sossi, ShakeItUp! a Canadian pop netzine