Paola & Chiara

Television (Columbia)
by Michael McCarthy

Italy’s Paola & Chiara have also released their third album, but where Autour De Lucie used electronica to enhance their previous rock sound, Paola & Chiara use electronic beats to take the place of it. Surprisingly, it’s a very solid if not brilliant album. Sax, Spanish guitar and The London Session Orchestra appear in many of the tracks, helping to build layers and layers of sound that would get William Orbit excited. I suppose the first single sums it up perfectly. It’s entitled “Vamos A Bailar (Esta Vida Nueva),” which basically means “let’s dance – it’s new life.” Yes, sometimes it’s nice to see an artist dive into the deep end of something new instead of treading into those shallow waters so many end up in as they strive to remake their previous albums.