| Even without MySpace, singer/songwriter Colbie Caillat is sure to have found an audience, but her oft-accessed page accelerated the process, mostly on the strength of the effervescent "Bubbly." On her first full-length album, the California native conjures up clear skies and warm breezes. Not that the lyrics revolve around her stomping grounds of Malibu and Ventura County, but her mellow melodies sound like products of those places (co-writer Jason Reeves' ukulele playing reinforces the beach music impression). Instead, Caillat sings about love in all its guises, as on "Capri," a tribute to a mother-to-be. The daughter of audio engineer Ken Caillat (Fleetwood Mac's Rumours), who provides production assistance, Colbie combines acoustic pop, light jazz, and blue-eyed soul on Coco. Despite her young age--22 at the time of its release--the record seems likely to attract an older audience, although her sunny singing manages to sound centered and spirited at the same time. Coco doesn't offer anything startlingly new, but its relaxing vibe is hard to resist. --Kathleen C. Fennessy |
