Much like their first single—the beach-y sounding "Float" released in 2012—Santa Ana, Calif. brother duo Pacific Air's debut album, Stop Talking, has instant appeal.
Ten seconds into the opening track, "Lose My Mind," the song takes off with big-time summertime pop. And even though the song revolves around the serious topic of mastering one's chaotic life, the track is a merry tackling of the subject. Lyrics sung by Ryan Lawhon, like "I know I want to take a bath without the water turning black," delineate the singer's desires for an ideal life, just before the chorus "Before I lose my mind" repeats as a worrisome mantra backed by rising thunderous rock.
The rest of "Stop Talking" is an extension of that roller-coaster ride, continually pairing sounds like sugar-sweet whistling and island guitar with borderline melancholy subjects. On "Suits"—a song about mundane loneliness—singer Julia Tepper lends her voice to the feathery bridge and harmonizes with Lawhon on the chorus. It's as darling a song as it is brooding.
If John Hughes were still alive making teen dramedies, the music of Stop Talking could easily slide right into a problem-solving montage or any number of scenes where the protagonist is engaged in a seemingly hopeless search for answers. That's because the pop music behind the songs effectively communicates the idea that on a long enough timeline, good will ultimately prevail.
