Following the 2018 release of their charismatic debut EP Quad Americano, rocking Los Angeles-based five-piece Tampa returns with C’est la Vista, a quintessentially Californian collection of fresh tracks bursting with effervescent nostalgia.
From the start, the seven-song album seems primed for sunglassed listening, “Hot Day” setting the tone for a warm night out, its groovy basslines making dancing inevitable while earworm melodies like those of “Hands on the Wheel” and “The Kid’s Alright” ensure that the record remains on your mind and stereo. Switching up the pace, “Alive for the First Time (In a Long, Long Time)” goes garage, departing from Tampa’s usual city-slick sound in the best way. Dreamy, reflective follow-up “Pescadero” comes in waves, “Ten Years From Now” trailing, an anthem of restless retrospection. Rounding out the not-quite-half-hour-long summer soundtrack is a demo version of “Hands on the Wheel,” soft guitars melding with the smooth vocals of frontman Lucas Field in a sweet, lullaby-like conclusion. Close your eyes. Crack a smile. See the credits roll.
Keep up with Tampa on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook
