Na Leo Pilimehana Feel The Spirit CD

For their 15th album, Na Leo have enlisted the aid of a couple of outsiders in their productions and arrangements. Na Leo have been pretty thoroughly adult contemporary for quite some time, and this only helps cement that sound. Keith Olsen (a production master of a number of 1970s acts) has added to the sound and brought the group back a bit to their harmonizing ways. The primary change though is the sheer slickness of the arrangements. A couple of additional performers from the sessions that Olsen once presided over were recruited to provide some work on guitars and keyboards, which gives the music a bit less of the programmed sound that the group has had in its backing tracks for the last few albums. Interestingly as well, not all of the songs are the usual love ballads that the group specializes in so well. Admittedly most of the album still is, but there are some tougher riffs here (as in "Listen to Your Women") predicated on what almost seems an early Bobby Brown groove, but fit perfectly to the vocal stylings of the trio. Much of this ground is the trio's comfort zone, but there is some new ground to be heard here, and may be worth a listen for those not already under the usual powerful adult contemporary sway of the band. Something for both sets potentially. ~ Adam Greenberg

New album from the Hawaiian group. Bonus track(s) expected.