Just Another Day in Paradise

Sonically, Just Another Day in Paradise is standard-issue soft rock, featuring light, catchy melodies, cooing backing vocals, and lush arrangements that can blend into the background. What makes it distinctive is Bertie Higgins' bizarre obsession with '40s movies and Humphrey Bogart in particular. No less than two songs, "Key Largo" and "Casablanca," mention Bogie films by name, while the entire album is driven by a romantic fantasy of adventure and old-fashioned love affairs. Higgins' melodic skills might not be exceptional, but they are pleasant enough to make his cinematic obsessions engaging, particularly on the hit single "Key Largo," which has an exceptionally smooth chorus: "We had it all/Just like Bogie and Bacall." It doesn't really matter that the only thing Bogart and Higgins have in common is that they've both seen Casablanca, because Higgins' affection makes Just Another Day in Paradise an enjoyable soft rock artifact.