Spring is part of that retro-French-pop contingent, where fashion and taste are almost as important as the music itself. There are throngs of imitators trying to capture this mishmash of light, dreamy pop, sixties art, and ultra-modern lifestyle, but they pale in comparison to bands like Spring, who have the chops to pull it all off without sounding too contrived. The Last Goodbye explores classic French pop through an eclectic lens that incorporates bossanova, moogs, jazzy pop, wispy acoustic guitars, and charmingly petite vocals.

It’s entirely possible that some might find the vocals nothing short of grating as they are decidedly coy and girlish, but their effect will surely encompasses more than what would appeal to your average twee fan. Spring’s music is admittedly syrupy, but it has an authentic air about it, recalling vintage sixties soundtracks (“Shooting Stars” even features dialogue snippets from Barbarella) and what you would imagine Parisian cafe life is like (whatever that means). Fans of simple, stylish pop will easily latch onto Spring’s lush melodies at the very least.

Adding to the band’s mystique is its penchant for bi-lingual harmonies. The male/female vocal interplay on “Microclimat” is both soothing and seductive. The flamenco guitar style on “The Naked Kiss” conjures up images of hedonistic parties in Spanish castles while the layered keyboards and sunny guitar lines of “Baby Blue” are simple, timeless, and catchy without any other connotations. It’s obvious that the members of Spring all have similar musical tastes because each song has a consistent tone. Modern elements such as electronics and ethereal textures are all reshaped to fit in with a particular strain of sound. The art is in the fact that the band can filter eclectic styles through such a small musical scope and still sound appealing outside of its self-imposed niche.

The Last Goodbye is packed full of breezy, lighthearted pop songs in the grand French tradition. Spring proves itself to be a leader in the retro-pop resurgence with its debut full-length, joining the ranks of bands like Cinnamon and St. Etienne for marrying style with substance.