Kapakahi - Twisted, Bent & Confused

With the unveiling of their debut record, the members of Bay Area ensemble Kapakahi (the album's title gives broad translation to this Hawaiian phrase) have fashioned a lively, groove-oriented blend of reggae, ska and world music just right for stirring listeners to move and shake their way out of the dog days of summer. The album's charms are based around the cohesion of the group's instrumental abilities and the band's infectious energy; tracks like "Tipsy" and "Free" benefit from a driving pulse, the latter building on the momentum of a percussive opening passage. Though there is nothing terribly weighty or groundbreaking about the record and while several songs drag on past the point of being effective at times, Twisted, Bent & Confused is a naturally upbeat and pleasing effort which should appeal to fans of the aforementioned genres as well as those with a taste for spirited rhythm centric expression. [www.kapakahimusic.com]