When Super's first single, "Tempted", was released internationally, some British music magazine put it: 'Hideous Cardigans clones from Finland.' Instead, Super was originally a wide-scaped lounge act, melting up influences from bossa nova to Saint Etienne, from kids' stuff to Stereolab. And while the group's first album was succeeded to realise as a whole, it is both beautiful and adventurous to listen to. Rendezvous with Super was also mainly praised by the press.

The album opens with "Caruamba Wax", almost instrumental, only with a few joyful "lal-lal-lal-lal-la-la-laa" vocals by Minna Joenniemi, the playfully singing lead vocalist. "Girls Go Bravo!", later a single release, is a bit ordinary number, with a Motown-kind of influence. "Bingo Hostess Goes Berserk" is just as crazy as the title promises, and it is followed by "People's Democratic Movement", a slightly more rocking song which echoes the group's Stereolab influence. (Ideological note: One of the band members, I can't remember if that was Minna, admitted the 'movement' was about the young female eco-radical animal activists who were often seen as 'terrorist' by the media in 1990s Finland!)

"Proposal" is simply one of the best songs Super ever recorded. "Misty Hours" shows one of the guys' French-speaking ability...here, only for a while. "Tempted" is the hit track, mixing samba and bossa nova with something then-trendy, be it the Cardigans, perhaps. "True Gentleman" goes on with the style, and here may be the moment when the eager listener finally understands: 'This is a wonderful record!' In fact, some of the rest (meaning tracks 9-12) are not that special. "Historical Sights" (originally released on "Tempted" single in 1996) is the clearest exception - the surprising drum machine (yes, most of the sounds on Rendezvous with Super are very organic) does a great job, and there is an undescribable fragility in Minna's voice on this single track. "Coup De Soleil" is all in French, sung by a male vocalist, not Minna, and is quite fascinating anyway. Less are "Travelogue" and the instrumental "Wicky-Wacky Rodeo" that are both quite all right but never really catch fire.

Some of the readers here may recall the lounge boom (around 1995-1997), which passed by more quickly than anyone expected but left behind a load of great albums. Yes, it was not only Mike Flower's Pops (huh!). The original Life album (1995) by the Cardigans and some of what Saint Etienne recorded (and possibly Maria Montell's hit single "And So the Story Goes" - do you remember?) are not alone, while Super was around too. Fewer heard this album, but those who heard mostly loved it. Tongue in cheek, but some virtuosity in play. The best Finnish album ever before 2000, absolutely!