I wasn't exactly too sure what to expect from a group with an interesting name such as Live Tropical Fish. In my mind, I believed for some reason, that they would be an American rendition of a Caribbean band gone wrong. However, much to my surprise, I received a wave of beat igniting, foot tapping, head nodding, overall just plain good music wrapped up in a mp3 entitled The Day Is Too Short To Be Selfish. This album is eclectic. Far different from anything that I've ever heard, but so in tune with music that I know. I felt like I was attending a live concert in Ocean City, MD, sitting at an outdoor lounge, where the lighting came from the shine of the moon, and I was on a hot date.

The album opens with one of the most beautiful instrumentals that I've heard in a while. "Peace of Mind" featuring Deborah Johnson is an upbeat jazz melody that features soulful lyrics and harmonious ballads. The listener has no choice but to embrace the message as presented in the song: "When we let go, we will grow. Then we'll find...peace of mind". This in turn sets the tone of the album: enlightening, energetic, melodic, and peaceful. There is not one song that says "we don't fit here". Features on the album include: Deborah Jordan, Allison Crockett, Laurnea, Nick Rolfe (who does an excellent piece on the plight of being a minority in today's society), April Hill, Omar, and Maya Azucena. Other songs on the album that grab your attention are "Run and Hide", "Speak Easy", and "Believe".

There are two tracks that I may have played on repeat about ten times before moving on the next song. "Breathe Again" is a smooth tune filled with horns and a heavy bass line. The song talks about the beauty of love and that wonderful feeling you get when you are emerged in it. "You...I need the way you were..I need the times we had...I can't remember any better days." The other track, which also features Laurnea, is called "Double Dream". We've all had a crush, or had someone that we would think about and wonder if the feelings were mutual. Well, in this song, the translation of such a feeling from dreams to reality merges. "This is a dream...a wonderful problem that's live...Double dreams do not just exist in the night...What more could I want than to be there by your side..So every day when the morning comes, you're the first thing in my eyes." This by far, has to be one of the most beautiful songs I've heard this year that express intimacy in its purest form. The beginning stages of a relationship where everything is wonderful and you hope that the moment never has to end. If I could have a Double Dream about my crush, where I'm sleeping with my eyes open and everything in my fantasy seems like a reality, I'd never wake.

The Day Is Too Short To Be Selfish is definitely a must have for the album rotation. It has a certain vibe to it that you can only find if you are willing to look for it. I was pleasantly surprised by the mood that the entire album sets, as it causes the listener to be put into a place of tranquility. I'd highly recommend Live Tropical Fish to anyone who has an ear for good music. There is nothing selfish about this album. Sometimes it pays to be open.