Daytripper

Minor talk about them in another thread. Thought they deserved their own.
For years, many acts/bands have been trying to capture the early 80’s
British synth pop sound. Both in the U.S. and Europe, but this group nailed it.
This song ("Bulletproof") is currently #2 on the British charts, and the album
debuted at #1. And listening to this, you hear Yaz, Erasure, early Depeche
Mode, Human League, Eurythmics, Bronski Beat (post Jimmy Sommerville),
Dead or Alive and on and on. It really is a great little tune.

Live:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaZ1T32OpmE

And the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOYufRHQSms&feature=fvst

Giles

I thought the Cut/Copy album 'In Ghost Colours' did a good attempt at capturing the 80's sound, heard a La Roux song on Radio 1 - which I liked alot - how is the rest of the album. [paging brokenhanger]

Daytripper

Don't get me wrong. There are many many bands that captured the 80's sound recently. And I agree, Cut/Copy is one of them. But nothing like La Roux. I just listend to the rest of the album on YouTube. You should too. Nothing comes close to the brilliance of "Bulletproof". But it's pure synthpop heaven. It really takes me back.

Hollowgen

always interested in some good 80's sounding tunes. will check this one out!

atlantamoi

I'd rather hear this music on the radio compared to most fare, but it's not blowing me away that much. Similar to Little Boots. If you put that recording up to Yaz's first album or the Human League's "Dare" it just falls way short.

Daytripper

Well of course. It could never hold a candle those. But it's the closest thing I've heard to them yet. The synth style on "Bulletproof" is straight up Vince Clarke.

Dan1boy

The rest of the album is....okay.

Certainly nothing as interesting or catchy as "Bulletproof" and there's nothing that irritates me more with artists/bands these days.

One pop and it's all done.

Daytripper

I'll take this over fucking Lady Gaga any day.

Hollowgen

ditto. although, the lady gaga shit has really grown on me!

anyhow, i just downloaded the album, and it's quite good. much better homage to human league/yaz/etc. than either cut/copy or little boots. just haven't been able to get into those ones.

this one has the icy synths just like Dare, and Dare is one of my all time favs.

Daytripper

Well put! I would describe the first Yaz album as extremely icy. Which I love. And "Dare" is an absolute electronic masterpiece. Did you hear the last Human League album ("Secrets" (2001))? It's right up there with "Dare". And if I recall, Q Magazine gave it a 5/5 rating. Pity the label folded before or as it came out, and didn't do any PR for it at all. It literally came and went without the attention it deserved.

brokenhanger

Sorry, I've been on vacation.

Anyways, I can't say enough how much I love this album. The first half - single after single after single - is stunning. The second half calms down a bit but reveals itself over time to be just as good as the first.

"Bulletproof" is obviously one of the standouts, but the true highlight for me is "Tigerlily". The only one I'm not so big on is the UK bonus track "Growing Pains" - it sounds a bit too much like Lily Allen to me [whom I like, don't get me wrong] and doesn't really fit in to the context of the album.

A US EP for "Bulletproof" comes out on Tuesday [with a Manhattan Clique remix that wasn't on the UK release - score!] and the album comes out in the US in September or October I believe. If you're into remixes, though, anything that's already on iTunes/Amazon is well worth investigating - the Skream remix of "In For The Kill" in particular.

SubZeri

This is an amazing remix, you should check out the Subfocus Essential Mix from back in April, the way he mixes in the Skream Remix over Together's "Breakage" is brilliant. In fact, the whole Subfocus mix is pretty mindblowing...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/essentia...shtml?20090425

derektrainwreck

did anyone happen to catch her on kimmel?

i thought she did tremendous

its up on kimmels official youtube page

BDB

Got my ticket for the show in SF in a couple of weeks! Whee

derektrainwreck

she's going on tour in the US again in Feb

im gonna try to make it out to the chicago show.

last time i saw her was AMAZING. what a great live show!

did you enjoy your show?

Numanoid

That song is wayyyyy too digital to sound anything like the bands mentioned in the OP. Sounds much more mid-to-late '80s than the early '80s bands mentioned.

atlantamoi

While I still don't think the whole album is all that great, "Bulletproof" is a monster of a song.

The Black

Saw them last year at a festival, although I enjoyed it, I've since had 2 oppertunities to see them live and passed on them.
I'd go see them again if they're playing the summer festivals though.

Dan1boy

^^^ completely agree with atlantamoi - the album is pretty average with the exception of a couple tracks..Bulletproof being the catchiest. No threadcrapping, I just feel she's a bit overrated.

If you enjoy homage to Yazoo, Human League, early Mode etc. - check out the upcoming debut album by Chew Lips http://www.myspace.com/chewlips

They'll be the buzz band for the retro-electro set in 2010.

derektrainwreck

anybody see her on BBC performing with heaven 17


they did a pretty good collabo imo!

nothingfails

Bulletproof was one of the catchiest singles of 09.

Does anyone here like Little Boots? Her album is finally getting a US release next month. The album isn't as strong as the singles suggest but I do adore her duet with Phillip Oakey, "Symmetry"

The Bus

Glad this got bumped. Heard the song and researched it but had since forgotten the name of the artist.

brokenhanger

I'm off to see them tonight in NYC - pending the storm doesn't cancel my flight. Looking good so far...

Can't wait - the album was easily my favorite of '09 and I missed the last round of shows.