Prepare for baffling comparisons, as four people get to share the vocals - Damian and Dave only get one each, Jack and Jemma four each, and what a mixture they present us with. ‘The Deed Is Done’ has mighty potential, with everything about their modern pop sounding freshly appointed, and the slightly off key male voice repetitive as a bass line plops along, and that’s because it’s overlapping blueprints for New Order’s ‘Ceremony’ and ‘Happy Monday’. ‘See A Lot’ is milky synthpop, that wouldn’t be out of place alongside St Etienne in the bargain bins. What they have is very pretty and pretty bloody obvious. Not cool.

It’s easy enough to get along with a track like ‘Time To Play’ with its semi-haunting melody, and weak, wispy vocals, while the lush ballad, ‘Let It Flow’ could throw up nightmarish ‘Flashdance’ visions for some, although it’s so light a breeze would render the song invisible at times, but Jemma has a charming voice.

With syndrums, and grumbling music, with the vocals having no effort behind them ‘Everybody Everywhere’  is OMD this time, ‘Golden Days’ repeats the New Order parlour trick, and ‘Real Cool Party’ is rather sweet, because the singer can’t sustain a note so they pitch it all lower, giving a rather downbeat feel. You can almost imagine Tiffany doing her old dance to  ‘Tonight I Am Safe’ (or Flock Of Seagulls come screaming out of the speakers). So how weird is this? They do nicely ticking 80’s styled Europap, but they’re American? 

Experts in musical taxidermy.

THE DEED IS DONE 
SEE A LOT 
TIME TO PLAY 
LET IT FLOW 
EVERYBODY EVERYWHERE 
REAL COOL PARTY 
GOLDEN DAYS 
TONIGHT I AM SAFE 
ALREADY GONE 

http://www.zoomtothemoon.com

09/09/02