Catchy retro, singalong electro-pop, soft, bouncy beats, simple melodies and a big dose of nostalgia? If this 13th really is the British trio’s final album across 35 years, it's a decent sign-off by Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs since that breakthrough LP Foxbase Alpha in 1991. Filled with comforting and familiar sounds from drum loops, 90s piano sequences and 80s synths sequences, and Cracknall’s breathy, intimate and wistful delivery, here there are also guests and friends old and new. Australia’s disco band Confidence Man joins them on Brand New Me'; Sweet Melodies brings in Erol Alkan; Two Lovers with Vince Clarke; The Go Betweens feels very much like another 80s synth-pop number, this time with Nick Heyward; Take Me To The Pilot features Paul Hartnoll of Orbital, while Dancing Heart and He’s Gone were co-written and produced with Tim Powell of Xenomania. While last year’s ambient album,The Night, was dream-like, strange and ethereal, this one feels like a return to classic, fan crowdpleasers, straight up electro-pop. The album however is studded with moods of retrospect and philosophical half-regret. “This life has had its high points / And sure, there′s been some lows,” comes that perspective on Dancing Heart. Why Are You Calling is all about an unwanted ex wanting to hook up, but you can’t help but see it in a wider view with lines such as “We had our chance at a happy ending / You made your choicе, but you got it wrong / Let me make this complеtely clear / There is no going back from here”. And on Brand New Me: “It's a brand new me, I guess / Looking back, I could've been worse / But I could've been better too.” The trio have clarified that there has been no falling outs, and they all remain friends, but just don’t want to carry on forever, and instead go out on a bang (with some pop bangers). That said, the music industry’s history is packed with artists announcing their final album and tour, which may well be genuine at the time, but is also a golden tried-and-tested way to sell records and tickets. Closing track The Last Time is serenely wistful and filled with sugary, soft focus farewells (“One time we went to the Apollo / And we saw The Frantic Five / Now I′m really glad we made the trip / Because only three survived … 30 odd years later / We seem suave and refined / But we’re not the dandy highway men / You might expect to find.” Is it really last time then? Maybe, but I wouldn’t put a mortgage on it. And could always be further remixes. Out on Heavenly Recordings.
New to comment? It is quick and easy. You just need to login to Disqus once. All is explained in About/FAQs ...
Feel free to recommend more new songs and albums and comment below. You can also use the contact page, or find more on social media: Song Bar X, Song Bar Facebook. Song Bar YouTube, and Song Bar Instagram. Please subscribe, follow and share.
Song Bar is non-profit and is simply about sharing great music. We don’t do clickbait or advertisements. Please make any donation to help keep the Bar running: