My Amazon Reviews: Soft Cell "20th Century Masters Collection"

Soft selling Soft Cell
3 Out 5 Stars

David Ball and Mark Almond came from the school of synthesizer does that came of age in the 80's. That was a category that encompassed everything from the avant-garde Suicide to the easy listening of Naked Eyes. Soft Cell, on that sliding scale was closet to Suicide than any of the others, as Almond's sleazy vocal delivery and Ball's penchant for gothic keys made Soft Cell on of the darker sounding bands of the time.

As the first track on this "20th Century Masters" set, if they'd just made their cover of "Tainted Love" a hit and quit there, they'd have a spot in the history books. But they couldn't stop there. Adding camp to the creepy, they made a dance single of the hit by attaching a breathy cover of the Supremes' hit "Where Did Our Love Go?" of top of it. They may have been trolling the gutter for some of their original songs (like "Sex Dwarf" and Memorabilia"), but they also did so with a wink. It was all a façade, but a really fun one. Thus, with the aforementioned songs, you get another cover attempt at a hit ("What!"), the sweet "Say Hello Wave Goodbye" which was ironic enough that David Grey did a cover if it. Or the controversial "Numbers," which was banned on the BBC for its depiction of gay hustlers.

Ball pretty much went underground when the duo split, but Almond still cuts the occasional solo disc, and they're often very good. The sound here is better than the original albums, and since all most of folks want is "Tainted Love," this is all the Soft Cell you'll likely need.

     

My Amazon Reviews: Depeche Mode "Delta Machine"

Welcome to the machine
4 Out Of 5 Stars

While I still enjoy their albums, there's little on Depeche Mode's "Delta Machine" that suggests that they haven't come off auto-pilot since "Ultra." They are still singing about pain, redemption, soul-pain in the search for more, and can't allot Andy Fletcher to singing one song. The devotion to destruction still rules, and analog synths are still the best thing out there.

If you're a fan, then that is all that matters. There's hints of grandness in the opening "Welcome To My World," which is a nice way of saying 'join me in my vortex.' Count the times Martin Gore sings the words 'angel,' and 'soul' (although one of them comes in the great couplet "I couldn't save your soul, I couldn't even take you home"). Alas if it were only that simple. But it is devoted DM fan, it is. They still twiddle with electronic blues ("Soothe My Soul" sounds like a muted "Personal Jesus" without the big distorted guitar, as does the equally interesting "Goodbye") and Gore and Gahan are still in fine voice after all these years.

Fans of the era where Depeche Mode filled their dark spaces with big dance beats will likely find "Delta Machine" wanting. As a long time fan, I've found things to like in almost every album they've released, and that includes the oft-derided "Exciter" (which this album reminds me of often). "Delta Machine" may be the album where the preachers are still talking about fire and brimstone, but are content with knowing that the flock no-longer needs it screamed at them. It's a quiet wonder that bears up to repeated listens.

     

My Amazon Reviews: Nada Surf "If I had a Hi-Fi"

It's a Jangle Pop World,

5 Out of 5 Stars

Like a few fans out there, I've had "If I had a Hi-Fi" since National Record Store day and have been talking it up to friends for a couple of weeks. Granted, a covers album is usually a kiss-of-death for most bands, but this is one of the rare exceptions to the rule. Nada-Surf takes on a batch of their favorites and breaks out the Rickenbackers. Frankly, this is Jangle-pop nirvana. It's "Garage Days" for power-poppers. It's really that good.

Part of the reason I dig this so much is that many of the songs are relatively obscure. Dwight Twilley is one of my all-time power-pop gurus, and NS goes for his "You Were So Warm." Bill Fox is one of those obscure guys that only alt-freaks would know about, and they unearth one of his songs for the opening track. "Electrocution" is given such a work-over that is sounds like a great lost Roger McGuinn song. Add a Spanish band's song "Evolucion" that absolutely haunts, and you've already scored three bulls-eyes.

Then there's the not-so-obscure. The primary airplay is going to Depeche Mode's "Enjoy The Silence," which sounds like REM wrote it as opposed to manic depressive British Synth Dudes. Nada Surf turns the song completely on its head, which is no minor feat. Kate Bush's "Love and Anger" loses none of it's empathic qualities, also not an easy task, given her unique qualities. And finally, there's the revved up cover of The Moody Blues' "Question," which answers the question of what a jam session between The Moodies and The Byrds might have sounded like. That's probably my favorite track on "If I Had a Hi-fi," followed closely by the Twilley cover. There's plenty of other songs here, but suffice to say that Nada Surf has joined The Editors as one of my favorite albums for 2010.