On Saturday, Sept. 28, Pet Shop Boys will be at Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress Pkwy. Last year, the electronic duo released Elysium. Here, the overall sound was mature pop music and of course well-polished, but it had only one club-ready cut. Earlier this summer, Pet Shop Boys rebounded with Electric, which severely changes course musically, as it favors pulsating beats.
The introduction on the album's highlight, "Axis," recalls Faithless' signature sound, but the chords in its groove remind me of those from Phyllis Nelson's gem "I Like You." "Vocal" offers such a remarkable visual where I see Neil Tenant at a nightclub transfixed on performing group's lead singer. As "Go West," "Se a Vida E" and "New York City Boy" have done in the past, the ABBA-inspired "Love Is a Bourgeois Construct" adds a healthy serving of camp. The pair accepts the challenge of tackling Bruce Springsteen's "The Last to Die." Having reworked hits by U2 and Willie Nelson, the twosome treats this one extremely well and adds new meaning to the piece in the process. Electric is out now via X2 Recordings.
Another duo that continues to take artist risks is Goldfrapp. As a successor to the retrospective The Singles, Goldfrapp returns with the video "Drew." The piece is stylish, as if it was the sequel to Pet Shop Boys' iconic 1990 clip "Being Boring." On "Drew," Goldfrapp sheds its electro-pop skin once again, as witnessed on the superb album Seventh Tree. Lead singer Alison Goldfrapp's feathery voice drifts among the strings' lucid soundscape and climax, making dance hits like "Ooh La La" seem like from another lifetime.
The album Tales of Us shares the same downtempo vibe as "Drew," but each track has depth, some dramatic times and rich storytelling. "Thea" does have a rhythm to it, but it jumps out, because the other material here is so stripped down and lush.
The label Mute announced on its website that filmmaker Lisa Gunning is working on a companion film to Tales of Us, which will be shown later this year. Goldfrapp's Tales of Us is due out on Sept. 10.
Need more Goldfrapp? Check out Suzi Quatro's cover of "Strict Machine." The rock veteran incorporates her British chart-topper "Can the Can" into the bridge to reveal the uncanny similarity between the two hits.
It seems like once a year, a British female artist makes a huge impression in the U.S. This trend has seen such talents as Amy Winehouse, Adele, Florence and the Machine and Paloma Faith make a splash on this side of the pond. Laura Mvula has garnered very favorable reviews with her outstanding debut, Sing Me to the Moon.
This album is unlike the material from her counterparts. The beautiful singer-songwriter is partial to more organic arrangements and production. But what makes Mvula stand apart even more is the passion in her voice. Just consider the contrast with the delicate moments on the dreamy "Can't Live with the World" to the fiery refrain "Who made you the center of the universe" on "That's Alright." The opening track "Like the Morning Dew" has an explosive crescendo, which prepares her listener for what is to follow. Mvula comes to Martyr's, 3855 N. Lincoln Ave., on Friday, Sept. 13. Expect this remarkable newcomer to appear on critics' year-end lists and earn some Grammy nominations.
Lady Gaga is causing a stir with her new video "Applause" and her recent MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) performance. Sure, it is always good to see a nod to classics, but having been plagued with constant comparisons to Madonna, I would expect Lady Gaga to steer clear of further imitating her predecessor. The clip "Applause" instantly shows homage to Madonna's "Vogue," as well as Gaga's very own "Born This Way." It is a bit premature in her career to be self-referencing, despite her mega-stardom. There also was a Tony-winning musical titled Applause, which was based on All about Eve.
The clever delivery of the lyrics "pop culture was an art, now art's a pop culture in me" keeps this dedication to her fans afloat, as do the remixes from DJ White Shadow. Her Nina Hagen meets Missing Persons-inspired vocals lack the appeal from Gaga's previous jams. Sadly, the outdated instrumentation could have been pulled from an outtake off of Gaga's 2008 debut, The Fame. Despite some missteps here, the blonde New Yorker has me slightly curious to tune into her November release ARTPOP.
In a quest to spice up my playlist for the treadmill, I opted to check out Doctor Love by Alex Gaudino. The Italian DJ and producer came onto my radar when he reworked Crystal Waters' "Destination Unknown" into the robust remix "Destination Calabria," which has a reference here with "Brazil." Doctor Love has his stellar crossover hits "I'm in Love" and the Kelly Rowland collaboration "What a Feeling." "Do You Wanna" has Gaudino's magical touch and "Is This Love" features American Idol winner Jordin Sparks. The album is loaded with fun dance ditties featuring a variety of singers and styles. Ultimately, it comes across as a joyride on XM radio or Pandora. Doctor Love is out now on Ultra Records.
