You like ‘80s pop. Clarification: you love ‘80s pop. The pleasure centers of your brain crave a-ha and the Eurythmics non-stop, and all you really want in life is to be spun right round, like a record baby, right round round round. Madonna taught you more about virgins and prayer than the Catholic church did, and even when George Michael is getting it on with old guys in public parks you stand by your man. Maybe you’ve been shouting devotion to the hooky hits of a past generation from the rooftops, or maybe it’s your darkest secret. It doesn’t matter. Cut Copy understands. Somehow, three Australians have created an album, In Ghost Colours, that would have fit in perfectly 20 years ago but miraculously doesn’t sound stale today.
While the band’s press bio lists shoegaze and even prog as influences, it’s difficult to see how these genres actually affected the music on In Ghost Colours, only their second album. Instead, the album plays like an impeccable homage to groups like Depeche Mode, those artists which unlike many pop bands of the era could actually sustain an entire album. While some songs are certainly more successful than others, each full song (there are some forgettable but inoffensive instrumental transition tracks) is catchy enough to keep you from skipping it. Plus, it’s only their second album, meaning that Cut Copy hasn’t just avoided the sophomore slump—they’ve transcended it.
The album starts on a high note with “Feel the Love,” featuring warm-weather lyrics like “All the clouds have silver linings” and plenty of “ooh-oohs” to spare. “Lights & Music” is a crowd-pleaser, with the kind of delirious guitar-electronic pairing we’ve been missing since the glory days of electroclash and a dance-friendly slow build to a superb Human League chorus. Like the fad-defying electroclash standouts Ladytron, Cut Copy isn’t afraid to mix the best elements of rock and electronic to create songs that defy genre.
This freedom could stem from the influence of the album’s producer, DFA big shot Tim Goldsworthy. While Goldsworthy’s production was most likely a major boon to In Ghost Colours, the band might want to consider taking some cues from another DFA artist: LCD Soundsystem. Lead singer Dan Whitford could use some of Murphy’s charisma—he’s a competent singer, but his vocals and lyrics barely make an impact. Also, while much of the appeal of LCD Soundsystem’s Sound of Silver came from its musical diversity, sameness and safety pervades In Ghost Colours. The inoffensive steel guitar on “Strangers in the Wind” is about as crazy as it gets, which is disappointing coming from such a talented band. Now that Cut Copy has proven that they can write perfect pop songs, it’s time for them to experiment with some imperfection.
4.5/5
