keepers 2
keeper avg .200
The justifiably big hit "Zero"***** opens, asserting a new dance-y direction. The following track "Heads Will Roll" keeps the same theme, but seems more arena-ready and lazy by comparison. While dance dance dance till you're dead seems to be the order of the day, "Soft Shock" follows with a hipster-y Wolf Parade tone, and the balance of the album is a survey of indie rock conventions and retro styles. "Dragon Queen" attempts funk, "Shame And Fortune" includes some cool 90's era industrial touches, (though is also confirms that O is not exactly a great singer), and "Hysteric" borrows the soaring, anthemic posturing of U2, the very middle of the road. "Dull Life" alone is a throwback to the days as a scrappy new romantic riff-driven garage band. Except for a few moments I mentioned most of the album is listenable but not memorable, that is until the album's tender then dreamy closer, "Little Shadow"****, that may not be influenced by Velvet Underground at all, but it's good enough to be; it's the best, most fully realized song I've heard by the band.
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