This, on the face of it, is one of a long line of albums which have been released recently which seem to be rooted in the early-‘80s sound of Depeche Mode, New Order and The Pet Shop Boys. It’s got that same glam-tinged, fizzy electronica feel to it that the best recordings of these bands always had. Added to this, they also have Tennant and Lowe’s canny knack for a sardonic lyric that will strike chords in the heart of every listener. The band themselves describe this as “a concept album”. While that phrase may still conjure up for some nightmarish images of men in leotards wandering around with flowers on their heads and walls coming crashing down while men who haven’t been to the barber’s recently play fifteen-minute long guitar solos in front of screens, what it means here is that the songs concern a couple who run away together, at some point in the future and discover, through their love for each other, a hell of a lot about life, love and all that falls in-between. It is also, as the band themselves have pointed out, just a bunch of great pop songs. Every song has a nice crunchy riff or synth line to snag in the ear and remain in the memory long after the disc has finished spinning. The album itself also comes in at a whisker under 40 minutes which means that no track outstays its welcome – a miracle itself, in these days of 50 minute albums stretched beyond breaking point to 74. The songs all have real rhythm and purpose at their heart which means you will remember them long after they have finished and will waste no time in getting the disc going again. To finish then, this is a fine album which bodes very well for the future of The Vanilla Swingers.
