04 Jun, 2006 Get On Down-The Sunday Times
Get On Down / The Sunday Times / Dan Cairns.
Before visions of stadium-filling stardom filled their heads and swallowed them whole, Jim Kerr and co produced wonderful, angular Euro synth-rock; their 1979-82 albums are classics of the genre. The band kick off the World Cup with a show in Berlin on June 7, and play three British festivals in July.
01. The American.
Popping bass, chattering synth, wailing guitar, daft Kerr lyric: unalloyed pleasure.
02. Seeing Out The Angel.
Starkly monochromatic, a dark Teutonic beauty from Sons & Fascination.
03. Glittering Prize.
Their second Top 20 hit, from the great New Gold Dream.
04. I Travel.
The Empires & Dance standout, Kerr as the detached, nomadic observer.
05. Theme For Great Cities.
A Low/Heroes-indebted instrumental, steel-and-glass cities flashing by on the autobahn.
06. Life In A Day.
Their debut’s title track sets out their electro stall.
07. 70 Cities As Love Brings The Fall.
Always with the cities: what’s wrong with the countryside?
08. Promised You A Miracle.
Their biggest pre-bombast hit, before the bludgeon took over.
09. Sweat In Bullet.
Dotty title, classic electro-funk song, so sharp you could cut yourself on it.
10. Don’t You (Forget About Me)
Oh all right, then. All together now: “Heh, heh, heh, haaay!”