When you grow up on new wave, your heart indubitably aches when you realize the "The bands" of today will never out-rock the "The bands" you idolized in the 80's and still listen to. Who knows when this generation's The Cars or The Talking Heads will appear, but it's gonna be okay... danceable Swedish poptronica works well in the interim.Always a fan of The Sounds, I forgot how much I dug their last effort, Dying To Say This To You (2006), 'til I saw Geico pilfer "Hurt You" for their latest motorcycle insurance commercial. Not only does it perfectly complement the ad, but it's also a pleasant throwback to my favorite track off DTSTTY. Male/female vocal interplay, electronic jabs, an infectious beat and catchy chorus... it's like an indiefied version of The Human League's "Don't You Want Me," except flash forward 20 something years to a more time-appropriate level of hipness.
The first few notes sound like musical extrusion, almost like they're caught in a compound gear train, but in a good way. And vocals? More like playful yelling in a musical point of contention. The male and female take turns expressing their P.O.V. by thinking/debating out loud. The music is fun and upbeat, but not overly electronic. The song is spunky and sassy, without pretense. Plus, who doesn't like a little free flowing usage of the F word for good measure?
"Hurt You" has been on constant repeat, giving my Top Artists on LastFM a run for their money. You may find yourself dancing around to The Sounds while getting ready. Soon you'll start mouthing the lyrics while putting on a freshly-washed pair of skinny jeans, checking your side-swept bangs in the mirror, and applying that optimal amount of lip gloss before heading out to some hipster joint in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. And the last part, with those shards of edgy guitar, is perfect for that moment when you're coyly leafing through jukebox selections while simultaneously eyeing that cute, faux-hawked boy in the corner with the PBR in his hands... hoping he's in the mood to hear "Bizarre Love Triangle," too.
I couldn't find an official video, but here's a de facto one for musical enjoyment.
4 Comments:
Oh Mona. You and your musical dissertations.
Although I enjoyed both albums, I'd forgotten about this track. And what a good excuse to post some hot album art.
Hahaha. Apparently, Prince isn't the only one who majored in Musicology :)
I actually was thinking about you and your penchant for nude album art when posting that pic. This isn't nude, but still pretty effective for the general male population, haha. They're perty.
Ha! Well said, and yes the album cover is quite comely.
Post a Comment