 Goldfrapp
"Black Cherry" CD
Mute Records
Genres: dance, electronica, dance pop
Mute
140 West 22nd St.
Suite 10A
New York NY
10011
Aug 25 - 31 2003 |
If
you loved Felt Mountain, there's probably no doubt you were
pissed off when you heard that Goldfrapp's new album, Black
Cherry, was a departure into more dancey, poppy material. I think
the majority of listeners would have preferred another spacey,
delicate record to chill out to. "Dancefloor Goldfrapp"
just doesn't sit right.
I'll admit, I thought the same way. But you know what? Black
Cherry ain't half as bad as you would've liked it to be. In fact,
these songs aren't so far off from those on Felt Mountain.
Underneath all the booty-shaking beats and the funkified vocals lies
that very same sense of pristine melody that inhabited tunes like
"Deer Stop" and "Lovely Head." Take
"Tiptoe," for example. Its lush, danceable exterior is
complemented by a "Deer Stop"-esque melody, complete with
those beautiful, almost pained vocals. The dancin' never quits, but
the melody will win over even the most skeptical fans. The same goes
for the bittersweet "Forever," which is perhaps the album's
closest link to Goldfrapp's old sound.
Other tracks, meanwhile, go for a more energetic dance flavor.
"Twist," for example, is modern disco; it has the type of
club catchiness that The Bucketheads' "The Bomb" and Stardust's
"Music Sounds Better With You" boasted. "Strict
Machine," meanwhile, is instantly infectious; its chorus will
make you want to sing along. But you won't, because you're too
self-conscious. That's right, I know.
Altogether, Black Cherry is like an amalgamation of dance
music and Felt Mountain style electro pop. While it isn't as
deliciously dramatic as some fans may like, the added dancefloor oomph
might launch Goldfrapp into the club charts. It's a trade-off;
there's no reason to mope about it. Stop whining and give Black
Cherry a try. You might really like it, as long as you aren't
trying not to the whole time.
87%
Matt Shimmer
[Vitals: 10 tracks, distributed by the
label, released April 29, 2003] |
