The Horrors - Skying

I had a cousin who would always describe my favorite band Van Halen as having "an FM verse and an AM chorus". His point being that they were heavy but got poppy with the choruses. I was reminded of that with the start (at least) of this Horrors disc.

They come off as a cross between Bends-era Radiohead and the Strokes. It's got experimental electro-waves of sound. Even Doves-like. But then a chorus comes in an its built up big and with a rainbow, even if it's through a sloopy Ramones-loving singer. Now personally, as a rocker, I could have traded the Depeche-Mode synths for some fuzz tones, but that's not a problem.

"Endless Blue" is a great example of the whole record. It builds on its new wave overtones and the picks up the pace with a great riff and a danceable backbeat. The lyrics will tell you that you're never certain of anything unless you go in. A great metaphor for a perfectly titled record.

Now after I sell you on all of that modern hipsterosity, the album actually ends on a pair of truly uncharacteristically psychedelic tracks. The zombie freak out "Monica Gems" and the drowsy Pink Floydian "Burning Oceans". The former in completely excelling the listener to a scary riverboat in Wonka's midget slave dungeon. The other a mess that the band can use to stretch out if they need to fill festival times slots. A good collection. (3.5 of 5 stars)