(Single from EP, "Progressed")
After discussing both acute and mainstream musical nuances with a friend the other day, it came to my attention that the glitzy, dub heavy sound of contemporary chart music is grossly unrepresented by this blog. Sure, I like to go on about the Pet Shop Boys' 1987 Christmas #1, but it's hardly the same thing...
Strangely enough, the duo link in here, as they were the support act when I saw Take That in July 2011 at Wembley Stadium on their record breaking, 8-night stint at the venue! Saturday 2nd July; "Love Love" was easily the number of the night. The band rode atop a giant, seated (and soon to be standing) mechanical man, with LEDs emblazoned across their jackets, glowing madly in every colour of the spectrum. It truly was a spectacle of music - less so a gig, albeit my first concert, but definitely one heck of a show and a phenomenal performance and big stage act...
What, then, of the song?
Well, quite simply put, it's a bouncy, but dense, synth-rock song. It opens with the turbulent thump of a dirty keyboard voice, which forges violently forward into the somewhat more camp series of variations on the same, cringe-worthily identifiable, Mancunian vocal, the lyrics to which are nonsensical and trivial, though harmless and somewhat enjoyably banal. In many ways these hilariously pronounced words represent a modern-day spin on the pretence of Ultravox, just with less sonic mastery and more emphasis on the dancey, boy-band aesthetic.
I can't say I mind though. Rather than seem stupid or lazy, the song just feels nicely poppy; everyone knows that Barlow can write a very good pop song if he needs to, and sometimes, even when it's only the music that's really of any actual merit, it's more excusable than, let's say, anything by Nicki Minaj. You can let him off because he's a nice guy, because his band are just out to have a laugh, because the keyboards are squelchy and funky and because performing the song live with lights blazing across your chest is meant to be laughed at and along with. So yeah, the lyrics are a bit shoddy, but the sound is cool and shiny.
And let's be fair; that sound is epic - that really is the word as well. Wonderfully loud, electronically heavy and satisfyingly without meaning; it's not often you get to say that, but seriously, the good fun to be had from a hip-swish to this supposedly arty take on the synth-pop attitude outweighs the harshness of true musical criticism. C'mon - everybody dances sometime...
★★★★
Versions of “Love Love”
EP/Single Version - 3:43
"X-Men: First Class" Movie Version - 3:37