VHS OR BETA

Usually, i'll wait until I have my hands on a full album to post up w/ any sort of review...but the first couple of tracks i've heard from the upcoming VHS or Beta release, 'Bring On the Comets', are proving too incredibly addictive not to start the e-pimping early.

As usual, i'm a little late to the dance on these guys and remember their last full-length, 'Night On Fire', making waves in certain musical circles back in 2004. Their take on the dance-punk genre has one foot firmly planted in 80's new wave/disco and the other in present-day indie-pop sensibilities. I saw a review that described their sound as 'Robert Smith singing over Duran Duran remixes' and, funny as it sounds, it's not only accurate...but really seems to work.

Now, listening to two of the new tracks currently making the rounds, it sounds as if they've toned down the disco leanings and amped up the rock/pop hooks for this go around. I really dig it. The power behind the pop veneer is refreshing and while bands like the Killers only dip their toe in the pool, these guys fly the new wave banner high. Bigger than that, it seems so genuine...a band that really believes in what they're playing versus trying too hard to sound like somebody else.

You can hear 'Can't Believe A Single Word' and 'Burn It All Down' in their entirety at the band's WEBSITE and/or buy the preview EP on iTunes. The website actually has some interesting 'making of' footage too, if you're into that sort of thing.

The album is slated to drop on 28-Aug...i'll review the whole thing when it becomes available. If it's anything like these tracks, it's a shoe-in for the yearly 'Best Of'.