Journal
Wednesday,Jul 22 2009, 10:42:00 AMWild Beasts and Two Dancers
Tracks like these certainly establish the feel of regret and forlorn loss that dominated ‘80s electro-pop, but Cold Cave
go beyond simple imitation with tracks like “Life Magazine”. This one plays like a more upbeat Black Box Recorder,
complete with the seductive female vocals and accompanying synths that make this more bubblegum-pop than
electro-pop. The vocals repeat themselves in a very distant echo, with the overdubbed reverb acting appropriately
as a durable manufacturer of various hooks. In addition to the gloomy industrial tracks and the chirpy allure of
“Heaven Was Full”, efforts like “Love Comes Close” perfectly capture the grace and ability of ‘80s revolutionaries like
The Psychedelic Furs and Felt. The vocals sometimes seem dry and awkward, but this actually plays off like a benefit
because it brightens the impressive arrangements even more with a more personable connection in the vocals. “The
Trees Grew Emotions and Died” certainly looks to have a hand from Prurient, mainly because of the unconventional
range in pitch and prominent percussion. Like his previous work, the track is unpredictably filled with concise samples
and odd rhythm sections that cling and clang over the main arrangement. The difference serves as a stylistic
expansion due to the parts of Eisold and McElroy, both of whom contribute an electro-pop edge to his inaccessible
yet oddly captivating material. Cold Cave’s debut full-length is definitely worth a look for fans of noise-pop,
contemporary dance, and ‘80s electronic. It can occasionally border on mocking a genre that many deem outdated,
but for the most part Love Comes Close is a successful debut that showcases the unique talents of the three primary
members.