20 Watts

Datarock's latest full-length Red fails to impress

PREVIEW: Download Datarock’s “In the Red” MP3
WE GIVE IT: 9/20 Watts

The problem with revival music is that not all bands can pull off the same styles as well their forebears. With bands like Interpol getting compared to Joy Division, what else is there for an obscure band to do? Enter Datarock — lampooners of  post-punk.

They came onto the greater dance-funk scene in 2004 with their doubly self-titled debut Datarock Datarock, which was drenched in adolescent sensibilities (including puns off “Uranus”) and as many ‘70s and ‘80s throwbacks as your parents’ cassette collection. Five years later, they’re back with a sophomore effort called Red.

From first listen, you know that this duo lays down exciting instrumentals that could be wonderful to dance to — if you were too drunk to realize what they were saying. The album’s lyrics are largely nonsensical, and not in the way of Matt and Kim’s “Daylight.”

Apparently it’s a creatively dandy idea to just compose an ode to Molly Ringwald — and even more so when the lyrics go, “So don’t leave me / You’re breaking my heart / And believe me / I’m falling apart” before referencing half the notable movies she’s made. Similarly, is it necessary or even mildly interesting to listen to soundbites of discussions on Facebook, MySpace or the World Wide Web on “The Blog,” Red’s lead track?

Moreover, do we need to know that “[we] gotta dance!” from the aptly titled song “Dance!” (coincidentally so similar to that little tune by Lady Gaga?). Listening to the lyrics on the album just feels childish, and it’s disappointing that the most interesting set of them is the track “True Stories” (composed entirely of Talking Heads song titles).

At the end of the day, Datarock aren’t even bad musicians — not even close, actually. The synth and guitar lines littering the 41-minute affair would be right at home in the background of any Girl Talk release, particularly when ‘80s post-punk a la The Cure and Datarock’s idols Talking Heads shines through. The wonderful “Fear of Death” straightforwardly illustrates the duo’s necrophobia, the song’s melodicism and fast tempo pay homage to its influences without succumbing to self-parody.

However, ‘80s throwbacks and drum kits (as opposed to drum machines) can’t save this record from mediocrity. Datarock have produced little that hasn’t been heard before, and it’s a shame to think that if they had a competent lyricist or just released an instrumental record, they might be better off. The instrumental “In the Red” is easily the best song on the record because it isn’t cluttered by idiotically indulgent vocals.

– Eric Vilas-Boas