| Print |

Saturday, 06 January 2007 14:40

The opening title track is an invitation to the next 11 songs and tells you all you need to know: catchy, high-energy, strong vocals, steady beat, solid harmonies.

With the Killers abandoning the new wave revival they began, Go! Motion has stepped in to keep the flame alive. There are more than a few influences of the band's Omaha brethren on Go! Motion's debut, Kill the Love (the Faint comes readily to mind), but don't hold that against them. In fact, Go! Motion is more guitar and less electronica; listening, you forget about the keyboard, as it's merely an accent, not the focus of each and every song.

The opening title track is an invitation to the next 11 songs and tells you all you need to know: catchy, high-energy, strong vocals, steady beat, solid harmonies. The guitar riffs are notable, and do their job in keeping the disc well above water. There's a smart, sexy bass line on "Dance," accented by a flirtatious tinkling of the keys; the lyrical repetition at the end only heightens the groove. "Different in Time" is driven by its drumbeats, while "Charm Is Harmless" reminds me of an old, obscure song by the tragically overlooked Wire Train; the vocals are more understated, the drum 'n' bass riff driving and alluring.

There's a hint of stellastarr* (the clever first album, not the flop of a follow-up) in "Regress"; "A Night in the Sea" showcases each of the band members' talents (Albert Kurniawn, James Luther, and David Luther) with its seductively strong rhythm section. "Diary" and "Dear, Love" kick off with some seriously catchy hooks, while final track "A Broken Argument" again happily recalls Wire Train, bringing the disc to a close with a slightly more serious tone.

The songs sometimes seem to blur just a bit, but this is still a fine debut from a band that sounds fresh from the past. B | Laura Hamlett

RIYL: Wire Train with keyboards, stellastarr*, The Killers (Hot Fuss)