Expecting ‘Decadence’ mk II? Then stop reading right now and have a little weep, because gone are the block rockin’ beats that had thousands bopping along on dancefloors across the country. Somewhere along the line, a spat between HA head honcho Daryl Palumbo and beats-master Dan The Automator has left ‘Popaganda’ short on the dancefloor fillers. While the resultant dozen tracks are far from poor, it’s a little bit of a culture shock on first listen – although thankfully it is a record which improves with repeated listens.
Glassjaw fans won’t be quite as shocked at the ‘new’ sound as they would have been when ‘Decadence’ was released, but the switch is rather noticeable. There’s an Elvis Costello swagger to Palumbo’s voice, and as he has mentioned in pretty much every interview, this record is steeped in 80s British music history. There are sounds and styles adapted from the likes of Elvis Costello and company, ditching the 70s disco feel that enveloped ‘Beating Hearts Baby’ last time out.
For the most part, ‘Popaganda’ is a success. Palumbo’s vocals are as distinctive as ever, if a little more mellowed out. The hooks and harmonies are all present and correct, and the melodies are pretty good too – ‘Graduation Day’ is a great choice of first single. I feel Head Automatica‘s only downside is that they’re comparing one massively successful release to this – and I feel it’s a comparison the newer record loses. I was a big fan of ‘Decadence’ and I don’t quite think this record matches up, even if it’s still a decent attempt. Including a new remix of ‘Beating Hearts Baby’ may suggest the label and band feel they can’t completely leave the old sound behind. Head Automatica deserve a B+ for their sophomore release, but it’s not quite as good as the A- they received on the report card last year.
www.myspace.com/headautomatica
Warners
paul