After years of wanting to forget the hideous clothes, music, and politics of the 1980s, the kitsch and cool of that era are once again embraced through music, so hooray for the second coming of candied synth beats and chunky guitar riffs a la
the Killers
,
the Hives
, and
Franz Ferdinand
. Sweden's
Sahara Hotnights
get in on the game with their second album,
Kiss & Tell
. Produced by
Fireside
songwriter/
Hives
engineer
Pelle Gunnerfeldt
is much more approachable and playful compared to the band's 2002 debut,
Jennie Bomb
. The slick
punk
edges of
"Fire Alarm"
and
"On Top of Your World"
are replaced with glossy
pop
touches and a polish that would make
the Go-Go's
Cheap Trick
Big Star
blush with pride for what they created two decades before. Vocalist
Maria Andersson
finally shines as a singer; she's vocally focused in her delivery while the harmonies coming from the
Asplund
sisters are equally fine-tuned, making
fun right from the start. From the brassy cheers of
"Hot Night Crash"
"Who Do You Dance For?"
to the foxy
Runaways
-like impression of
"Walk on the Wire,"
the energy of
seduces you to twist your hips like never before. The kaleidoscopic twang of
"Nerves"
combines '70s
Detroit rock
with
doo wop
threads for a fantastic corroboree.
simply intended to make an album that's dance-crafty; however, those who adored the
aesthetic and its unapologetic stance on
might balk at their attempt.
comes off a bit contrived and lackluster in the beginning, but after a few spins you'll grasp (and thirst) for its sonic goodness. For a sophomore record,
did what made sense for them without concerning themselves with the politics of it all. It's a solid album, stylistically more friendly but not necessarily mind-blowing. They're making progress and so far, so good. ~ MacKenzie Wilson