120 DAYS – “120 Days” CD (Vice/Warner)
Pop kraut rock from Norway? Liberal use of retro synth and keyboard sounds that sound someplace between NEU! and NEW ORDER. I say pop, because the songs don’t have complicated or experimental structures and sometimes because of the winy vocals sound too close to U2. Catchy, dancy, patient and synth heavy. The propulsive, persistent and simple rhythms give this a slight dance punk feel, without the punk part and sometimes remind me of THE CURE.
1. Synths that could be on a PBS special about outer space. The track slowly builds adding a very persistent rhythm. The vocals stay far enough in the background so their not annoying. Dancy.
2. Quiet ambient beginning with some guitar feedback. The vocals are too Britpop for my taste. Yuk.
3. Ambient quiet intro. The beat doesn’t come in until two minutes in. More guitar than most of the other tracks.
**4. The music is more sparse and less dancy. Reminds me of THE CURE.
5. Shimmering keys and guitar. Then a catchy beat and bass join in. More rock than most of the other tracks.
6. By now, I’m sick of these slick, poppy, vocals. This track is a bit more upbeat and the synths sound a bit more like KRAFTWERK.
7. Lots of keyboards and synth sounds. A bit simple and playful. Those keyboard lines are awful.
8. Patient, quiet instrumental track.
9. Some synthn that remind me of MORTON SUBOTNICK with a medium paced rhythm. The track just wanders for about 9 minutes and then it gets a bit loud and noisy.
Ugh. -mph