Goldfrapp Taps Into 80's Gloss Perfectly

Somewhere in the beginning of 2009, I finally sat down and started my Goldfrapp research. I had loved a selection of songs that a friend of a friend turned me on to and this past year I finally put the effort into her catalog. One thing about Goldfrapp that makes me like her so much is that she has a sense of style but is constantly changing and trying something different within her sound. Alison Goldfrapp and William Gregory have their fingers on the pulse of intriguing pop music. The duo's latest record, Head First, is less like any of their previous offerings. In a certain sense, this is their most approachable record. Supernature is pretty poppy but there are still elements there that make it a little less open to mainstream success. This isn't to sound like a dig into the new Goldfrapp record. Head First has many excellent moments on the record and a handful of excellent pop songs that should make Goldfrapp a more commonly loved artist.

The first single, "Rocket" is a synthetic dance number that aims to please on so many levels. Sounding like it should be used in a montage scene from a mid 80's film, "Rocket" takes on a level of catchiness that is reminiscent to Hot Fuss era Killers meets Kenny Loggins knee deep in his soundtrack era. The hook is huge and the chorus is epic. I find it hard getting the track out of my head. It's a fantastic way to kick off the record. The next track, "Believer" sounds like a Kraftwerk song played at a slightly higher speed. It's synth beats and hooks are more pronounced and would go excellently with a work out, a run or any high octane experience. It's excellent driving pop music. "Alive", the second single to come in June, is the perfect anthem. Put this song into a time capsule, send it to the soundtrack creators of such films as One Crazy Summer or Better Off Dead. It's infectious with a hint of uplifting lyrics. The rest of the album kind of wanders within this territory. Unlike other Goldfrapp discs, this is very much a one trick pony. It's a damn catchy one, but there isn't as much variety as say Supernature did. A solid record overall, Head First is a nice edition to the ever changing synth pop sounds of Goldfrapp, one that any fan of good, fun pop music could and should embrace. There is no doubt I will have this record blasting on road trips to the shore or at parties. It's fun. Nothing super engaging, but incredibly fun, poppy music.