Vintage New Wave for the 21st Century. Montreal band Men Without Hats can never escape the shadow of their monster hit The Safety Dance, so ever since after returned to the stage in 2010 it has been of their live show. Thankfully they decided to come up with a batch of new songs to keep things interesting for themselves.
Love in the Age of War is an album that doesn't explore uncharted waters. If this was a new band they would be accused of epigonism. However, you can't sound dated when you were there form the get-go, creating percussive synth heavy dance anthems with dark lyrics. Singer Ivan Doroschuk still has the laconic yet deep voice that fits his compositions like a glove. Guitarist James Love gets buried in the mix most the time - New Wave was never that keen on the six string, singer and keyboard player Lou Dawson come to the fore when the moods get a little cheesy - Love's Epiphany has quite terrible lyrics, including beaten to death to lines "roses are red" (there is also a moon-June bit in one of the other songs, beware).
Love in the Age of War is a sentimental journey. Fresh floor fillers like This War, Head Above Water and Live And Learn and especially the quirky Devils Comes Around can be sneaked into the playlist of Eighties nights at your local club.
Love in the Age of War is released thru Cobraside Records.
Tracks:- Devil Come Round
- Head Above Water
- Everybody Knows
- The Girl with the Silicon Eyes
- This War Intro
- This War
- Your Beautiful Heart
- Live and Learn
- Close to the Sun
- Love's Epiphany
- Love in the Age of War
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