Let's do the time warp again! It's just a jump to the late 70s, then a step to the 80s - America is not happy just to export its stripped bare dirty rock; it is now selling us the back catalogue.
We present two prime examples: The Faint hail from Omaha Nebraska - but don't let that fool you. They are as art rock, visually aware, as any urban world dwellers. Dressed suitably in all black, illuminated only by syncopated amber strobing, these five mean 80s dance party business. That's right. Sure, singer Todd Baechle does his best moody stare, but his cherub face belies any serious pretences. All the band's leaping and thrashing about - especially synth player Jacob Thiele's attempts to make love to the keyboards - may look right, but it still feels hollow.
There is no denying they have a few great tunes. Title track from their new album 'Danse Macabre' (ouch!), 'Glass Danse' and single 'Agenda Suicide' get the crowd moving with their synthetic beats and chunks and irresistible panache and fun - but it's still THE 80S! There are no happy accidents here. Every vocoder-ed vocal is deliberate and managed. And perhaps that is the crux of the problem. There is no sense of urgency or desire for the music. It's more of a 'here's a variety we can easily tackle.' When both the bass player and the guitarist can put their instruments down and jive bunny around the stage like freewheeling dads at a wedding - you know actually playing the music is not a priority.
On the flipside of this is Radio 4. Now these guys know how to tackle a genre. Fuelled primarily by late 70s post-punk (think Gang of Four, Mission of Burma and early Joe Jackson) R4 push their music through a food mixer and come up with new sustenance.
From the first strains of 'Our Town' to the force of 'Start a Fire', the driving beats are layered with melodic sparkles, while there is an overwhelming political feel of activism, without hammering any agenda home. The mirrorball-tinged 'New Disco' also gives us a welcome opportunity to groove. Radio 4 wear their inspirations on their sleeves but they also have a need and yearning to move it forward and put their own stamp on those influences. Yes, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but it is also the dullest. Inspiration is the best of both worlds.
There are two sides to this retro coin. We have the glossy Faint who are just an archaic 80s re-hash and Radio 4 who not only give a 21st century feel to their old school punk sound, they give it a dance beat to boot. Despite the misnomer of co-headliners - we know who the real stars are.
