Ladyhawke's "Ladyhawke" - Best POP album in years

[Tuukka]

http://www.gustavoreid.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/ladyhawke.jpg

Some people might know the New Zealand singer-songwriter multi-instrumentalist Pip Brown A.K.A Ladywhake thanks to her hit single "Paris Is Burning", which has been getting some airplay in Europe in recent months.

A few days ago I got her debut album "Ladyhawke", and man, it's a winner! It will definitely end up in my top 5 for this year. And it's probably the best pop album I've heard in many years. Hell, it could be the best pop album this decade.

And when I say "pop" I mean POP with capital P. I mean glitter, discoballs, eternal love, eternal hearbreak, happiness, parties, naivety, sincerity, silliness and choruses that stick to your head on the first listen and never leave you - never.

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Music/Pix/pictures/2008/08/08/ladyhawke460x276.jpg

This is a very retro album, madly in love with 80's and Petshop Boys, Depeche Mode, Jane Wiedlin,Kylie Minogue, Crissie Hynde, etc... It effortlessly travels back and forth between mainstream disco beats and more alternative indie rock-pop. And it doesn't sound derivative, and it doesn't sound like a pastiche. There is no irony here, Brown simply obviously grew up with the music of the era, and loves it to no end. And you could put her debut album right next to the best albums of her influences, and it would stand on the same level. In fact in most cases, her album would be better. If this had been released in the 80's, it might well be hailed as one of the definitive albums of the era, combining everything that was good about 80's pop music.

So it's all about retro synths combined with rocking guitars, disco beats, beautiful melodies and breathy yet soulful vocals. The songwriting is consistently strong throughout the album with lot's of stylistic variation, but all inside the distinct Ladyhawke overall sound. And it's damn catchy, out of the 13 songs on the album 10 sound like immediate hit singles. And if it still were mid 80's, they would be chart-topping hit singles.

Brown has a perfect 80's era pop voice. Sexy, beautiful and very much girl next door. And perhaps the greatest compliment I can give to her vocal talents is that despite the potentially fluffy nature of the album, it all sounds so honest, and even soulful.

I haven't heard in a long time and album to make me this warm and fuzzy inside. And it's a killer party record, just begging you to invite all friends over and play it all night long.

Here are some terrific music videos for your pleasure:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1HDZNR9cY4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN8HwUxFouM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUyuEyVb6KU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhPh6ou8Kbk

And if you want more reviews, here are some raves:

http://www.nme.com/reviews/ladyhawke/9912

http://www.popjustice.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2853&Itemid=9

http://www.blackplastic.co.uk/alternative-electronic-music-b/2008/10/7/album-review-ladyhawke-ladyhawke.html

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4706194a4500.html

http://www.musicomh.com/albums/ladyhawke_0908.htm

...And well, I could go on and on. It's getting almost nothing but raves.

[therealjohng]

There is like 2 good tracks on this, the rest is garbage.

[someguy]

I'd say it's the best pop album to come out this year, but you're being a bit hyperbolic with the best pop in years and whatnot. Pleasure 2, My Secret Lover and Hey Hey My My Yo Yo are albums that came out in the last 3 years and they're better than Ladyhawke's album. Still a good album though, my favourites are Magic and Crazy World. I think her problem is that throwback songs like Back of the Van don't work well. If she stuck to songs that have a bit more of a modern sound to it like Magic or Paris Is Burning she could make something really good.

[Psychocandy]

I like what i've heard so far. Keep catching a video on MTV2 when I have it playing in the background and i've heard a few songs from the album. Am planning to give it a good seeing to sometime soon.

[therealjohng]

I'll give her credit for making a song where the verse is actually a hell of a lot more catchier then the chorus.

[Superplasmatron]

I think its kinda shit, really horrible gimmicky shit, almost as bad as the ting tings.

[Cronos]

Listened to a number of her songs on youtube since I've never heard of her before, it's utter shite... although pretty much all pop is shite.

[Pride]

I actually prefer Lady GaGa

[Tuukka]

I'd say it's the best pop album to come out this year, but you're being a bit hyperbolic with the best pop in years and whatnot. Pleasure 2, My Secret Lover and Hey Hey My My Yo Yo are albums that came out in the last 3 years and they're better than Ladyhawke's album. Still a good album though, my favourites are Magic and Crazy World. I think her problem is that throwback songs like Back of the Van don't work well. If she stuck to songs that have a bit more of a modern sound to it like Magic or Paris Is Burning she could make something really good.

I actually love "Back of the van", but then again I love pretty much every single tune in the album. You just can't beat a chorus like "YOU SET ME ON YOU SET ME ON YOU SET ME ON YOU SET ME ON FIIIIIIIREEEEEEE!!!!!!". That's 100% pure pop awesomeness.

Then again it might be the most directly 80's sounding tune on the album, and as such can sound like a relic of that era.

After listening for the album for two weeks I can easily say that it's the pop album I have loved the most this decade. Of course, I was a kid of the 80's, so the nostalgia factor is there. And I adore Pip's voice. There might be better albums out there, but I haven't heard them yet.

A really important catch in the album that there are no filler tracks, which is a real exception in the pop music, as it has always been a singles-driven genre. Hell, a lot of my favourite rock albums of all time have a filler track or two. But not here. Some of the songs take their time to grow on you, but I find the melodies and orchestrations to be consistently strong. And of course the lyrics are awesomely cheesy (but strangely cool) all the way. DO DO DOO DO DOO DO DOO BANG BANG BANG ON THE WALL FROM DUSK TILL DAWN!

I've always used a rather simple criteria for good pop songwriting: Can you sing it with just an acoustic guitar, and is it still a good song? In Ladyhawke's case it is (Maybe discarding more experimental tracks like Professional Suicide). That's something that sets her apart from most modern pop.