Saturday, August 5, 2023

Albums of the Year # 143 Lightning Dust - Nostalgia Killer

 


I very much liked Spectre, the last album from Vancouver synth duo Lightning Dust. I placed it as my seventh favourite album of 2019, in case you're not taking notes, and let's face it, why on earth should you be. You have lives of your own I presume. I sent the band the review and said how much I liked them on their Facebook page. They didn't reply to me and for some reason I took offence against them for not getting back to me. How utterly ridiculous we all are.

Still, they're back now with a belated follow up in Nostalgia Killer and it's another damned good record so perhaps it's time to let my grudge go, Lightning Dust have a long history so it's no real surprise they're pretty good. Before they kicked off in their current incarnation in 2007, they were both members of Vancouver 'Rock Institution' Black Mountain. No wonder they feel entitled to be photographed in shades, leaning against a wall these days.

Nostalgia Killer draws on many Rock and Roll stand bys of cool. Suicide, Arcade Fire, David Lynch, Bonnie Tyler occasionally. There's a constant dread to the record. As if we're about to enter, are right in the middle of or have just come out of The Last Battle for the soul of humanity. Hobbits and elves verses Orcs and other really bad things. The outcome seems uncertain but this is hardly the worst record to listen to while we listen for the final scores.

They take themselves rather seriously so no wonder they had no time to reply to the likes of me. Their synthy sounds means they're Eighties sounding most of all. There was a lot of this portentous nonsense at the time. Hazel O'Connor, Flock of Seagulls, Men Without Hats, Orchestral Manoueveres in the Dark. For God sake. how can you call yourselves  Orchestral Manoueveres in the Dark, write pop songs about the atom bomb and not just one but two songs about Joan of Arc. All the while wearing dodgy pullovers from Marks & Spencer?  Rock & Roll eh? Phew! I'm not sending Lightning Dust this review on Facebook this time. I'm not sure I could stand the rejection. The record is good. Probably not Top Ten this time guys. Nothing personal I promise you.

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