The mighty Goldfrapp is about to release "Believer", the third single from their excellently poptastic, retro sexy longplayer, "Head First".
While I'm very excited to see a third track plucked from the album, I can't help but wonder how the whole campaign tanked. Both "Rocket" and "Alive" - two completely AMAZEBALLS singles - were met with a resounding thud on the charts.
I get the sneaking suspicion that Radio 1 refuses to play solid, thoughtful pop music. Perhaps people thought Goldfrapp started following instead of leading. Maybe they lost people on the pastoral predecessor, "Seventh Tree".
Apparently, they have a lot of support from music bloggers. I haven't read anything but praise for "Head First". Anyway, the cover art for the single is spectacular. It's got more of that "Xanadu" factor they've been trading on. Alison has clearly tapped into every gay boy's dream.
I was only on the periphery of Goldfrapp appreciation prior to this album, but i absolutely adore this. I'm so disillusioned with the lack of success, but i'm loving the songs and videos and can only hope it continues to be appreciated by the bloggers who love this.
ReplyDeleteall the singles seem to do well in the us club charts
ReplyDeletealthough i do recall that Billie Ray Martin was calling her a sell out
ReplyDeletewish is really very strange considering the source
@Paul - One other factor is that they've been around for a decade. Five albums. Most acts don't even get past their second one. Thank goodness they are signed to Mute. Otherwise, they would've been dropped after "Seventh Tree" and a hits collection would've already hit the shelves.
ReplyDelete@Philip - They do. Unfortunately, the club chart hasn't meant a thing in a very long time. They really should be on the radio. If LaRoux can have a hit, so can Goldfrapp. It's all about promotion money.
ReplyDeleteI love Alison's facial expression on the cover: "People, I am so disappointed in you for not buying more of our product..."
ReplyDelete@esque - You win comment of the day! Nice one.
ReplyDeleteWell, BRM is covering Cabaret Voltaire and has managed to pull Stephen Malllinder out of academia and into the studio once again. Personally, I think she's peaking with her dark, electro-malignant sound. I find it a lot more compelling that her house origins.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, Alison is channeling Olivia Newton-John/Xanadu, so I am highly inclined to agree with BRM. As a long standing Goldfrapp fan, what I'm seeing is repelling me. I'm not compelled to hear the new album at all. Even OMD's Paul Humprheys is wondering what Goldfrapp is up to.
Disclosure - I am not a gay man.
It's a real good LP but it's very soft. No edge, no balls to it.
ReplyDeleteThis album is a combination of Kate Bush, Stevie Nicks and Kim Carnes...without the edge of course. I wouldn't tell anybody it's bad, but it's not what you're probably expecting from the crew. Regardless, Mute is working the hell out if it. Most of it has been licensed out already. HBO alone has several placements already.
@The Music Gourmandizer - A few HBO placements is hardly promotion. :) I definitely disagree with you. Edgy does not equal good. The songs on "Head First" are top notch. Very strong. They managed to be current without aping the style of LaRoux or Little Boots. It's also a more mature album. There's a lot going on there.
ReplyDeleteKim Carnes had some great tunes, but she never had a very cohesive album. Besides, LaRoux sounds like Erasure to some people. That doesn't make it any less brilliant.
I think Goldfrapp has carved out a sound of there own which happens to be wholly inspired by a certain segment of the 80s. Nobody seemed to mind when they went all electroclash glam on "Supernature".
My point is that the album deserves a more mass appeal promotion campaign. More Radio 1 in the UK. More top tier US stations. More mainstream TV.
Having said that, they are the closest we have in 2010 of an act that would've gotten most of their airplay on alternative radio stations in the 80s.
No matter what I think about this current direction, our fearless leader hat hit the nail on the head with his final sentence. Goldfrapp would have been prime 120 Minutes fodder 25 years ago.
ReplyDeleteI really like Head First but I think Believer is a lousy choice for third single. They should have released a slightly remixed version of I Wanna Life as single #3. Btw, how does Head First merit three singles when the first one got to #47 and the second one didn't even chart? PSB's Yes yielded two Top 25 singles in the UK and that was it (I don't cound the Christmas EP, mainly because it was an incredibly lazy and uninspired effort).
ReplyDeleteHave to agree with Mr. Vero, not everything edgy is good...and trying to be edgy is even worse most of the time - i.e. Xtina... I think Head First is Goldfrapp pop. Rocket is the most sing-a-long-able song I have heard in years. It's downright infectious. If anything maybe Head First is more geared to those of us who lived through the pop that they channel. This seems like an explanation for why Radio has stayed away... music programers think they know what's new and should be hip, instead they give us loads of GaGa rip offs and Kesha's. There is hope for Goldfrapp though, if the record company can relaunch in the States, maybe she can have the same surprisee success that LaRoux's almost 2 yr old songs are having here now.
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