Joining the line of bands formed in the pale light of The Cure and Echo and the Bunnymen, Sub Pop-signed Frausdots are the latest new band to seek inspiration in the scripted goth tones of the 1980s. Formed by erstwhile Beachwood Spark and former member of The Tyde, Brent Rademaker, the Frausdots' debut Couture, Couture, Couture even enlists contributions from one of the era's originals, ex-Psychedelic Furs and current The Cure keyboardist Roger O'Donnell. Opener "Dead Wrong" leaps the turnstiles with a frenetic charge unmatched on the rest of the album. Quoting America's AM-gold classic "A Horse With No Name", Rademaker refashions the song as glamorous synthpop with a soaring chorus. And when bassist Michelle Loiselle matches her expressive voice with Rademaker's almost blase clean vocals, the song's intrinsic tension could Zippo-light Wembley Stadium and still have enough angst and turmoil left over for Shea.
Unfortunately, Frausdots rarely recapture that compulsive drive. "Fashion Death Trends" unfolds in a plasticine sheen undercut by tired phrases like, "I don't feel cool/ Just a little bit cold." Hung on a tepid guitar and faceless beat, there's nothing to distract you from their forgettable lyrics. "Soft Light" attempts the anthemism of "Dead Wrong" but it's more soft-rock foppery than potent morning-starter. Rademaker uses his stylistic staples-- a buzzing synth and twilit bass-- and the track meanders for more refrains than it can sustain.
Unsurprisingly, Rademaker makes his mark when he forsakes goth-rock and embraces his jangle-pop roots. "The Extremists" bounces on a rollicking bass line and steaming guitars, cramming a little light into the album's dense, wintry textures. The country-twanged guitar solo and glaring organ fills are both jolting and highlight Rademaker's forceful voice. For the first time, he seems to find his place amidst the bleak rhythms. It's as if he's returned to his comfort zone.
Similarly, "Current Bedding" also plays to Rademaker's strengths by using synths as accoutrements instead of bedrock and focusing on warm, billowing melodies and first-dance sentimentality. As it does on "The Extremists", the shift from the blood-drained sounds of the Thatcher-era UK to subtle organ lines and steady beats augments Rademaker's voice. He's less Bono and more Paul Westerberg-- and for he and the Frausdots, it's a better fit.
