Handsome Furs - Plague Park

With music reminiscent of Echo and the Bunneymen and vocals that recall greats like Ian McCulloch, Richard Ashcroft and Peter Murphy, this CD has a lot of things I love. Mostly the atonal 80's synth and guitar mixture and distinct vocal sound. Dan Boeckner of Wolf Parade and his fiancée Alexei Perry formed Handsome Furs as a side project for fun. Even though they only had a few songs, they were offered a tour. 9 songs later they gave birth to Plague Park. The result is a syncopation of sensory bliss. My personal pick is Snakes on the Ladder. With it's electrostatic beat and a twisted "music box" guitar line it weaves an ethereal web of passion as a bed for Boeckner's voice. Ramping up into a sort of marching drum beat and guitar strum it then falls back for the refrain in almost angelic form. Cannot get started is probably an indy rocker's wet dream. Pulsing beats and catchy phrasing let us all know this is a song to play on those bleary-eyed mornings when you are having trouble getting going.
I just can't listen to this CD enough. I wish there was a second album already. I can only hope there is a second and that Boeckner doesn't leave Hansome Furs behind to move on to a new side project.
Buy it today!
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http://www.myspace.com/handsomefurs