Fischerspooner, a Kraftwerk and Depeche Mode influenced ‘electro-clash’ duo from Brooklyn, is one of the more interesting live acts out there. A theatrical, high energy experience, their current tour is a must see.
Fischerspooner’s third album, the somewhat generically titled Entertainment, is a more mellowed out version of their style. ‘The Best Revenge’ starts the album off; a dreamy dance track with the occasional interjection of some horns. ‘We Are Electric’ contains some screaming guitar at the end- touching on the psych/electro space that Fischerspooner pulls off well. ‘Money Can’t Dance’ starts out with a clip from Gene Krantz on ‘To The Moon’. A quasi-parable of sorts about being “off track”; the song states, “it’s too late for someone like me”. Something about the beat of ‘In A Modern World’ reminds me of this. “In a modern world it’s hard to be heard”…commentary on the state of the music industry, perhaps? In ‘Supply & Demand’; “I got supplies, you got the demand, I got the feeling that you don’t understand” speaks of a struggle between two people. ‘Amuse Bouche’ features grinding, hypnotic synths backing up the song title being repeated along with “don’t look back”. The albums most overtly political song, ‘Infidels of the World Unite’, muses the need to stand for something, but how some are “doing wrong in the name of right”. ‘Door Train Home’ speaks of being betwixt and between two places, a guitar mimicking the roar of a train. ‘Danse En France’ is perhaps the album’s oddest track, slowly trudging along to a mix of French and English lyrics. The album finishes with ‘Too the Moon’, an upbeat number that seems hopeful despite the fears expressed in the previous songs.
Entertainment, oddly enough, is less fun sounding than prior Fischerspooner abums. It’s more mature, weaving a story of a journey from point A to point B. It may not get you dancing to infectious beats like their previous work, but it will get you thinking.
Entertainment is available on May 4th.
1. “The Best Revenge”
2. “We Are Electric”
3. “Money Can’t Dance”
4. “In A Modern World”
5. “Supply & Demand”
6. “Amuse Bouche”
7. “Infidels Of The World Unite”
8. “Door Train Home”
9. “Danse en France”
10. “To The Moon”
Youtubes of recent performance:
Money Can’t Dance
Danse en France
Emerge