Antenna of Love

Herky-jerk synth pop crosses boundaries just as easily as any form of music, and Estonia's Popidiot is as good an example of it as any. On the attractively packaged Antenna of Love the trio (including Rein Fuks, temporarily taking time out from Pia Fraus) hit it from the start with the merry but not gooey kick of "Logic," clean vocals to the fore, and from there off to the races. As with so many early 21st century tweakers of the '80s sound, there's as much fun to be had with the obvious nods as with the individual touches on offer -- it's what makes a song like "Friday's Revenge" simultaneously call Duran Duran to mind while in fact only resembling that act via a couple of sonic signifiers. (This gets repeated with "Rushing Heart," perhaps the best Cure pop song circa 1985 they never recorded.) The classically mournful, frustrated adolescent lyrics of songs like "Cassetteboy" are almost too much, but somehow that just suits the music to a T. (Then there's the title "Dancing Like an Idiot," as in "I tried to get your attention by...") Meanwhile, moments like the melodica-sounding instrumental break on "Girl Called Latte" and the sparkling start to "Hanging on Friday" need no other justification beyond simply sounding great. ~ Ned Raggett