Datarock: Thougths

Who would have thought—despite debuting almost twenty years ago on the tail of punk music—that new wave would have outlasted grunge? Starting as far back 1978, with the evolution of Blondie and Elvis Costello and the debut of bands like Talking Heads and Joy Division, we’re still reaping the benefits; while grunge, although having birthed two of the most significant bands of the last twenty-five years (Nirvana and Pearl Jam), would be hijacked for MTV by a group of suburban white boys aching for hip-hop credibility (Limp Bizkit, Kid Rock, Lincoln Park) and dying a slow death as “nu-metal”. While never giving us quite an equivalent (although there are those—like me—who would claim that New Order and The Talking Heads weren’t too shabby), new wave gave us some of the best singles of the 80’s, songs and bands whose influence can be found all over the current indie-rock scene. Heck, one could argue that, until they found Springsteen, The Killers were the best retro-new-wave act around.

Anyone half-interested in listening to the bastard children of Devo and The Buggles would be wise to pick up the self-titled debut of the Norwegien group Datarock. Datarock is a typical example of your older sister’s geek-rock: lots of synthesizers, beats that fit in nicely at the whitest club while also serving as an awesome soundtrack to a Tetris tournament. What makes Datarock stand out isn’t their simple and excessively catchy shoulder-shakers, but the way they successfully blend their influences, most notably Devo and New Order, with a not so subtle splash of their Scandinavian neighbors ABBA. Of course, to attempt such a feat, one needs be aware of the inherent pitfalls, but, thankfully, if there is one thing Datarock has in spades its self-awareness. The first track on the album, “Bulldozer”, is either an elaborate joke, or a Tenacious D-like attempt at crafting—wait for it… the greatest new-wave song of all time! You decide. Here are a few lines form the first verse: Bulldozer, Bulldozer. Bulldozer, Bulldozer. Bulldozer, Bulldozer. Bulldozer, Bulldozer. BMX, IS BETTER THAN SEX. BMX, IS BETTER THAN SEX. Hilarious. If, of course, your like your funny danceable. If that is the case, feel free to enjoy tracks “I Used to Dance with My Daddy”, the best song to use backmasking since “Revolution 9”; or, “Fa-fa-fa” a hopping riff that veers dangerously close to Franz Ferdinand.

Datarock clearly enjoys playing with their influences. Occasionally they drift too far into the shadows of their elders, which can, at times, seem self-indulgent, but they are never boring. While songs like “Computer Camp Love” and “Ugly Primadonna” would hardly qualify as a Devo b-side, “Sex Me Up” and “New Song” could have easily been included on Devo's greatest hits. “The Most Beautiful Girl” is a pitch perfect Human League homage, while “I Will Always Remember” plays like an unrecorded ABBA track, a group whose influences can also be found on the track “Gaburo Girl”. Datarock’s ability to emulate and embellish their mentors is never more apparent than on tracks like “Laurie” and “See What I Care”, the later song being the best song on the album; a track so perfect that it manages to resurrect the melancholy of Joy Division’s (suicidal) Ian Curtis and eerily reunite him with his band-mate's spin-off, New Order. “See What I Care” is such a good song, it has a decent shot of making it onto the soundtrack of Sophia Coppola's next film (and I mean “appearing on the soundtrack” for a Sophia Coppola film as the highest compliment possible for any new wave act). Maybe Datarock’s shtick will get old. But if you’re still dancing, do you really care?

Song I advocate paying real money for it’s so good: “See What I care”