[rayword45]

Day 30: The North by Stars (Album Choice: ninjaKIWI)

I'm going into this completely blind. No introduction for you.

Day 17 of the pledge: I didn't write anything
Day 18 of the pledge: Not even passing my mind at this moment

I have to be honest, I've probably listened to less than 5 synthpop albums in the last 30, erm, reviews, but I feel like I've listened to hundreds. Because of this, I'm feeling lazy. Since I'm feeling lazy I'm not in the mood to give this an in-depth review, so instead I'll just listen and when I'm done give this a Christgau-style review.

Canadian pop pushers extol the mythos of Depeche Mode by churning out forgettable tune after forgettable tune. With the exception of folky Through The Mines and the chimy Cure-agony of Lights Changing Color, these guys wield their wiggly synths and wavering guitars and push out uninteresting ditties with a dearth of any magic--a little depth could be their salvation, the boy/girl vocals aren't it.

So, if you can't tell, I wasn't really a fan of this album, and I hate(d) Christgau.

Rating: 4/10
Best Track: Lights Changing Color