Music News: Goldfrapp's new album "Head First" out on March 22

M.R.

Quote:

Ignition sequence start: Goldfrapp are back in March

Some words we thought it unlikely we'd ever get to type: Goldfrapp are back with a disco tune.

Main points:
» It's called 'Rocket'.
» You can dance to it.
» It's got an "oh-oh-oh" bit.
» It's basically brilliant - a charismatic and elegant modern pop tune with lyrics that are by turns wistful and dynamic.

So what does it sound like? Well, it's everything you'd want to hear in a Nicola Roberts solo single AND THERE CAN BE NO HIGHER COMPLIMENT. In the same way that 'Ooh La La' was a glam record that wasn't really a glam record and was in fact just a Goldfrapp record, 'Rocket' is an Italo-esque disco record that isn't really an Italo-esque disco record and is just in fact a Goldfrapp record, albeit one which sounds a bit like Van Halen vs Laura Brannigan.

The song begins with a rocket sound effect. It's a sound so appropriate as the starting point for a song called 'Rocket' that you'd almost expect Goldfrapp to have ruled it our for fear of seeming too obvious, preoccupied as they've occasionally seemed with such matters as 'perception' and 'image'. The fact that it's here is brilliant: to chop it out would have been to deny the natural inclination to include it and sometimes in pop - most of the time in pop - doing what comes naturally is more important than wondering what other people might think about it.

This brings us to the important bit - 'Rocket' sounds and feels like a very natural pop record. The production provides the song with a radiant electonic backdrop, and there's a lot going on behind the melody, but it doesn't come self-consciously waving bells, whistles or kitchen sinks in your face. There's nothing wrong with bells and whistles and kitchen sinks and let's be honest we tend to plump for all three at once but following the stylised 'Supernature' campaign, and the even more stylised 'Seventh Tree' album, 'Rocket' has a remarkably carefree feel. The song's fun in a way 'Seventh Tree' wasn't fun, and it's jaunty in a way 'Supernature' wasn't. 'Rocket' is the most relaxed and confident Goldfrapp have sounded in years but, as has already been established, you can have a little dance to it too. It's an all-round win/win crowdpleasing thumbs-aloft 100% take-no-prisoners officially-certified copper-bottomed happy-days-are-here-again belter, 'and no mistaking.'

Well this is all very nice but is there an album?
» Yes there is.
» It's called 'Head First'.
» It was recorded in Bath and London.
» It's out on March 22 next year.
» On the basis of the single the chances of the album being **** are VERY SLIM INDEED.
» Alison and Will wrote and produced the whole thing - hurrah.

Lyrically 'Rocket' is a love-gone-awry number which appears to be about firing an unsuitable chap off into space. The first verse - with some very warm, floppy melodic touches - sets the scene with Alison warbling (and it should be noted that she's on fine warbling form these days) "started something, I thought it could be fun, started something couldn't go wrong. Danger, heartache, I always knew there's no winner, in this game you lose". There's a twist in the bridge: "but I still wanna know how she got in the door uninvited".

The Chorus
"Oh oh oh, I got a rocket
Oh oh oh, you're going on it
Oh oh oh
You're never coming back"

'Rocket' is three minutes and fifty one seconds in length. That's twenty one seconds longer than pop songs should be but this is a flab-free pop tune and it's just as well 'Rocket' doesn't end at the three minute thirty mark because that's the precise point at which, with the song reaching its synths-ahoy, 'Number One'-style finale, there's a brilliant whoosh noise then a great sound effect which we won't describe because that would ruin the amazingness of the first time you hear it but IT'S A GOOD ONE.

We've known for a couple of weeks that an early listen to this new track was on the horizon and it's always fun to anticipate new material from one of your favourite bands but what we weren't quite prepared for was how exciting it now is to hear the band knocking out this sort of music again. 'Seventh Tree' was a beautiful album, and an important album for Will and Alison to make in the wake of 'Supernature', but we've always felt that Goldfrapp's heart lies down the disco and 'Rocket' puts them right back in the middle of the dancefloor. It's out on March 8.

CAN'T ****IN' WAIT!

Alexz

Finally new material

eli's_rhythm

Quote:

British electronica duo Goldfrapp will release their fifth studio album, Head First, on March 22 through Mute.

Goldfrapp recorded the album this year in London, England and Bath, England. It was entirely written and produced by the twosome of Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory.

"Rocket," the first single from the follow-up to 2008's Seventh Tree, will precede Head First's release on March 9.

No tracklisting for Head First has been revealed yet.

And on Alison's blog:

Quote:

Hi

my god its a crazy fast world! news gets out on the net soooo fast. we are still here in the west country mixing the album but in case you havent seen stuff on the web today the album now has a title ‘Head First’ and comes out in march, the single titled ‘rocket’ is also out around the same time.

catch up soonxxxxxxxxalison

I can't wait.

Rico Shameless v2

Poor Christina.

On that note, I can use this to get into their music more.

Alexz

So, my insiders tell me they're doing ITALO-DISCO this time. A glorious comeback to former work. I'm so happy.

M.R.

http://atrl.net/forums/showthread.php?t=79677

Swaggie

***Chu

Oh la la :heart:

Quote:

Originally posted by Alexz

So, my insiders tell me they're doing ITALO-DISCO this time. A glorious comeback to former work. I'm so happy.

Oldies? And you also have an insider working for Goldfrapp?

eli's_rhythm

Sorry.

I hope it's more Felt Mountain and less Supernature.

Sahn

^More Black Cherry than Felt Mountain here please. Hairy Trees and Cristaline Green. :heart:

OMFG!!!

I ****ing love this band... i'm really excited about this.

Seventh Three was a really good album (with some filler songs... but overal, was good). Road To Somewhere, Cologne Cerrone Houdini, Clowns. :heart:
I remember i brought this album in the US... the first week it was released.

Rocket... love the title.

Head First... :-/