The Blacklight Posterboys
Psychotic Love Songs
self-released
Back when I was in high school, there was an Atlanta pop band with a big hit, “What’s He Got.” The Producers were at the top of their game. Then they suddenly disbanded in 1983. By the time I was in college, bands were being formed imitating the Producers sound. Other bands like the Three O’Clock had taken over where the Producers left off. By the time of another Georgia’s band meteoric rise, pop music was no longer popular. Mumbling was in.
Well, how things have changed. Three years ago, New Orleans native Curtis Clark formed a band that carries on that pure pop sound. With changes in personnel over the years, the pop sound has become a little rougher, but those bright, bouncy melodies are still there. Psychotic Love Songs offer the best of what this Atlanta band has to offer. The result of these fourteen songs (plus a bonus disco version of “Animals”) is a sound that marries the Producers with Green Day.
The opening track, “Emotional Suicide,” is a hard driving rock song with a heavy guitar sound, but sung with smooth, rounder melodies. “In Your World” is also fast-paced, with harmonies in the chorus that will have you backing up the band as you travel down the highway. “Big Sky” and the title track are the danciest numbers, and very radio-friendly. “Sally & Wendy” is the story of two hardcore girls doing what they want to do while blending in that Green Day sound the kids seem to love these days. “Animals” just touches the realm of heavy metal, but Curtis is able to reign in Mark Martino’s headbanging, distorted riffs.
Psychotic Love Songs is a tight pop package that makes me wonder if their live shows are as neatly put together. Judging from their mix of punk, pop, and metal, probably not. The Blacklight Posterboys sound like a band ready to tear apart some live stages despite the user-friendly music on this CD.
http://www.blacklightposterboys.com, blacklight12@mindsoring.com
