When we remember June 2004, we will remember the time we remembered the '80s, for two reasons: First, Reagan's death, which ushered in a hell storm of late Cold War nostalgia, and second, the release of Communiqué's Poison Arrows. Okay, so mostly just the Reagan thing, but the fact still remains that Communiqué's second album harkens back to many aspects of '80s pop that seem to have disappeared for quite some time.
Poison Arrows is the debut LP from this San Francisco quintet. It runs only ten songs, but with this short song list, Communiqué is able to create a well-unified album that avoids becoming monotonous. Throughout the album, urgency and yearning seethes in both the driving background instrumentations, led by Cory Gowan's keyboard (you remember, the piano looking thing, usually stuck in the back) and the belting vocals performed by Rory Henderson. Add to that the love-conquers-all theme of the songs and you have yourself the 2004 reincarnation of Duran Duran.
But that being said, this album is one for this millennium, not the last. Most notably 21st century is the fusion of punk into this pop formula. Whereas in the '80s, punk and pop were in different worlds, Communiqué shows how they can be brought together to make quality pop music (as opposed to Blink 182 and company, who showed us how bad music can really be). At various points in the album, Henderson's vocals unexpectedly take on a punk edge. The moments are short but powerful.
Poison Arrows is certainly not an airtight album. The melodies, though at times rivaling those of The Shins, at other times are messy, especially when the group is attempting to go from verse to chorus. And the album slumps slightly between the opening track "The Best Lies" and the fifth track "Perfect Weapon," when the album really takes on some steam. But these flaws are forgivable in light of all the album's strengths. Kind of sounds like Reagan, don't it?
1. The Best Lies
2. Evaporate
3. Ouija Me
4. Dagger Vision
5. Perfect Weapon
6. Black Curses
7. Strays
8. My Bay
9. Death Rattle Dance
10. Rattling Bones
More about: Communiqué
