Neon Neon: 'Stainless Style'

This is a concept album about the spectacular rise and fall of con-man car supremo John DeLorean. Wow. Will there be spangly 80s type synth pop? How far can they get without mentioning Back To The Future? The answer to the first question is yes, and they neatly avoid the cliché of the second by referencing Star Wars instead, by way of track ‘I Told Her On Alderaan’.

The bar is set bravely high, as 80s fast car driving fantasies come with a ready-made internal soundtrack by the likes of Jean Michel Jarre. Los Angeles producer Boom Bip supplies the, well, what I shall technically refer to as the Bippy bits, while Super Furry Animals main man Gruff Rhys does the vocals and his input gives a rocky feel to some of these tracks.

You’d have to listen to the album a lot to stop comparing it to the 80-tastic hits of yesteryear, but it’s certainly got potential. This style works best if it goes BIG and is in need of maximum exposure. Perhaps they should advertise it as the soundtrack to the credit crunch?

Released on 17th March 2008 by Lex Records.

Written by Lucy Nordberg.