The Asteroids Galaxy Tour: Out of Frequency

Asteroids Galaxy Tour, Out of FrequencyThe Asteroids Galaxy Tour: Out of Frequency
Late last year, The Asteroids Galaxy Tour released their first single from Out of Frequency in the form of “Major.” For most people, it was the first time they had heard a song from the group that was not the Heineken commercial soundtracking “The Golden Age.” What “Major” did so well was keep intact the retro panache but added a certain hip hop swagger. Upon its release, I urged hip hop producers to sample the track before someone else did.
Where Out of Frequency does succeeds is the same place as “Major.” The horn-filled chaos that is opening track, “Dollars in the Night” feels like Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings on acid. On the track, thumping bass drums gives the low end to the screeching brass section while lead singer, Mette Lindberg gives a desperate vocal performance above. She does not care about giving a “pretty” vocal performance when she exclaims “it’s insane!/fame!” over the bombastic instrumental. But while the group is most popular for their brassy numbers, not every song features horns. “Heart Attack” has the throwback feel of something off the Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery soundtrack with its tremlo guitar and retro keyboards.
If the record succeeds on its instrumental merit, it falters lyrically. “Golden Age” had quaint lyrics about a bygone time, almost like a modern “Putting on the Ritz.” Those lyrics created pathos. Much of the lyrics on Out of Frequency feel like rhyming words have been smashed together hamhandedly, like a tactless Bob Dylan. A track like “Heart Attack” sounds great but any dwelling on lyrics may ruin the song for the listener. Lindberg sings “You got me head over heels on gasoline/You know how it feels like nicotine/Head over heels go raise your flag/Come on Bang Bang Bang give me heart attack.” Not one of those lines makes sense in the songs context nor on their own; you would think the song should be about having a stroke with how little those words mean together.
Unfortunately that is not the only song with less than stellar lyrics. While many of the poor lyrical performances can be overlooked because of awesome instrumentals and good vocal performances, songs that are weaker on either of those two elements feel like failures.
Rating: 7.0/10
MP3: The Asteroids Galaxy Tour “Heart Attack”
Buy: iTunes or Insound!

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