Net Music Review

Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke

When one of my friends, slightly more into heavy metal that recent pop music recommended I listen to the new Ladyhawke album a little while back I was expecting scarves tied to microphone stands and grotesquely overblown 70's hard rock. I imagine my surprise when I out in this album to find a classy, intelligent pop record with hints and throwback to the 80's. Never has the phrase, "Don't judge a book by its cover" rung quite so true. (Musically speaking) Ladyhawke is essentially Pip Brown, a New Zealand singer songwriter with a slightly sulky demeanour that could almost be described as a grown up Avril Lavigne. But, what shocked me most is that this talented songwriter hadn't come to my attention before, how can it be that New Zealand had hidden this gem away from us? I guess the answer to that question isn't really important, the music speaks for itself.

"Magic" starts off with atmospheric, brooding synths with guitars mixed in that immediately makes you sit up and take notice. It's a great piece of intelligent pop, that could almost be produced by the Chemical Brothers. The lyrics are delivered in an almost monotone, 80's fashion and go on about meeting someone, a groupie, at a gig and the fallout that follows. "Manipulating Woman" starts off with an introduction that has hints of The Talking Heads about it, before it goes off into full eighties FM radio mode, its as if I have been transported 25 years back in time! No prizes for guessing what the song is about though. This into "My Delirium" which is an upbeat tune, it has a killer hook and covers the all too familiar territory of going out of your mind. On "Better Than Sunday" the eighties influences are again thrust straight into your face, but what she has done is to steal all the best bits and distil them into something fresh.

"Another Runaway" sounds like the later incarnation of Fleetwood Mac with Pip Brown sounding more and more like Stevie Nicks. Again the subject matter seems to be angst ridden, whilst maybe not the most poetic of lyricists she gets her point across well. "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" brings the tempo down a notch and again finds nods to Fleetwood Mac with its shimmering guitar solo and gentle synths. "Back Of The Van" fins Brown seemingly imitating Chrissie Hinds against a fairly standard FM friendly backing track, it's the first time you almost feel slightly disappointed, until the chorus which is incredibly catchy. "Paris Is Burning" has a funky feel to it, with its staggering verse melting away into the melody of the chorus and is one of those tunes you just can't get out of your head.

"Professional Suicide" finds our Pip at her most scathing, turning her rage at once famous bands who live off previous glories. The chorus is a whirlwind of synths again, this time imitating Gary Numan's "Cars" and is one of the album highlights. On "Dusk Till Dawn" sounds almost like a good Pete Waterman track, and no I'm not joking! It benefits again from Brown's trademark monotone delivery. The album starts to wind down with "Oh My" which could have been written by ah ha and leads into "Crazy World", a nod to Berlinda Carlisle that has an epic feeling chorus and seems tailor made to play out to the end credits of an eighties teen movie, while "Morning Dreams" plods along slowly and closes things out nicely.

I have to say I was surprised by this album, I first played it with a sense of trepidation, and when you summarise the constituent parts; New Zealand singer songwriter goes back to the eighties for inspiration, it doesn't sound good. However, if you thought that you would be completely wrong. This is an intelligent pop album, with plenty on offer for everyone.