CRYSTAL FIGHTERS play Wrongbar Saturday (May 26). See listing. Rating: NNN
When their debut album, Star Of Love, was released in the UK back in 2010, incredibly eclectic UK/Spanish band Crystal Fighters achieved instant buzz for their improbable combination of metal, dubstep, Basque folk, pop, electro, rap, trance and anything else that crossed their minds. Their over-the-top live shows and intriguing (but probably fictional) backstory also gave music journalists lots to talk about, but waiting two years to put it out in North America hasn’t worked out so well. Some ideas just don’t age that well.
If they’d calmed down just a little bit and let the songs and ideas breathe more, they’d have fared much better. Instead, the album constantly verges on gimmicky. They’re like that hyperactive guy at the party who makes everyone laugh at first and gets the dance floor started, but who starts looking depressingly desperate for attention the third time he climbs on a table and yells at everyone to get naked. Still, if you don’t take it too seriously or expect too much, Star Of Love is a genuinely fun, undeniably unique collection of weirdo dance pop.
Top track: Champion Sound
