OPERATORS play the Horseshoe September 7. See listing. Rating: NNN
Dan Boeckner’s said his new band is the culmination of everything he’s done with Wolf Parade and Handsome Furs over the past decade – reason enough to whet our appetites. And after a stint of excellent live shows, Operators now have an official release under their belt. So does it live up to all the buzz? Yes and no.
Accompanied by Sam Brown on drums and Devojka on electronics, Boeckner is apparently the brains of the operation. The five songs use slick vintage synth lines like the best of Apologies To The Queen Mary, Wolf Parade’s terrific debut full-length. And it boasts the mechanized sexiness of a Handsome Furs release.
On standout track Ancient, Boeckner’s mastered the contemporary dance-pop song, with a cool singalong hook to boot: “Who put the ancient code in your bones?” The other tracks are catchy, too, but come across a bit one-note – blending into each other like one long night out.
Top track: Ancient
