PopSyndicate.com

I hate myself for loving you.

Alphabeat can best be described a band you love that you would be too embarrassed to let your friends know you listen too.  With silly lyrics, infectious grooves and annoyingly upbeat tempos, Alphabeat is the kind of cringeworthy pop that made ABBA, Wham and Ace of Base so popular. This Is Alphabeat is the bands first international effort after creating quite a stir in their native Denmark. 

Track one, “Fantastic Six” sets up the album.  It’s freaky good fun with lyrics that make no sense at all.  “Hey you! What do to?  You’re High Strung, relax…cucuchacho…They’ll do the tricks, The Fantastic Six.” It’s the kind of song that kicks off a drunken party.  “Fascination” may be familiar to some as it’s been featured in a recent Coke Zero commercial.  My favorite track on the album, “Fascination” is the pop music at its best/worst.  Unnaturally catchy and nonsensical (“Fascination, that’s just the way we fell.” Cause you know fascination is an emotion.), the song pops along at a joyous pace. 

Other infectiously shallow numbers include, “10000 Nights”, “Boyfriend” and “Touch Me Touching You”. Ranging from disco to dance new wave, Alphabeat is destined for radio glory.  But all is not pop princess beauty within This is Alphabeat.  The tracks “Nothing But My Baby”, “Go Go” and “Rubberboots” fall flat and lack the excitement of the rest of the album. 

Odds are you’re going to grudgingly enjoy the album like I do.  I don’t want to like it.  Everything about it makes me want to hate it, but after listening to it for almost two weeks, it’s become auditory crack and Alphabeat is my cruel pimp.  This is Alphabeat is pure pop in all its insipid glory and aren’t the best pop songs that way (cough…Barbie Girl…cough). 

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