Review Summary: sweet and sour sauce.
I just can’t stand looking at Dragonette’s album cover for
Galore, but I somehow can’t resist. Everything about it is absurd and in-your-face right from its freakish hairdo to its random pair of legs. Also, the background color happens to be the most girlish color possible, which is pink. The art itself should have warned me what I would be getting into, but my curiosity was piqued, and I quickly dived in. Landing in a pool of gushy liquid (which appeared to consist of cotton candy), I ate as much as I could. The rest of my life would be spent in that pool, eating the cotton candy, until my body eventually died from health complications. Enter this sinister, sinful treat at your own risk, it may seem all fine and dandy for a while, but after that while is over, the effects are unavoidable. It’s a trap!
It is quite the treat when synth/electropop is done well, and that’s exactly what you’ll find in
Galore. There’s nothing to complain about here, just a pile of catchy tunes waiting to take over your mind. It’s a pleasant experience for sure, and that much is guaranteed from the lead singer’s vocals. Martina Sorbara has the kind of voice that could tame even the fiercest Chimera, and believe me, you don’t want to encounter a Chimera. Her voice is exceedingly sweet, so overly gooey it gets everywhere, but that’s not necessarily bad. Her voice could be compared to Lights, except Martina’s vocals are a bit more believable. How ironic that both Lights and Dragonette are Canadian bands, apparently Canada is entering a new wave of musical direction.
Considering synthpop’s problem with bands sounding much too similar, any given synthpop album had better have variety. Unfortunately, Dragonette’s
Galore doesn’t have enough of that, and proves to be the bane of the album. The album is good, sure, but taken as a whole, it blends into an indistinguishable haze. Dragonette seems unique at first, but after repeated listens, they begin to look like any other synth/electropop band out there. Their attempt is valiant, and their spirit is undeniable, but despite their efforts,
Galore is forgettable. That won’t stop you from listening to this though, because the songs are sinfully alluring, and the sugary sweetness is exactly why
Galore is easily digestible.
