Spray – Children Of A Laser God (DCD Album – Banoffeesound)
Genre/Influences: Dance-pop, synth-pop.
Background/Info: (More than) ten years after the original release of the second Spray-album “Children Of A Laser God” on Ninthwave Record, the work has been re-released featuring an extra disc. On the bonus disc Ricardo Autobahn and Jenny McLaren added some EP- cuts, previously unreleased songs, remixes and even a cover version of a theme from the cartoon series “The Raccoons”.
Content: I discovered Spray by their debut album “Living In Neon) (2002) which has been re-released by Bannoffeesound as well. The band took me by surprise delivering a refreshing dance-synth-pop sound. “Children Of A Laser God” remains into the ‘pop’ tradition, but globally speaking it sounds more ‘commercial’ and sometimes a bit into dance-pop for teenagers. It didn’t sound that serious at all and yet a few cuts remind us their great skills to write an alluring kind of vintage-inspired electro-pop.
The second disc is merging previously unreleased songs together with alternative mixes and rarities plus a cover version. It also is a way to get back to the song “Run With Us” which was composed to become a hit! You here will (re)discover two remixes of this song.
+ + + : I never doubted about the potential of Spray. The band has already convinced me for its music and the vocals of Jenny McLaren. “Children Of A Laser God” is not exactly my favorite stuff from the band while the 2nd disc features more interesting cuts. So there’s the more minimal-sounding title-song, the sweet and refined “Idiosynchronicity” (another ‘new’ track) and the more power-pop orientated “Cosmic Kylie”.
– – – : Some of the songs are a bit too dance-minded while featuring some cheap leads and other teenager-minded lyrics. “Pretend Girlfriend” is the right song to illustrate this ‘other’ side of the band. Spray can do so much better, but I’m afraid this is also a part of their work and sound.
Conclusion: I wasn’t a huge fan of the original version of “Children Of A Laser God” and this re-release will not change my point of view. The bonus disc is more interesting!
Best songs: “Love’s Been Particularly Cruel To Me”, “Idiosynchronicity”, “Cosmic Kylie”, “Run With Us – Michael Trendfield Remix”.
Rate: (6).
Band: www.spraynet.co.uk / www.facebook.com/spraynet
Label: www.facebook.com/banoffeesound
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