Though its first single, the Sparks-meets-Landscape Satellite, was sent into orbit to promote its release, False Alarm deserves a better fate.
For starters, bigger budgets mean TDCC have almost erased their early indie sound in favour of a grander style, with guitars merely decorative instead of intrinsic on the Panglossian opener Once, while Nice To See You’s rigid bass and shimmering keyboards provide an unexpected reminder of Curiosity Killed The Cat. Elsewhere, this fourth album sounds most like Zoot Woman given the benefit of post Random Access Memories hindsight.
But though they’re occasionally earthbound, Satisfaction Guaranteed is as good as its word, its Human League hustle as tight as its New Romantic trousers are loose, while Dirty Air would give Franz Ferdinand a run for their money.
6/10
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Wyndham Wallace
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