Frausdots - Couture, Couture, Couture (Sub Pop, 2004)

Frausdots
Couture, Couture, Couture
Sub Pop
2004

Rating: 7 fashionable fashionistas out of 10

There may be a lot of charges you can leverage against Brett Rademaker, but failing to be a prolific musician is not one of them. From Spacemen 3-influenced Further, to Byrds-influenced Beachwood Sparks, to the Beach Boys-influenced The Tyde, and now the all-things-80’s-inspired Frausdots, Rademaker isn’t afraid to wear his influences on his sleeves. While the band only seems to officially consist of Rademaker and Michelle Loiselle, this record is packed full of guest stars from such bands as the Cure, the Tyde, Rooney, Brian Jonestown Massacre, and the Warlocks. The entire record feels like it could be from 1985, but without coming across as being a bunch of doofuses trying to cash in on the current backward-thinking music scene that has been embraced by the mainstream. For a more accurate description, try and imagine the long lost tapes of a recording session where Echo & the Bunnymen and the Cure decided to collaborate together, and that will give you a general idea of what to expect upon hearing “Couture, Couture, Couture”. There are also a couple of tracks that sound as if they could be outtakes from his other band the Tyde; and most notably of all, the second song on the album, “Fashion Death Trends”, is easily one of the very best songs I’ve heard all year. So immediately catchy, you’ll find it gets stuck in your head after only one listen. This is a solid record from start to finish, and one that gets better with each successive listen.