Scenestar

BY KATIE SEATON

LadyHawke
Self-Titled
Modular/Island

LadyHawke has made it her goal to take the world back to the ’80s, where pop music’s lyrics were simple and the rhythm dramatic. She succeeds by providing a solid 45-minute flashback on her self-titled LP debut, out Nov. 18.

A 27-year-old New Zealand native, Phillipa Brown was raised around music and participated in various projects, but LadyHawke was her first chance to fully express herself without the input of other band members. She took this chance, not to write profound, worldly lyrics or speak her mind, but instead opted to show her love for the music from the early years of her life, citing obvious influences Cindi Lauper and Pat Benatar. Her lyrics aren’t anything to substitute for a life motto, but they are certainly enticing and catchy, bound to appeal to many pop enthusiasts.

Unarguably, the stand-out track is “Paris is Burning,” which has already hit the U.K. charts at No. 61 and gained recognition from Australia’s leading dance artist, Kylie Minogue. “Paris,” in which Brown takes us on a drunken nightlife journey through the streets of Paris, could easily serve as the new sing-and-dance-along anthem to the plaid-wearing, party hipsters of today, who might belligerently wonder, “is it love or just Paris?”

“Love Don’t Live Here Anymore” is another catch, constructed by heavy guitar riffs and blatantly painful, this-is-the-end lyrics with George of the Jungle-style percussion. “Back of the Van,” the first song written by Brown, includes an extra twist of the Cindi Lauper sound. It boasts a repetitive chorus that is sure to be a quick fix, yet, like the album itself, will quickly become tiresome. On “Magic,” Brown’s vocals deepen and sound breathy, as though Garbage singer Shirley Manson heard the loud synthesizer echoing in the studio and decided to join in with back-up vocals. “Morning Dreams” closes the album by staying true to its ’80s idols. The dreamy love song has a sharp clapping beat and a swaying rhythm, sure to evoke the daydreamer in all listeners by the time the music ends.

LadyHawke is an LP reminiscent of the “Love is a Battlefield,” shimmy-war days and is certain to be heard, if—for nothing else—because it is ideal material to be mixed and messed with by many of the DJ genre. It provides a few quality listens, but the album’s downfall arrives with its cyclical sound. In the end, the lack of variety between tracks will shorten the album’s shelf life, reminding us all why ’80s music eventually came to a close.