The new wave genre has recently been resurfacing in the music scene with the emergence of bands such as The Killers, The Rapture, and She Wants Revenge. These bands carry on the tradition started in the 70s and 80s by groups such as New Order, incorporating dark, moody lyrics and synthesizer melodies or beats. In short, new wave was the depressed, downtrodden child of the glam era, the antithesis of prevailing pop acts like Blondie, Prince, and Culture Club.
I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness is the epitome of the modern new wave band, mixing updated equipment and effects with traditional new wave bleakness in both singing and songwriting.
Hailing from Austin, this band recently had the opportunity to play the renowned South by Southwest festival in its hometown. After enjoying a fair amount of underground success with their 2003 EP, ILYBICD has returned with a new, full-length debut. The album, titled “Fear Is On Our Side”, was released recently on Secretly Canadian Records.
The first track opens calmly with forlorn guitars but is quickly worked into an apparent battle march with the attack of drums and post-apocalyptic electric bass. The lyrics echo the movement of the song with lines such as, “Bombs were used to carry the ending/The rescuers have withdrawn.”
“According To Plan” introduces itself with the sound of a dance hall beat played in a graveyard. The eerie tone is complemented by frontman Christian Goyer’s joyless voice that breaks through the fog, created by excess amounts of reverb, that hangs over the entire album. Other standout tracks include the instrumentals, “The Owl” and “Today,” which are welcome. The latter track peaks with a swelling sound of euphoria that juts out from the devastated soundscape like a spotlight.
At times, like most other new wave works, the album tends to melt into one huge heap of gloom. It seems that the sun never reaches the ever-nocturnal surface of “Fear.” The vocals are so deeply sunken in with reverb that at times it’s difficult to discern what is being sung — a shame, considering that the recognizable parts showcase an impressive knack for songwriting.
The band is certainly focused and aiming for an effect — the song titles, lyrics, and predominant sound point toward a specific theme, a task that few other bands have enough competency to take on. Listening to “Fear Is On Our Side” invokes emotions of uneasiness, stirring discomfort, internal dissonance, and, of course, fear. It is not contrived, but is guided by an artistic vision. That vision, much to the listener’s chagrin, is blurry much of the time thanks to muddy vocals and the aforementioned audio smog.
“Fear Is On Our Side” is not, by any means, a shoddy effort or a failure. The album stays true to its new wave roots, maintaining a level of authenticity that is both a blessing and a curse.
The ethereal, effect-laden instrumentation and melancholy vocals provide a much-needed departure from the rest of today’s musical acts — or, in many cases, musical actors. Unfortunately, the overwhelming sense of despondency that permeates this record makes it difficult to listen to in its entirety; repeated listenings are in order.
