By Jenn Tichon
The ’80s rock/synth music is back with a vengeance with the surge of bands like The Killers, Franz Ferdinand and The Bravery. The Bravery’s self-titled album is a throwback to the best of the ’80s with a trendy pop vibe for those of the Mouseketeer era. A mixture of fantastic riffs, especially the keyboard, pumping drums and vocal stylings similar to the Cure’s Robert Smith create the unique sound for the Bravery. However, the downfall of this album lies in the nonsensical lyrics, in “Public Service Announcement,” “You put the broke in broken hearted/You put the art in retarded,” which evokes the poetic license of a 13-year-old.
At most, the Bravery’s synth-heavy goth pop rock has the potential to become the “new favourite band” of the masses. And with constant radio airtime and club requests of “An Honest Mistake” and other singles from this band, people will scream for a sharp implement to drive into their eardrums for some time to come.