Megan's Top 18 of 2008 - #18 - Cut Copy

My little list of the top 18 albums of 2008 kicks off with Cut Copy's In Ghost Colours. It's an album that will always feel like late April nights in the Southern California desert to me, partially because of the band's appearance at Coachella but partially because of the vibe of the songs. In Ghost Colours is big and dramatic, filled with all the 80s-ish synths your little heard could desire and all the right beats to get you in the mood for some serious throwdown on the dancefloor. And yet, there are also subtle, whisper-in-your-ear moments that give the record added depth.

The album is executed to perfection, with impeccable production and attention to detail. The band also gets bonus points for being able to replicate the awesomeness of the record in their live shows. When I first wrote about In Ghost Colours, I thought of Cut Copy as a sort of Australian New Order. Months later, I think that's still pretty apt. I can't wait to hear what they come up with next.

Here's a clip of one of my favorite tracks off In Ghost Colours, "Hearts on Fire."

Album Review: Cut Copy – In Ghost Colours

Australia’s Cut Copy is poised for Very Big Things. I say this not only after witnessing their sensational, jam-packed party of a set at Coachella, as well as two stellar, jam-packed parties of gigs in DC and Baltimore, but because their second album, In Ghost Colours, is insanely, freakishly, remarkably good. Almost frighteningly so.

To me, Cut Copy is very similar to mid-80s New Order, but instead of having the drizzly grey of Manchester (and the then-recent death of Ian Curtis) hanging over their sound and seeping somberly into the songs, Cut Copy have wide, sunny expanses of noise, full of love and hope. But the tight, taut electro stuff is very akin to one another, and at times the vocals tread the same territory as well. The sound is very mature and pulled together, despite Cut Copy’s fairly small back catalogue.

In Ghost Colours is the kind of album you can listen to for hours at a time, many days in a row. Trust me, I speak from experience. The fifteen songs fly by, even the shorter, purely instrumental tracks. Nothing feels like filler, and everything flows along nicely. It’s one hell of a party album, so you might want to prepare a dancefloor in your living room.

The loved-up “Feel the Love” starts things off, and the line “all the clouds have silver linings” is quite possibly an apt way to think of this album. Not the cloud part, of course. The knob-twiddling shimmers effortlessly along, and Dan Whitford’s 80s-esque vocals add to the overall good vibes. “Out There on the Ice” is all dance, all the time, bringing in some serious beats and the images of hordes of people flailing about to the music. One of my absolute favorites, “Unforgettable Season,” shines with Whitford’s empassioned vocals and building beats backed by Mitchell Scott’s deceptively simple drumming. And “Far Away,” the cream of the crop, is a delightful little love song that you can dance to.

All in all, Cut Copy came out of the gates at full speed, chomping at the bit, and with guns blazing. And their enthusiasm has been well worth it, since In Ghost Colours is a fine, foxy little album. If you’re into things like fun, dancing, fun, and oh yes, fun, you might want to check it out.