Red Telephone – Normal Life

Genre: Post-Punk, New wave, Alternative Rock

Similar artists: MGMT, Depeche Mode, Iggy Pop, Gilla Band, Gary Numan

If there was one thing reassuring about many of Britain’s most out-of-this-world pop stars of old, it was the fact that, really, you might have seen sweeping up the floors at your local supermarket just a few years prior. Many of the best British pop tunes are presented in a very flamboyant fashion precisely as a way to ward off the specter of normalcy. 

After all, every good pop star knows, that life in the limelight can take you to all sorts of places. Some of those may include tragedy and other unspeakable riches. However, the 9-to-5s, if you’re lucky, only lead to boredom and slow decay. Take a look at David Bowie, Gary Numan, or Dave Gahan and you’ll see pop aristocracy looking to escape unremarkableness. 

Red Telephone’s fear of a Normal Life could be the raison d’etre for many a young person aiming to perform in front of thousands of people. There’s a quirky, cold synth groove that serves as the song’s foundation. The singer’s shell-shocked confession of the trauma of office work is really the hook. And, above it all, there’s a video depicting a man waiting for sundown to dress as a unicorn. Red Telephone know what moves pop stars these days, as well as at any time. 

Death Lens – Defy

Genre: Punk, Pop Punk, Screamo / Post-Hardcore

Fascism is cool again! I’m sad to report this, but you, probably, already knew. The only trouble is knowing which brand of fascism to first oppose. 

It’s hard to understand how to deal with or solve the issues brought about by increasing fascist ideas. Many of these are embraced by various aspects of mainstream culture. 

It is, also, difficult, to understand where these start. Is hatred just a product of fear? If it is then how should we go about reaching these people? And, were we daft to trust any figures of authority at all? 

The answer to, at least, the last question is quite obvious. With growing reports of disgusting abuses by the world’s richest and most powerful, it’s hard for regular people not to feel cheated. Music, punk-rock in particular, is the first to react to this growing sense of unease. And, while bands might not have the answers to solve all of your problems, they certainly know a problem when they see it. 

Death Lens’ Defy is as much a cry for help, as much as a protest song. Cynics may call this brand of sloganeering vague, but it captures perfectly the sign of the times. Fascist tendencies have always started because of people’s anger, inability to deal with it, and desire to blame others for complicated problems. Death Lens’ brand of punk, if nothing else, is a message for unity at a time when this has become vital. Who would have thought that nearly half a century since the release of the first punk albums, this music genre would become the voice of reason? 

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