Search - Deckard :: Stereodreamscene

Drawing on inspirations ranging from the Beatles and Queen on one side of the generation gap to Radiohead, Foo Fighters, and Smashing Pumpkins on the other, Scotland's Deckard have produced a remarkably assured, impressively eclectic first effort that should instantly spark the interest of Brit-pop fans. Frontman Chris Gordon poses an intriguing premise on the energetic single "What Reason": what would the Pumpkins have sounded like if Billy Corgan had Robin Zander's pipes? "Remain This Way" and "Still" offer up some of Radiohead's shadowy ethos, infused with a Verve-ish sense of drama, while the driving "Christine" confronts a drag queen's dilemmas without an ounce of condescension or sentimentality, and "Sycamore" breathes compelling new life into that most undervalued 1980s relic, the power ballad. Producer Nick Launay (Midnight Oil, Semisonic, Silverchair) seasons the band's nearly seamless pop constructions with an appropriately broad palette, including electronic effects, thrash guitars, and deft use of strings. And if the influences are flown a bit too prominently on this outstanding album, a little maturity should serve them well. --Jerry McCulley