“I’d been reading about the history of electronic music. In the early days, there was backlash against using synthesizers to create music. A lot of the establishment didn’t think of the synthesizer as a ‘real’ instrument. The album name is a play on that idea.” — Wendy Stonehenge in East Bay Express
Fans of retro 70s-80s synth pop sounds by the likes of Devo, The Human League, and Gary Numan are going to love this. Wendy Stonehenge—better known as lead singer and songwriter for SF band Glitter Wizard—has returned with Artificial Melodies, the second full-length from his band Candy Whips. Punchy and catchy as hell from opening track “The Usher,” the album traverses skittering synth punk (“I’m a Lizard”, “Strange Taste”), moody midtempo jams (“A Drop Will Do”, “Same Old Story”), and finely tuned robot rock (“TV Set”), every song led along by a strangely balanced medley of goofiness and sincerity. It’s not just great songwriting: Stonehenge promises a fun live show, and with all the kitsch and color here, we believe it.
Artificial Melodies is out now on LA label Kitten Robot Records.
