The Black And White Years isn't the first band to tire of Nashville and move to Austin. Yet this group has little in common with the Cosmic Cowboys of yore and everything to do with the synth-pop sound of the Reagan years. "I'm lost in this whole '80s thing," says bassist John Aldridge.
Their first record is hip-shaking cool. Butler's smooth vocals give an after-dark vibe to the proggy melodies. "A Wetter Sea" oozes with new-wave style, while the brooding yet playful "Power to Change" hops like a long-lost Madness track with electronic flourishes and rock bravado. "Everyone" skanks like a Jamaican spaghetti western, and "Hysterical Sickness" pulsates with fist-pumping aggression. This album isn't just for hipper-than-thou scenesters. It's music that everyone can get together and dance to.
