#237
June 2 1980
Elton Motello
Pop Art
Genre: New Wave
3 out of 5
Highlights:
Night Sister
Falling Like a Domino
Requisite 80s cover: A misguided reworking of The Who’s “Can’t Explain”.
For me the definitive “New Wave” record isn’t Devo’s “Whip It” or The Buggles “Video Killed the Radio Star” or M’s “Pop Music” or any of the myriad entrees into the minimalist movement with sharp edges, miles of space between instruments and nerdy vocals. It’s Plastic Bertrand’s “Ca Plane Pour Moi”. Its infectious and weird and inexplicable, partially because it’s in another language and yet came to define a very American sound.
I’ve never heard of Elton Motello. Considering there’s another musician who renamed himself “Elton” one might think that would cut through. Sadly, it did not. Not for me anyway.
But this entire record is a disciple of Bertand’s sound. It is an advance siren of sounds to come but are really still a few years off from exploding.
The reason it didn’t land in the pantheon of great New Wave classics?
It’s not that great. And the songs are uninteresting. Other than that, it’s great!
;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYg61jLej-M&list=PLlvn8uktX5Lt5M3txCGQCDRaoVGo2Y_Wl
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