CD Review: Cold Cave — Love Comes Close

Love Comes Close

By Eileen Tilson

Back in the day, before you were even allowed to set foot in unwelcoming club The Chamber in Atlanta, it was crucial to make sure your dark synth pop knowledge was about as up to date as your black platforms and pleather outfit.

Descending into the dark cave-like room, you couldn’t help but to washed over by electronic sounds, all while pretending that the sporadic beats that fueled those swinging arms moves, actually represented a coherent song. Dark, synth-pop has always had its loyal followers, while the rest of the mainstream world couldn’t tell the difference between electronica and the latest Nokia ringtone.

Thus no one would have foreseen Wesley Eisold, owner of a publishing house called Heartworm Press, and a guy who has writing credits on more than a few Fall Out Boy songs, restoring the splendor of this post-punk synth, watered down recently by the likes of Editors and She Wants Revenge. 

Eisold (also known for his work in Give Up the Ghost) has recruited the help of Ian Dominick Fernow (Prurient) and Xiu Xiu protege Caralee McElroy, to form Cold Cave, and the band’s debut album, Love Comes Close has lived up to the task of sounding current while wearing their Joy Division/Depeche Mode influences on their sleeve.

But don’t misunderstand, Twilight fans around the globe will still need their Ambien-induced sleep with this one. The music pulsates through your veins and the dark and gloomy imagery describing a cold cave is par for the course. The title track is clearly a highlight, a bittersweet New Order-like dance dance tune, equally fueled by Eisold’s droning voice as it is filled with catchy hooks. Caralee McElroy’s haunting robotic voice is featured on almost half the tracks on the album, giving tracks like “Life Magazine” and “Youth and Lust” the tender approachability they need.

With Casio drums and synth tones aplenty, Cold Cave’ s debut album is impressive not only because they fully embrace their gloom, but also because they allow those of us without a Hot Topic frequent shoppers card to “get” their multi-shaded  music.

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