The Overlookers – Videodrama (Album – BOREDOMproduct)
Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: Four years have passed since the promising debut-album “Teenage Wet Dreams”. French duo JB Lacassagne (Dekad) and Pierre_XY (Foretaste) are back on track unleashing their second opus “Videodrama”. They remained inspired by the past, now moving back to the fantasy world of David Cronenberg, John Carpenter, Stephen King, John Hugues ao.
Content: The sound has evolved as well although remaining pretty Electro-Pop like. They’re more into 80s Electronics while the debut-album also featured 50s and 60s elements. You’ll notice the typical effects, sweeps and space-like atmospheres getting us back to the magic of Electro-Wave. Most of the songs have a danceable appeal but you’ll also discover softer, melancholic, cuts.
+ + + : The Overlookers didn’t produce a copy-paste album of their debut work. “Videodrama” is a catchy, retro-like work with a personal touch on top. The work has an atypical BOREDOMproduct-sound and that’s rather cool. It enlarges the musical horizon of the label and both musicians as well. It also is a well-crafted composition with multiple attention grabbers. Some parts are reminding me to Propaganda but globally speaking I would dare to say The Overlookers have adapted 80s Electro-Pop into a very personal sound approach.
– – – : The album is maybe missing an absolute hit song but don’t worry, we’ll get a very cool tracklist instead.
Conclusion: The Overlookers is much more than simply a side-project but just a great, creative, and inspired Electro-Pop project made in France.
Best songs: “Undercover”, “A Heavy Price To Pay”, “Cast Away Your Sorrow”, “Red Lights”.
Rate: 8.
Artist: www.facebook.com/theoverlookersmusic
Label: www.boredomproduct.fr / www.facebook.com/boredomproduct
Listen to “Videodrama”:
About The Overlookers
The Overlookers pair XY from Foretaste with JB from Dekad. The duo debuted with “Teenage Wet Dreams,” built around a 1950s American aesthetic, before returning four years later with “Videodrama,” which moves the concept into 1980s VHS and analog-synth territory. Ahead of the album, the band released the single and video “Undercover.” Fans of the project can also read the earlier Side-Line Click Interview with The Overlookers, in which the duo discussed breaking rock ‘n’ roll’s codes.
Support Side-Line
More people read Side-Line than ever, and there is still no paywall and no advertising. Readers pay for it instead - from $5 a month.
Why we ask
Advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations we have not put up a paywall, and we refuse to add annoying advertising, so we need to ask for your help. Side-Line’s independent journalism takes time, money and hard work to produce, and we do it to push the artists we like, who are equally fighting to survive.
Handled by PayPal.
I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
