On te Record

Album : Hot Hot Heat
Album : Elevator (Sire)
Although the 1980s may stand as the most detestable decade in music history, its post-punk scene later served as a bottomless pit from which new bands could source ideas.

The Vancouver, B.C.-based band Hot Hot Heat is the among the new crop of bands that foster the sound of the eighties. Elevators features a jagged guitar married occasionally to crisp piano phrases, but is not consistent. Vocalist Steve Bays carries the biggest share of the blame for the defect.

Two tracks Running Out of Time and You Owe Me an IOU have catchy vocals, angular guitar riffs and the sugary sounds of the piano, which lodges them permanently in the memory bank.

Such catchiness, however, can go too far, becoming annoying, Goodnight Goodnight, for example. Bays belts out a repulsive Robert Smith imitation during the chorus that could drive listeners to push "skip".

Hot Hot Heat will not save rock 'n roll with this record -- and nor will any of today's other new releases -- but it is more than enough to have a good time with. -- M. Taufiqurrahman