Dave McCabe and the Ramifications - Church of Miami
5/10
Reputedly an account of a man who falls in love with his robot, I braced myself for a lyrical re-invention of eighties movies Electric Dreams or Weird Science, or a musical antonym of Spielberg's A.I., but what we get is an album of individual songs that collectively carry a narrative that reflects on our obsession with technology. McCabe (ex of The Zutons) warns of our all-consuming love affair with mobile phones, games consoles, and social media 'friends', and promotes instead the case for more direct human contact and friendship.
The retro feel to much of this album comes from the use of a mixture of analogue and digital equipment, taking us way back to Miami Vice, Cat People and Beverley Hills Cop, as well as early video games like PacMan and Grand Theft Auto, and the early synth-pop of Depeche Mode.
This is therefore primarily a synth driven album which, despite McCabe's instantly recognisable vocals, is about as far away from a Zutons album as one can get. No saxophone, and not even a guitar until the very last track. Although at times verging on the clichéd, the slow burner Let Me Go could be good enough to be another Valerie.
5/10
