In the early 21st century, all it took was some retro '80 designer threads to be considered "
new wave
revivalists." And like any
rock
music movement, there are always going to be artists that get by due to a keen fashion sense (which strangely, are usually the acts that conquer the charts), while others actually have something to say musically. The Texas quintet
I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness
is of the latter variety -- debuting in 2003 with a self-titled EP, and finally returning in 2006 with the full-length,
Fear Is on Our Side
. If they wanted it, this group certainly could milk their
cred, since it was produced by longtime
Ministry
member
Paul Barker
-- yes,
was a
electro
/
dance
band before going
industrial metal
-- which may also explain why the band sound somewhat similar at times to
Barker
's pre-
band,
Blackouts
. Just about any of the album's selections would have fit perfectly on a vintage
120 Minutes
episode, including the album-opening
"The Ghost"
and
"The Owl,"
both of which are very similar musically to
Joy Division
. Upon first listen of
"Fears Is on Our Side,"
it's quite understandable to assume that
hails from some U.K. town like Manchester -- certainly not a steer-and-cowboy-heavy U.S. locale. ~ Greg Prato