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Radical Romantics
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Radical Romantics
Current price: $13.59
Barnes and Noble
Radical Romantics
Current price: $13.59
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Size: CD
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"Wish me courage, strength, and a sense of humor,"
sings on
, but that's not necessary -- their third
album shows they have these virtues in abundance as they love on their own terms and even dare to have fun with it. Musically,
may not be quite as revolutionary as its predecessor
, but the way
strips away anything that gets in the way of expressing love, lust, and need still feels adventurous. Indeed, the album's joyous neon heart offers some of
's most radiant music since
's "Heartbeats." It's no coincidence that they reunited with their brother and former bandmate,
, who helped
build a studio in Stockholm to create this "love album" and co-produced several of its finest tracks. On "Kandy," the duo streamlines the lilting, tropical tones and tumbling beats fundamental to
's music to their barest essences, pulling listeners in with an alluring mix of longing and seduction. They sound even bolder on "Shiver"'s queer eroticism, letting streaking synths and flowing beats provide a supple backbone as
whoops and draws out the word "shiver" into an eloquent phrase of its own.
is a homecoming of sorts, but it also finds
casting a wide creative net. They team with
on "Carbon Dioxide," an ecstatic journey towards true love that traverses classical, disco, and rave while
follows their heart wherever it takes them, while
collaborator
heightens the airy, searching sweetness of "Looking for a Ghost." These dazzlingly light and bright songs make
' darker moments that much deeper. With its shuddering beat and looming synths, "What They Call Us" is quintessential
, echoing "If I Had a Heart" in its despair and slow-building tension (it's also one of the few times
pitches down their vocals on the album, emphasizing the weary weight it brings to their music). When
ventures further into love's shadow side, the results are striking. Dedicated to the bully of one of their children, the
and
collaboration "Even It Out" captures the feral protectiveness of parental love -- something rarely expressed in pop music -- in its fierce, brassy stomp. Conversely, "Tapping Fingers" distills the profound loneliness of contemplating mortality next to a sleeping partner with its cavernous tones. Despite these dramatic highs and lows,
often seems more relaxed and more forthcoming on
than on
's previous albums. Fans may have anticipated another epic like
, but the more approachable, more personal choices
makes here are often just as risky and just as rewarding. ~ Heather Phares