The official sophomore release R∆ by L.A. indie pop vocalist supreme Simon Curtis enthralls and tangles you up in a darkened sea of emotions, and at the same time delivers super sonic boom boy pop.
The overall result is… overwhelming. After a first listen, I felt battered but exhilarated, the latter more so with subsequent listens.
First and foremost, if a record isn’t entertaining it will lose me. The music in R∆ makes you want more, just like Simon sings in “Don’t Dance”. Despite the dominating dark and angry themes, R∆ is full of honest, passionate power. That comes in the forms of concert fave “Laser Guns Up” – we need glow in the dark lego laser guns 🙂 – the triumphantly militant “Get In Line” (it’s gonna be a Robot Army theme song), and first single “Superhero”. I dare you not to feel good about just about anything after hearing these ones.
“Don’t Dance” is a reverse psychology mind game that only makes you wanna dance. The scathing “Pit Of Vipers”, the Faustian “Soul 4 Sale” (did the great Tyler Shields cover art evolve from that growling scream in the song?), and “Chip In Your Head” sing about things that people in the entertainment biz don’t want to hear. These are bold efforts that reinforce being true to oneself instead of being the flavour of the day or another notch on someone’s wall.
After a week of release, I am still floored by the gritty fantastic feast that is second single “Flesh”. It’s not only the most unique song on R∆, it’s also Simon and producer Jeff “Jadion” Wells at their very finest. Bravo.
R∆ has five more songs that must be as painful for Simon as they are cathartic. They seethe about loves gone sour, friendships gone awry, betrayal, loss, and hatred. As hard to hear sometimes, they are compelling. I can so relate to “How To Start A War” having experienced my own form of personal hell within the last year as well. “Enemy” is another zinger, when the envelope gets shoved past the point of no return. “Joshua” is possibly the oddest and hardest-hitting song on R∆ and is rife with messages. “DTM” and “I Hate U” are the most difficult listens, repetitious and full of gut-spilling emotion. The record closes, as did 8bit Heart, with a song called “The Dark”, this time subtitled “Return to the Dark”. The dark is too easy and enticing a place to remain and the song holds hope for the light that I know can take it all away.
Musically, the record is a highly charged mix of aggressive pop dance that takes a lot of risks with its creativity. The rhythms will come and get you and take you away. Simon’s voice in all of its different octaves keeps getting better and better even when twisted and contorted by effects. If you’ve seen Simon sing in concert, you know that his voice is the real deal.
R∆ is so deserving of the first day sales and excitement it received on June 7. Do I like everything about it? No – it’s just that there is so much more about it to enjoy.
Simon Curtis has a lot at stake with this record but I think the rewards will be bountiful. I for one will be happy to wait another year for another record like R∆. It gives you a bit of a rough ride but ends up taking you to its heart and soul.
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