review: Group Rhoda - Out Of Time - Out Of Touch

I have always looked at 80's new wave music and subculture as a replay of 60's neo-romanticism... the 60's where the first replay of the Romantic era... which was in a way the first youth subculture in Western Society.

The 60's pre-hippie subcultures starting with The Beat Generation (even though the surfer subculture was also an early youth subculture which even adopted LSD) transformed the central idea's of the 19th century movement centered around the anti-rational and the emphasis on the subjective experience into the context of the new era. In the late 70's/early 80's this was given a new twist again fitting the changed world... I would claim that 80's new wave is nothing more as dark version of the neo-romantic movement of the 60's...

In new wave music psychedelic touches or even psychedelic music as such is not difficult to find. 'The Top' by The Cure is filled with references to psychedelic music. The Fields Of The Nephilim played psychedelic rock... but very dark... resulting into something more ritual therefor. The music by The Legendary Pink Dots and Edward Ka-Spel is as psychedelic as it gets. Just to name a few examples... and let's not forget some of the minimal electronics outfits... like Monoton for example... who where on the more experimental side. They often hinted to Minimal Music... which is also a 60's thing...

And... now in this endless 80's revival it is also there... Moon Duo are somewhere in between psychedelic music and Suicide related synth punk. Bronze is like a post-punk outfit spiced up with acid rock. And there is now this debut album by Group Rhoda... which is really close to 60's music... to be more clear... it sounds like The Great Society equipped with 80's instruments like a drum machine and synths... and a voice like that of Grace Slick... coming very close at least and singing in a typical 60's style...

So, no this is not daring new adventurous music... but what is today? Group Rhoda delivers a sound I have been listening to for many years but still untill now I have never heard this typical 60's sound done with 80's musical equipment... and done so well... so yes I love it!!

Even though this is yet another product of our age of recycling I prefer this way above all the cheap re-issues of so called lost gems, cult bands and classic albums from the 80's. Same goes for all these contemporary copycat bands who just sound like it is 1982 all over again... no, I will just put on this Group Rhoda album again and again... as compared to all of that this is daring new adventurous music!

Here is one track from the album...