MP3: Holiday Fun Club - Hamburg in the night
Holiday Fun Club have got to be one of the most authentic sounding postpunk revival acts. Not the best, mind you, just the ones that sound the most like they recently awoke from a 25-year hibernation. Besides getting the guitar tones right on, they've also got that tightly wound, anxious feeling that's crucial for the genre. There's a paranoia that pervades everything, even a song about something as benign as going out for drinks in Hamburg. The skronky sax sure helps, too. Aside from a few subtle electronic flourishes in the background, if someone told me this came out in '81, I'd believe 'em. As a new release, that makes it good, not great. I appreciate the craftmanship and attention to detail, but why bother? Retro new wave is an oxymoron. Let's move forward!
Holiday Fun Club - Hamburg in the night