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Review: 'HELEN LOVE'
'Smash Hits'   

-  Label: 'Alcopop! Records'
-  Genre: 'Pop' -  Release Date: '20th May 2016'

Our Rating:
If you've ever heard any Helen love songs previously then you'll know exactly what to expect from the band's latest album Smash Hits. They don't deviate from their bubblegum pop-punk with cheeky, tongue in cheek lyrics and lots of cheap synths. Perfect fare to get you bouncing around at your local indie disco.

The album opens with the day-glo smirk of The First Welsh Girl In New York City. All it's missing is a verse or two in Welsh, it's bouncy fun like Shampoo on twice as much sugar. You've Got A Formula One Team is about the band's desire to be racing Formula One and they speed through it like they want to set a new track record at Brands Hatch.

Thank You Polystyrene is a really cool tribute to X Ray Spex's Poly Styrene and her massive influence on all things punky and pop and how no matter how isolated you may be, you too can fit in on the Punk scene. This plays out over a tune that sounds more like We've Got a Fuzzbox and We're Gonna Use it than Poly's old charges. It's followed by my favourite song on the album You Can't Beat A Boy Who Loves The Ramones: a grand tribute with the brilliant chorus of "who you gonna call when in trouble, no not ghostbusters but the Ramones." The perfect song to bounce about all over the place to.

Mario Kart Grand Prix.. Let's Go is frenetic beyond belief with loads of cheap synth effects like you've been playing for days and need more caffeine and instead this comes on and is like a jolt to the system. Spaceboy! is bouncy while having a go at the poor Spaceboy she's been going out with. This has loads of space noises and good squelchy sounds while nicking lines from all over the place; even seeming to rip part of the keyboard sound from The Final Countdown but don't let that put you off.

Yes, We're In A Band That We Love does what it says in the title, explaining what they like to do. Yes they have a drum beat, bass and loud guitars, no mention of the cheap synths mind. Then we have yet another tribute song; this time it's Long Live The Modern Lovers. This time it's not as rueful as the Rockingbirds one, this is much bouncier and actually name checks at least one Dexy's Midnight Runners song in it which is odd, but I like the trumpet blasts which come in just before the Van Halen Jump sample making it a well odd tribute to Mr Richman.

We then have a tribute to Sheila B Devotion who I have to say I tried hard to forget. This bouncy disco punk tribute doesn't make me want to rush to hear her music either but sounds more like a Fuzzbox out-take. This Is No Hit Radio however takes the bull by the horns and rams it into your ears like a real whipsmart ident for an indie radio show like say Steve Lamacq.

I'm In Love With The Belle Of St Mark is a cool lust song that could be about well known London scenester Belle but probably isn't. Either way, Helen is lusting after him over a bouncy pop punk song with (as ever) loads of odd cheap synth sounds riding shotgun.

The album closes with Stardust And Glitter and for me it's about time as I can only take so much bouncy adrenal cheap bubblegum synth pop punk and as this album doesn't hang around this is probably just enough. Nonetheless, stuck into the middle of say a large I-pod playlist most of the songs on this album will make you smile and get you going.


Helen Love do exactly what you expect of them so why not go find out more at Helen Love online

Helen Love Facebook page
  author: simonovitch

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HELEN LOVE - Smash Hits