Klaxons

Myths of the Near Future

(Geffen)

Record Review by Sarah Jane

Named after a collection of short stories by sci-fi perv J.G. Ballard, Klaxons’ Myths Of The Near Future is about as futuristic as Space Mountain, but shares its equal parts fun and scary (note the Hieronymus Bosch pastiche cover art, with the title spelled out for dyslexic schizophrenics, crossword puzzle-style.) Initially self-described as Nu-Rave and later - rebelling against their ‘neon’ Bronski Beat “Small Town Boy” image - Sci-Fi Prog Rock. But they still justify their love for Grace’s 1995 hit (and continuing dance anthem) “Not Over Yet” with a sweet ‘indie rock’ cover.

Klaxons' MySpace influences read like Weird Al’s “White And Nerdy,” their lyrics reference ‘pataphysicist Alfred Jarry, occultist Aleister Crowley (“Magick”) and are equally Disney’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire and William S. Burroughs’s Interzone. First “Atlantis To Interzone” pogo dances innocently like young Moby, but then the rave floor is flooded with killer clown craziness. “Four Horsemen of 2012” is another creepy ‘take that, kids who made fun of us in high school’ John Wayne Gacy song. Non-violent but no less frightening, “Isle Of Her” is a Bollywood-bastardizing Cora Corman hit straight out of Music & Lyrics, and lyrically “Golden Skans” surmise Ballard’s Myths of The Near Future story, but musically it’s “Smooth Operator” Sade (Sade!)

Not merely Alpha Hipstertards who successfully combined four trends for spring – Futuristic, Menswear, Neon, and Geek Chic – Klaxons live up to some of the hype with their non-Sade pop and disco-infused fare. “Two Receivers” is catchy Muse meets amped Sophtware Slump-era Grandaddy. “Totem On The Timeline” is as infectious as it is grating with all the funny pouting posturing one expects from The MisShapes. “Gravity's Rainbow,” named after Thomas Pynchon’s 1973 novel, is a hyper shit-disco with a Bridge to Terabithia hook: “Come with me, come with – we’ll travel to infinity! I’ll always be there for you my future love!” “As Above, So Below” is the kind of early millennium Travis meets mid-90s Spacehog alt. space rock you can obsess over. Being the Klaxons, the bridge still has its Transformers moment:  “More than meets the eye!”