In Ghost Colours by Cut Copy

A bit of a departure from Okkervil River (the previous album in this series of posts), In Ghost Colours is a new-wave and dance rock mixture brimming with catchy synthesizer hooks and strong vocals. A lot of the tracks on the album will, at first, likely remind you of singles from the early-mid 80s, but the strength of In Ghost Colours isn’t in a few good songs, but the way that the album works together as a whole. In fact, four of the fifteen tracks on the album are instrumental; while often these types of tracks on rock albums are ’skippers,’ here they add to the ambiance of the songs before and after, creating a great overall mood. That said, this album is best listened to from beginning to end, loudly or with headphones. The first time I had heard of this album, it was because the track ‘Lights & Music’ which, while it’s a great and catchy track (and was the impetus for my buying the album), almost caused me to fall into the only-listen-to-one-or-two-tracks-over-and-over trap. If you enjoy any of the songs I’ve linked to below, grab this album and listen to it all the way through — you will not be disappointed. The series of tracks from So Haunted to Strangers in the Wind is, by itself, worthy of buying the album.

Immediate Catchiness: 4.5/5
Long-Term Playability: 3.5/5
Favorite Tracks: Lights & Music, So Haunted, Hearts on Fire, Far Away, Strangers in the Wind