Peachcake Albums (2)
'What Year Will You Have the World?'
Release Date 1/1/2008
Tracks 15
Label Peachcake
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Some 21st century synth pop groups have offered an exact replica of 1980s synth pop and new wave. For example, the Boston based Freezepop are a delightfully humorous and very ironic throwback to a time when the Human League, Berlin, Soft Cell, Gary Numan, and others reigned supreme on MTV. But for others, being greatly influenced by the '80s doesn't mean being flat-out nostalgic -- and Peachcake's first full-length album, What Year Will You Have the World?, is very '80s-influenced but not a carbon copy of the '80s. On this 2008 release, Peachcake get a lot of inspiration from new wavers like Thomas Dolby, Depeche Mode, the Talking Heads, and the Cure. But there are post-'80s influences as well (Beck, for example). So as much as this synthesizer-powered effort owes to '80s new wave and synth pop, Peachcake are hardly oblivious to the '90s or the 2000s. Combine Peachcake's attractive sound with an abundance of lyrics that are as clever as they are quirky, and you have a CD that is successful on more than one level. Plus, it should be noted that unlike all the 21st century electronica artists who are all about beats rather than melodies, Peachcake often thrive on honest to God songcraft. They use high-tech synthesizers and sequencers to play their melodies, and many of the tunes have a strong rhythmic appeal and a strong club appeal. But melodies and lyrics never take a backseat to beats on this promising example of 21st century synth pop. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
'We Should've Never Released This'
Release Date 4/25/2006
Tracks 9
Label Peachcake
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Many jaded rock critics, given the wide open target of the title of Peachcake's debut full-length, must have been tempted to give it a one-sentence drive-by non-review like "No argument here" and go back to searching the torrent streams for Radiohead bootlegs. Their loss, because this Phoenix-based duo is making some of the most joyous, tuneful electro-pop of the era. Barely out of high school and therefore too young to have experienced the first golden age of synth pop first-hand, John O'Keefe and Stefan Pruett approach their likely inspirations -- the holy trinity of Vince Clarke groups, Depeche Mode, Yaz, and Erasure foremost among them -- with a complete lack of nostalgia. There is no arch '80s revivalism on We Should've Never Released This, merely a solid set of catchy, playful pop songs that happen to be performed on synths and sequencers. Basically an expansion of the duo's self-released 2004 EP Chain Letter with some extra material and a pair of remixes of the album's best song, "Hundreds and Hundreds of Thousands." We Should've Never Released This is a bracing blast of old-school electronic beats married to sugary-sweet melodies and Pruett's winsome, boyish vocals. Fans of other modern-day synth revivalists like LCD Soundsystem and Junior Senior should be all over danceable pure-pop gems like "This Blackout Makes Me Wanna Makeout" and "I Hope We Don't Get Exploded." ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide
