The Big Pink
A Brief History Of Love
4AD; 2009
The Internet can be a dangerous place, filled with big, heady dreams ready to be crushed by the stark, grim face of reality. All it takes is one tiny twinge of notoriety to peek through the constant crush of information for someone to feel that they are finally someone and ready to take over the world. In the case of The Big Pink, two gentlemen who have already helped others fulfill their electro-clash dreams, having your lead single from your not-quite-yet-released full-length debut album named by Pitchfork as one of the 500 Best Songs of the 2000’s is quite an accolade, one crammed with seemingly endless promise. Yet, despite the fact that “Velvet” is an amazingly strong and enticing track, the whole of A Brief History Of Love doesn’t quite support its potential.
This is not to say that this isn’t a good or enjoybale record, as it’s packed with a tremendous cross-section of the sounds that made Depeche Mode and Bauhaus so popular with both goths and club-goers the world over. Song after song on A Brief History Of Love oozes with a simmering, sleek, and sultry temperament, flowing effortlessly between peak and valley. Moveover, the loping pacing and danceable electro arrangements invite easy remixing for the club; to whit, the Gang Gang Dance remix of “Velvet” is outstanding. The synths and guitars are heavy and pounding, while the beats and breaks encourage men to ramp up their machismo and women to pursue their passions.
The primary concern I have with the music of The Big Pink is that, even though these tracks do pulse with a lusty sensuality, I feel they lack the depth of emotion that made Gahan and Gore tunes so punch-you-in-the-gut immediate. As opposed to possessing a dark, brooding seriousness, A Brief History Of Love feels mostly fun and flirty, playing with the pretense of being a dangerous lothario, while still being more than a bit insecure. Furthermore, the music is often mere steps away from being rather angry hard-house or industrial in tone, but frequently lacks the necessary menace in the vocals, something that I find to be frustrating. Thus, even though “Dominos”, “Love In Vain,” and “Frisk” join “Velvet” are exemplary, rocking cuts, the album’s title track (featuring the lame sentimentality of the line “It’s up to you to mend my heart. Please don’t let go.”), “Tonight,” and “Count Backwards From Ten” bring the album to a overly melancholic and tepid close that only serves to cloud my final opinions.
Maybe the album’s title is intentionally ironic. Maybe The Big Pink is trying to portray the postmodern pursuit of “love” with both accuracy and its tongues firmly in cheek. Yes, A Brief History Of Love might be “about” love, but it certainly seems to be “about” the short-lived, club-hopping version of love. While the songs do move easily into each other, making for a good soundtrack for driving, love-making, or dancing, most of them don’t resonate too deeply or stick around in my head for any length of time. It’s obvious that this duo knows how to write a solid, banging hook or two, but I look forward to the day when these guys can write an album full of them.