Sunday, August 27, 2006

Triumphalism: synths required

Hard-rock melodrama requires the ameliorating effect of synthesizers -- that's what I repeat when I'm unable to listen to Led Zep for more than a few songs at a time. My favorite Pat Benatar single, "Invincible," deserves to be remembered as much if not more than "We Belong" and "Love is a Battlefield," the two top fivers which first channelled new wave tropes into Benatar's dildo-rock. Pat's band thickens the lyrics' appalling triumphalism (just about every mid eighties hit with a battle metaphor -- whether by Madonna or Survivor -- was an implied blood tribute to Ronald, Lord Reagan) with welcome sophistication. Is there anything in Pat's catalogue like the bass and rhythm guitar solos (check out the slight skank) at the 2:15 mark? or the and ricocheting snares/synth stutter before the chorus? If you're going to goose-step before the Supreme Leader I can't think of a less onerous chant.

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