Invasion Of Love’s opening tack “All I Want” pulls you in with languid guitars and cooed lyrics layered over shifting synths, then deepens into lush electronic melodies. This is the kind of song that reminds you that blissful summer afternoons are just around the corner.
Out Cold moniker for the solo project of Englishman Simon Aldred, sometime frontman of band Cherry Ghost. With a past in uninventive country/indie rock, Aldred’s solo work in Out Cold marks a surprising and brave change of direction. Unfortunately, the remains of this album. bar other highlights “Progress” and “Lovin Arms” – which demonstrate Aldred’s skill at blending soft synths with strings and harp loops- is mostly filler.
Aldred is clearly a talented musician, crafting melodic ’80s-tinged ballads from analogue synths, drum machines, guitar and his expressive vocals, yet as the album progresses, the songs become repetitive and insistent.
This album’s 11 tracks examine love with honesty and insight. Aldred explains that Invasion Of Love is “about embracing relationships and love, with a longing that’s now tinged with reality, of being gay and singing from that perspective.”
While the songs reflect personal experience, Aldred explores universal feelings of longing, elation, and sorrow.
“Shoulder To Shoulder” is an unexpectedly catchy mix of 80s synth-wave, Motown soul and Asiatic electro riffs.
Although Aldred cites Motown as a major influence, soul is strangely absent from the remaining songs.
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Out Cold has potential, but sadly Invasion Of Love fail to match the promise of its first single.
