Much about The Rentals’ Lost In Alphaville would seem to indicate a sad, dark record. Its title references the classic Jean-Luc Godard dystopian film. The material is from a larger multimedia project of black-and-white films Songs About Time, whose final part was a benefit album for the Japanese disasters of 2011. The Rentals themselves are known for a) being ex-Weezer player Matt Sharp (albeit from their best, early years) and b) putting out the monochrome nineties indie hit “Friends of P”. Yet Alphaville is largely an album that revels in brightness, not shadows.
Alphaville goes into brightness right from the get-go with opener “It’s Time to Come Home”, thanks to expanding synths and guitars, and stays in fuzzy heights through speed (“Traces of Our Tears”) and rock (“1000 Seasons”, “Irrational Things”), low-key (“Damaris”) and big (“Thought of Sound”). It all works well – it is when the record actually takes a turn towards sadness nearer the end that Alphaville begins to break down. “Song of Remembering” does have energy to it, but extended closer “The Future” is too long in its washing effects.
Lost In Alphaville doesn’t quite have the overall power to make one forget about “P” or early Weezer (QRO deluxe edition re-release review), but it is a bright return for Matt Sharp.
The Rentals – It's Time To Come Home
