Goldfrapp – ‘Tales Of Us’
When I think of Goldfrapp, I envision a scene straight out of a cult film: a cigarette-smoking protagonist—someone like Clive Owen—on the hunt for a hacker, gangster, or fugitive in a sleek techno underworld. Somewhere along the line, he’s likely entangled with Sienna Miller and finds himself in one of those impossibly stylish secret clubs, tucked down a dark alley and behind some hidden shutters. As he strides towards the bar, Goldfrapp’s ‘Ooh La La’ pulses in the background, setting the tone. Later, as the day is saved or something particularly seductive unfolds, ‘Number One’ plays, probably in a moody black-and-white aesthetic.
Goldfrapp’s sound is essentially what I imagine as a sultry blend of T-Rex and Moby, perfectly suited for chic gangster action films. It’s also exactly how I want their music to feel. Whether or not you’re on the same page as me will likely shape your opinion of their latest album, Tales of Us.
There seems to be more of a desire to tell specific stories and create characters with each track, to the extent that each song is given a person’s name, which would probably come off as a little naff (particularly track eight ‘Stranger’) were Goldfrapp not now so established. A problem you could find with this is that each track seems to be straining to have its own identity, and as a result, the album as a whole feels somewhat hollow. Each song tries to take you somewhere, but as a collective, doesn’t get you very far.
Starting with the first track ‘Jo’ some strings sweep in before Alison Goldfrapp’s unmistakable vocals patter delicately over the top. This more simple, ambient vibe continues until track six ‘Thea’ which lifts the tempo and carries a more familiar punch underneath the wandering synths, in the process feeling more like a single than the other tracks (perhaps Thea is a bit of a spinster).
After ‘Thea’, the remaining four tracks aim to gently bring us down, leading to a kind of crescendo in the final track, ‘Clay’. This last piece builds toward a climax before coming to an abrupt stop, leaving us in silence to reflect on what has transpired—ultimately, not all that much.
The album bears a strong resemblance to Goldfrapp’s earlier work, and it’s difficult to avoid the overused clichés about artists “stripping it back” or “returning to their roots”. This approach has been repeated countless times and often feels uninspired. Any pre-listening interviews might lead you to anticipate acoustic guitars, piano, and the occasional orchestral sweep, which is precisely what’s delivered. The end result is a rather bland album that hides behind the notion of being “more personal”.
That said, it isn’t exactly a bad album – the songs on offer are certainly armed with a lovely palette of tones and sounds, and Alison Goldfrapp’s vocals are as unique and spotless as you would expect them to be. They deserve credit for veering away from making a similar-sounding album to their past couple, despite the success they have enjoyed.
Perhaps dedicated fans of Goldfrapp will really enjoy this album and may find it easier to relate to the stories and characters that the album tries to introduce you to. More passive fans of Goldfrapp, however, will more than likely be less enthusiastic about it and will probably have no interest in returning for a second listen.
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