VHS or Beta - Night On Fire

Talk about Dance Fest `05. When my date began with the band VHS or Beta, there was a non-stop discotheque in my living room, my car, and my work. Basically, everywhere their 2004 release, Night On Fire (Astralwerks) went, my feet caught on fire. Friction, baby! The album is worthy to be glorified thanks to glamorously wiley guitar work and disco-era vibrations. Mammoth bass lines runneth over with huge amounts of poppy overtones and dance beats-extraordinaire. And that guitar work that I spoke of earlier? Absolutely glistens, with each note grasping onto rays of charm like a prism in the sun. The drums play favorably into the blend of instruments, spooning out chunky beats to sink your auditory teeth into. While being mainly compared to bands like The Cure, Daft Punk, and even The Killers (the aforementioned could learn a thing or two), VHS or Beta plainly have their directions drawn clearly, and when given the time they are worth, will be more contrasted to Daft Punk than compared. Night on Fire evoked all frames of mind: Quietude, joy, and passion simutaneously. My most notable selections are “Nightwaves,” “Melting Moon,” and “Alive,” a song that dishes out hot-flashes of excitement-induced déjà vu on a dimly-lit dance floor...like being in a field of flowers on a warm night after the sun fades, and the moon is the only thing between you and the rest of your life. Deep, right? [www.vhsorbeta.com]