MMPM GLOBE REVIEW

Super Happy Darkness

Melleny Melody And the Pop Machine Gay Records Rating ****

Reviewed by JAMES ADAMS

Nothing is ever wasted in pop music. You may have thought acts like the Bob Crewe Generation, Gino Soccio,Frank DeVOl, Claudine Longet, Santa Esmerald and Hot Butter had been relegated to history¹s dustbin. But, no their sonic stylings just end up on new recordings like this one, by longtime Toronto diva Melleny Melody and her Posse, David Howard and DJ Peachy Hardass. Super Happy Darkness is an exuberant wallow in electro artificiality, all frantic synths and sound effects, chattering per- sussion, electronically processed vocals and beats like a bouncing basketball. In short, it¹s the aural equivalent of Velveeta, of Fruit Loops with Marshmallows "cereal", with all the insubstantiality this implies. Fun? You bet. "Tunes like Honey Bee and E-ME are undeniably catchy and it¹s not every recording that has lyrics like Doing dishes/ Can¹t stop the feeling/Love to mop the floor," "It¹s always cocktail time/In my mind" and "My modem is quivering/I need more RAM". But Darkness is best appreciated in a noisy lounge or on the dance floor; it¹s repetitious music that can¹t withstand repeated listens on the home front.

Melleny Melody and co. perform se- lections from Super Happy Dark- ness tonight at 10 at the Joker, 318 Richmod St. W., Toronto.



Super Happy Darkness Melleny Melody And the Pop Machine Gay Records Rating ** Reviewed by JAMES ADAMS** Nothing is ever wasted in pop music. You may have thought acts like the Bob Crewe Generation, Gino Soccio,Frank DeVOl, Claudine Longet, Santa Esmerald and Hot Butter had been relegated to history¹s dustbin. But, no their sonic stylings just end up on new recordings like this one, by longtime Toronto diva Melleny Melody and her Posse, David Howard and DJ Peachy Hardass. Super Happy Darkness is an exuberant wallow in electro artificiality, all frantic synths and sound effects, chattering per- sussion, electronically processed vocals and beats like a bouncing basketball. In short, it¹s the aural equivalent of Velveeta, of Fruit Loops with Marshmallows "cereal", with all the insubstantiality this implies. Fun? You bet. "Tunes like Honey Bee and E-ME are undeniably catchy and it¹s not every recording that has lyrics like Doing dishes/ Can¹t stop the feeling/Love to mop the floor," "It¹s always cocktail time/In my mind" and "My modem is quivering/I need more RAM". But Darkness is best appreciated in a noisy lounge or on the dance floor; it¹s repetitious music that can¹t withstand repeated listens on the home front. Melleny Melody and co. perform se- lections from Super Happy Dark- ness tonight at 10 at the Joker, 318 Richmod St. W., Toronto.