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Reinvigorated new wave rockers channel yesterday towards today

The Fixx - Beautiful Friction
(Kirtland Records)
4 stars (out of 5 stars)
Reviewed: August 24, 2012
The Fixx

Review by Andy Argyrakis

After ruling the airwaves at MTV with hits like "One Things Leads To Another," "Saved By Zero," "Red Skies" and "Stand Or Fall," The Fixx spent much of the '90s and 2000s as a fixture on the road, steadily shifting towards an independent recording mindset. Though the new "Beautiful Friction" might not earn as much attention as say 1982's new wave debut "Shuttered Room" given the industry's radically changed landscape, it's still every bit as musically powerful and lyrically potent.

Never ones to shy away from addressing political or social issues, the collection was crafted with the ongoing economic decline and the world's many waging wars in mind. But even with the heady nature of tunes like "What God?," there's also an underlying sense of hope towards an improved tomorrow, all wrapped around Cy Curnin's entrancing vocals and the rhythm section's equally hypnotic grooves.

Other standouts include "Anyone Else" and "Take A Risk," which could've easily been hits in the '80s, but considering the band's sound is back in vogue, still manage to fit alongside newer indie rockers like Bloc Party, Twin Shadow or Passion Pit. Though "Beautiful Friction" is the band's tenth studio album, The Fixx miraculously manages to cast the most beloved elements of its early years in a fresh and reinvigorated light.

Related articles:

Psychedelic Furs / The Fixx / The Alarm - Concert review - Naperville, IL July 2007


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