Horrorpops preview

Horrorpops
Metro, Chicago
Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Is Hamlet a Danish national icon? When their cartoonists aren’t provoking Islam, does Shakespeare’s brooding anti-hero cast a pall over the panels? Because Copenhagen’s biggest rock exports, The Raveonettes and Horrorpops, have a relationship with darkness that extends beyond fashion.

You wouldn’t always know it from the music. The Raveonettes are as into The Everly Brothers as much as The Jesus And Mary Chain. And Horrorpops, highlighted by Patricia Day’s vampish looks (oddly augmented by stand-up bass) might visually recall The Cramps, but early No Doubt pop punk spunk usually carries the day.

Appropriately down to the original trio for their third album, Kiss Kiss Kill Kill (Hellcat), back-to-basics figures to be the game. But Horrorpops’ sound isn’t always leaner. In fact, the title track’s she-bop is so streamlined it’s easy to imagine a teen crowd gathering to *Kiss Kill* much the way club kids inadvertently latched onto their 2000 demo more than Misfits or psychobilly fanatics. “Boot To Boot” ransacks “Our House” (in the middle of the street), “Hitchcock Starlet” is a punch-drunk ballad with an idling motorcycle kicking up percussive dirt, and on “Missfit” Day coos like Gavin Rossdale’s brother has just entered the room.

Before Horrorpops fans start freaking out, three-fourths of Kiss Kill hits the highway, invoking Thelma & Louise on the title track and tearing down to “Horrorbeach” (twice) as a “Refugee” on “Highway 55.” Alas, Yorick: We still know thee.

The Pink Spiders, Steve E. Nix & The Cute Lepers, and The Massacres open.

— Steve Forstneger

Click here for two free Horrorpops MP3s.

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly