REVIEW : Disco Defenders

It’s been a great number of years since we’ve wrapped our listening gear around a truly kitch pop album, not pretending to be anything other than feel-good, light, fun and frothy. But with ‘Disco Defenders’ – the third studio album by Swedish trio Alcazar, the wait is most definitely over – and how.
The album opens with the first single ‘We Keep On Rockin’ – a track that first surfaced in the middle of last year. It sets the scene for what’s to follow with it’s uplifting chorus, name check of the album and disco beats.
‘Burning’, also a single, is another pure pop gem that’s slated to be the first single from ‘Disco Defenders’ to get a UK release. It’s followed by ‘Stay The Night’ – the punchy, driving, perfect three minute pop number (with more than a nod to the classic ‘Knock On Wood’) that the band took to this year’s Melodifestivalen in the hope of representing Sweden at Eurovison. They didn’t make it through, but the song is brilliant and includes the obligatory Swede-pop key change.
‘From Brazil With Love’ mixes things up a little, peppering the disco beats with a tinge of flamenco, while ‘Inhibitions’, a top ten single in their homeland, drags the tempo down, churning in a little R&B into proceedings.
‘Harlem Nights’ is perky and fun, ‘Baby’ is smooth electropop, and a few tracks on, there’s a cover version of Lipps Inc’s ‘Funkytown’ that remains most faithful to the original, updating it with some smooth synths.
‘Put The Top Down’ pleases with it’s down-tempo summery vibe and slightly naf lyrics, “I’m not addicted to it, but I wanna keep on doin’ it, let’s put the top down and go drivin”. It’s fun.
But it’s the album’s closer ‘Thankyou’ – apparently the band’s tribute song to Abba that is so hilariously camp, so brilliantly fun and so desperately sweet, you’ll have to rinse with water afterwards to prevent decay.
It begins with a piano riff that blends the opening of ‘Video Killed The Radio Star’ and ‘Thankyou For The Music’ before bursting into a glorious cacophony of disco beats, harmonies and Abba pop sensibilities.
It’s been six long years since Alcazar released their ‘Alcazarized’ set, but thankfully they’re back with a sound that’s as close to a celebration of pure, unadulterated pop as it gets.
And if that wasn’t enough, they’ve also given us a 13 track second disc of their greatest hits. Alcazar, Alcazar. Here we go again… My my. How can we resist you?

 Australia's first stop for pop!