The Thompson Twins
Mathematical purists will be relieved that with the departure of percussionist Joe Leeway—currently in Los Angeles pursuing independent projects—there are now only two Twins, even if they are non-siblings—Alannah Currie and Tom Bailey. The Twins haven't lost much musically. Bailey is basically a routine rock singer. He sounds best when he sounds like someone else, as he does on this LP in Long Goodbye where he inspires comparison to Sting. He's a top-rank bass player and arranger, and with Currie's percussion effects—supplemented in this case by drummer Geoff Dugmore—the Twins have one of rock's most explosive born-to-dance-to rhythm sections. Currie's lyrics also show occasional bite. Twentieth Century, for instance, takes a gentle nip out of what she calls "high tacknology": "Well, I've had cool calculators, regulators and digital machines/ Yeah, they took me to places I'd never been/ Oh, but nothing's as good as the feeling I get with you." The Twins have changed producers, from Nile Rodgers to Rupert Hine (Tina Turner, the Fixx), which may have lowered their funk quotient. It hasn't, however, affected their ability to work up an enjoyable sweat. (Arista)
Your Reaction
