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Static Revenger

Love Song Surprise

(D-Dub; US: 6 May 2008; UK: Available as import)

When an association with the Britney Spears/K-Fed reality TV trainwreck Britney & Kevin: Chaotic is the best thing you have going for you, what’s the worst? In the case of Dennis White (aka Static Revenger) it’s an insufferable set of flaccid, cliche-laden love songs. White is an industry vet and once toured with techno pioneers Inner City. Sadly, his clean, chilly production style and songwriting are reminiscent of all that was bad about ‘80s pop. It doesn’t help that his voice sounds like David Bowie imitating the guy from Collective Soul. White is not entirely without taste. He manages to cover “No. 1 Fan”, a 1990s-vintage dreampop gem from fellow Detroit act Majesty Crush, perhaps not realizing the song is written from the point of view of John Hinckley. Hinckley is the man who attempted to murder then-president Reagan as part of an extreme Jodie Foster obsession. Reagan survived. Love Song Surprise doesn’t deserve to.

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John Bergstrom has been writing various reviews and features for PopMatters since 2004. He has been a music fanatic at least since he and a couple friends put together The Rock Group Dictionary in third grade (although he now admits that giving Pat Benatar the title of "first good female rocker" was probably a mistake). He has done freelance writing for Trouser Pressonline, Milwaukee's Shepherd Express, and the late Milk magazine and website. He currently resides in Madison, Wisconsin with his wife and two kids, both of whom are very good dancers.


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