The Lovemakers: Let’s Be Friends

Former lovers and current Lovemakers Scott Blonde and Lisa Light are counting on the reasonable notion that every year is ripe for ’80s revivalism, and the pair does commendable work in running through synth-pop tributes to Ultravox (“Where Did You Go”), Adam Ant (“Everyone’s Fighting the Same Damn Fight”), and other New Romantics on its new album, Let’s Be Friends. The duo is best known for its irresistible 2005 party-starter “Shake That Ass”. This year, the fist-pumper is “See What I Wanna See”, a bow down to Joan Jett that deserves to serve as the soundtrack to girls getting wild while cruising in their Corollas. The record mauls you with electro-drums and guitars and the sonic compression your speakers dread. The band brings the sugary hooks, but the album is badly front-loaded with its best tunes. Still, it’s clear the Lovemakers are working hard to make the retro dance-rock album of your dreams, there’s plenty here to suggest that someday they will.