Blonde Redhead
Fake Can Be Just As Good

"Fake Can Be Just As Good" is an excellent album, a summary of early Blonde Redhead and their noise-rock, before the gradual shift, in their last three works, and especially in the recent "Misery Is A Butterfly", to more melodic and accessible sounds.

Released in 1997 by the Touch And Go label, the album unfolds in 8 thrilling tracks, in which the Italian-Japanese group seems to perfectly imprint the anger and guitar-driven neurosis that characterize their early musical production. It transitions from the dissonances of the opening "Kazualty" and "Oh James" to the syncopated rhythm of "Bipolar", not forgetting "Pier Paolo", a heartfelt tribute to the immortal myth of Pasolini, a figure that echoes considerably in the discography of the band (so much that the previous album was even titled "Una Vita Violenta"), leading to the wonderful and super-fast instrumental conclusion of "Futurism Vs. Passèism," which truly recalls the best Sonic Youth of "Cross The Breeze".

With "Fake Can Be Just As Good", in short, Blonde Redhead delivers a remarkable work, well-coordinated and structured, which will not disappoint all fans of indie and alternative sounds. It's a shame about the singer-songwriter and pop drift of "Misery Is A Butterfly", as the old fans of the group would have truly paid gold for another album like this, simpler and more direct, certainly no less rich in emotions and nuances and undoubtedly worth listening to.