The third album by New Orleans'
Video Age,
Pleasure Line continues the '80s-indebted indie pop group's movement away from the more-alienated post-punk inspirations of their debut. Arriving at a sparkling, fabric softener-treated new wave that's blended with a heavy dose of old-school soft rock, its romantic qualities reflect the impending (at the time of release) marriages of songwriters/co-leaders
Ross Farbe and
Ray Micarelli. The self-produced album opens with the saccharine, post-disco sounds of "Pleasure Line." Though injected with some funky guitar play, the title track sets a relaxed, affectionate tone that stays around through changes of pace like "Aerostar," a brisker, punchier entry with spoken sections that manages to evoke the
Footloose soundtrack era. Another slight diversion, the jaunty, sitcom theme-inspired "Good to Be Back," closes the set with the optimism of lessons well-learned. Among the highlights in between is "Comic Relief," a self-conscious tune suitable for a ruminative Sunday afternoon. Still head-bobbing in nature, it layers fat keyboard timbres and acoustic guitar over efficient beats and bass, behind lyrics such as "I love you baby, can't you see?/Ain't nothin' but a comedy/I'm laughing but the joke's on me." With its similarly glistening keyboard palette but more animated bass line, "Shadow on the Wall" does a more forward-looking take on the theme of love ("Lonely night/I'm wishing only I was looking in your eyes"). These shifts are subtle within the context of its more conspicuous traits, however, making
Pleasure Line a destination for lovers of earnest '80s pop. ~ Marcy Donelson
