now released in the uk on dead oceans with 20 minutes of additional music not on the us edition. what a surprise this album is from vancouver's dan bejar a man who has paid his dues since establishing the destroyers brand in 1995. the sound he throws into the ring to underpin this new album 'kaputt' lifts liberally from the musical embarrassment of early eighties lounge lizards such as kenny g and david sanborn, throws in a spice of sade's 'diamond life' and wraps it under the blanket of west coast based smooth jazz and studio 54 disco sounds. yes it sounds a bit insane and on occasions you suspect that bejar the architect of all this eccentricity could have found the words 'sectioned under the mental health' whispered by the studio producer. but it works and is often very funny to boot. this is much more than just a piece of 80s retro and like gayngs recently evoking the ghost of 10cc here the key reference point is brian ferry all done up in a suave suit singing 'avalon' with saxophones blazing, but with cigarette ash smeared into the shiny lapels and with a bitter 'morning after the night before' taste left in your mouth.
