I have a friend who is an 80’s devotee and I couldn’t help but
think of him as I scorched my way through this disc from Pen Pal.
Even if you tend to dismiss the 80’s as the decade of heavy metal,
hairspray and synthesizers, you’re still left with a majority of
songs that are happy, be-boppy or, if nothing else, devoid of the
angst that has characterized the alternative movement of the
1990’s. So when Pen Pal reached to me, it was like something I had
heard about ten years ago. Although the band tiptoes its way around
cliches like negotiating a minefield, the band is successful.
The first thing you will probably notice about this CD is there
are no lyrics like “The world sucks/ so blow up the outside world.”
In fact, guitarist/lyricist/brainchild of Pen Pal. David Greenberg
is so happy-go-lucky on the surface, you might puke. In the
hypnotizing opening track, “Et Cetera,” he’s basically dismissing a
past relationship that didn’t go as planned. Seeing things through
rose colored glasses seems to be Pen Pal’s approach to life.
And it’s a philosophy that carries itself through the entire CD.
Bringing out the synthesizer in “Dumb” brings back images of any
number of 80’s bands like O.M.D. or Depeche Mode. And then, adding
the lyrics, “I want to be dumb/ It’s so hard to get so smart/ And
still be happy/ I want to be dumb” definitely echoes the buoyancy
of the 80’s.
So, in general, this is peppy, high-spirited music. Pen Pal may
be able to find their niche in the national music scene as the
counter-angst music movement continues to develop and as the
rebirth of 80’s acts like the recent New Edition reunion continue
to compete with modern acts for attention. For those sick of “I
hate my life” songs, switch to Pen Pal.
