Goldfrapp’s Head First would have dropped a lot of panties in 1985. The glossy, synth-driven homage to ’80s electro-pop excess is a fine record initially, but just like Flock of Seagulls’ “I Ran,” it wears thin after the initial, gleeful burst.
The problem with Head First is that it takes its concept and runs it into the ground, and then continues through the Earth’s core. Lead single “Rocket” and following track “Believer” are the exact type of songs that would be crammed into a 1985 ski-chalet scene where Corey Haim first falls in love with Molly Ringwald. Goldfrapp manage to distill every bombastic and fantastical element in the coke-driven world of new wave pop like the bubbling, starry-eyed title track “Head First” which would have been a great way to top off the album.
Unfortunately, there’s four more songs that are more irritating than enjoyable. The breathless whisper of Allison Goldfrapp in “Hunt” doesn’t really help the turgid song and the Flashdance-ready “Shiny and Warm” is dull and cold, though its chorus is twitchy enough to offer up something that doesn’t grate the ears. While Head First would have been top-notch when Duran Duran was hungry for the wolf, it comes across more outdated than outright enjoyable in 2010.