The Asteroids Galaxy Tour || Out Of Frequency

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour
Out of Frequency
Label: BMG Rights Management
Released on: January 31st, 2012
Grade: 4 out of 5 meatballs
Reviewed by: Neil Miller, Jr.

Never before have I found one band that embodies so many different genres (flawlessly, I might add) that it’s near impossible to classify them. The Asteroids Galaxy Tour are undoubtedly that act, and their newest release, Out of Frequency, solidifies their reputation as genre-bending musical aliens. Stax horns, wah pedals, and bass lines that reek of paisley characterize their sound, but it’s frontwoman Mette Lindberg’s vocals that send each song into pure ecstasy. This record sounds more like The Asteroids Galaxy Tour Revue than ever before. You won’t find any bold moves on this new album — in other words, it’s the same ol’ bag of tricks from these Danish masterminds. But if it ain’t broke, why try to fix it?

I have to send off a bit of a disclaimer before you read any further into this review... I absolutely love The Asteroids Galaxy Tour. I knew before I even listened to this album that I was going to love it. If it sounded anything like the same old group that could easily soundtrack a new Austin Powers film, then I was going to be sold. Once I heard the first single, “Major,” I could tell from the opening cascade of horns and Mette’s biting, yet sugary sweet vocals that this new album was going to top Fruit. I had no idea of the magnitude in which they’d outdo their previous work, though; “Major” was only a small foreshadowing of how utterly fantastic Out of Frequency would be.

So, now that my bombastic love for The Asteroids Galaxy Tour has been professed, I can say with the most unbiased set of ears I could put on for this album that every song is absolutely single-worthy. If I were to hear something like “Heart Attack” on the radio with its killer hook and sun-soaked Moog lines, I’d have to check to see if I was still in this decade. As much as you could accuse Asteroids of biting the sound of 60s pop music, they’re also extremely modern in their approach to production. Nothing from the 60s (or barely even today) sounded this crisp. The layers of horns, the crystal clear dimensions of Mette’s vocals, the ripping bass lines — all of it sound very modern in theory, but are of course very 60s stylistically. Even with a proper hip-hop beat backing “Dollars in the Night,” Asteroids manage to make it sound at home with the rest of the album through its retro sensibilities.

Though Asteroids might not be reinventing their formula on Out of Frequency, they do take some risks and they all manage to be successful. The album’s title track is a mid-tempo affair that brings the bass riff to the front of the mix, buried just under Mette’s vocals that reside mostly in the higher end of her register. It’s one of the more daring moves on the record but is sure to be a favorite of listeners who really give the song a thorough couple of listens. My other favorite hazardous moment on this record is “Theme From 45 Eugenia,” which sounds like such a bluesy dirge that it almost doesn’t sound like Asteroids. But alas, it’s when those synths and choir of Mette’s vocals chime in that the song really makes sense. It’s at this point that you may realize that even though my affirmation that they could “soundtrack a new Austin Powers film” might ring true, they’re really writing the script for their own film and soundtracking it themselves. It’s when Asteroids step outside of their box just a little bit that it all starts to make sense... and when it makes sense, they become your new favorite band.

The thing I love the most about this inimitable act is that it’s nearly impossible to completely explain the multiple facets of their sound and imagery in one review. Bands like this make my job as a writer more of a challenge than others — and as much as that should suck, I like it when it’s not easy. So, any chance I have to write about this dynamic duo backed by their intergalactic sound and wicked horn section, I’ll certainly jump on it and give my all to put into written word what they’ve done next. It’s this kind of music that deserves to be written about, after all. If you’re a music lover who wants something purely new and incontestably fresh, then look no further — Out of Frequency is your godsend. 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE COSMIC KIDS REMIX OF HEART ATTACK! (Right click/Save As)