It’s Nothing Like Real Life

Alphabeat @ Santos Party House 3/23/2010

The Spell / Always Up With You / DJ / The Beat Is / Boyfriend / Heatwave / Hole In My Heart / Fascination

For a headlining gig, this set was way too short, and they skipped most of their best songs. (“What Is Happening?,” “Fantastic 6,” “Chess,” etc.) After a few years of waiting for Alphabeat to play NYC, these factors made it a disappointing show for me. That said, I can’t fault their actual performance, which was tight, high energy, and exciting. They’re wonderful hams, and they riled up an already-excitable crowd. They may not be playing all of their best material, but they are giving it their all, and I appreciated that. Also, I probably don’t need to say something so obvious, but “Fascination” is quite a thrill in concert.

Alphabeat “Heatwave”

Of all the late ’80s/early ’90s pastiches on the second Alphabeat record, “Heatwave” is the most successful, and the one I reckon would’ve been the biggest hit in that time period. It’s certainly the song that best flatters Stine Bramsen’s diva act, mainly because its assertive, high-energy arrangement matches the impact of her vocal performance. It’s the kind of song where the hooks just seem to explode over and over again rapidly, like the grand finale of a fireworks display. The lyrics suit the mood, describing the overwhelming feeling of being around someone you like so much that it makes every moment seem unreal and too good to be true. Alphabeat excel at creating this feeling of impossible excitement and romance, and this is one of their finest tracks to date.

Buy it as an expensive import from Amazon.