Real Tuesday Weld

Sometimes it’s good to set aside the high-tech gear, the filters, processors and plug-ins, and sit back and make some songs. This is the approach the Real Tuesday Weld (real name Stephen Coates) has taken, and the result is a collection of very enjoyable electronic pop songs. Many of the tracks have the feel of Henry Mancini or Cole Porter tunes, in terms of the melodies and instruments used. The themes of love and loss are present, as song titles like "Anything But Love,” "L’amour et la Morte” and "Bruises” make perfectly clear. But it’s not a depressing tour through dull break-ups. In one song he’s worried his ex-girlfriend will review his intimate secrets, in another all he needs is love to get by. His vocals are breathy and the melodies are always arranged very well. A couple interludes serve as welcome breaks between his songs, and a few of which try just a little too hard. Overall, the album is quite uplifting, perhaps due to its delicacy. It’s a unique, engaging album of well-crafted songs.