A Frothy Pop Frappe.

GOLDFRAPP Head First (Mute Records)

Over the past decade, Goldfrapp (Members: Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory) have flown under the radar, yet possessed a sort-of popularity at the same time. Their first two albums, 2000′s Felt Mountain and 2003′s Black Cherry, were instant cult classics among the electronic music set. Then, their third album, 2006′s electronic glam rocker Supernature opened the floodgates and set them on fire as possibly one of the best U.K. duos since the Pet Shop Boys or, hell, maybe even Soft Cell.  Interestingly, after their 2006 explosion in Hipsterville, they retreated from the disco dance party into a folk-pop cocoon, coated in a sweet Beatle-y shell.  This was clearly evident on 2008′s Seventh Tree, which was a pleasant, if unexpected surprise. Now they’re back just two years after Seventh Tree with their new collection of songs entitled Head First.

Head First is straightforward dive into electropop, and also more musically upfront than they’ve ever sounded. It has its great moments (“Alive”), some good ones (“Believer”) and some vapid ones (“I Wanna Life”). But Mixed Bag would have been a more honest title. Being Goldfrapp though, they’re kind of awesome to begin with, so in other words, the bar is set high; which is why Head First seems to fall a bit flat. In the great circle of pop evolution, it must be noted that Goldfrapp have borrowed heavily (stylistically speaking) from everyone from Brian Eno to Marc Bolan and T-Rex, and this is no different. Head First, for some reason, feels like an electronic collection of 70′s and 80′s rock covers. The Van Halen-ism of first single “Rocket” can’t be denied. In this way, they’re like Scissor Sisters; they produce fantastic, modern pop tunes for the twenty-first century, yet they seem to replicate more than innovate. It doesn’t make the music any less enjoyable, just a bit derivative in the sense that it always reminds me of something else.

Perhaps this is coming off as a bad review, which is not the intent. Let’s put it this way: If you loved Supernature, you will love Head First. If you loved Seventh Tree, this new disc might seem like a bit of a step backwards. 6.5/10

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