Alan Vega used his first solo album to distance himself from the music made by his pioneering synth-punk duo Suicide. Where Suicide
deliberately used cheap, loud synthesizers to generate a cold, crude
sound, Vega hired a guitarist and made, for all intents and purposes, a
rockabilly album. "Lonely" is Vega's homage to "Heartbreak Hotel," and
it's as full of yelps and pleading as the original, as Vega does his
best Elvis
impression. The gorgeous "Ice Drummer" may be Vega's best solo track, a
beautiful shiny pop gem. Only "Bye Bye Bayou," a misguided attempt to
fuse '50s rock and Vega's extended performance art pieces, falls flat.
Still, golden pop moments like "Ice Drummer" are good reminders of why
Vega, for all his eccentricities, remains a musician worth caring
about. AMG
