A tantalizing appetizer

Released by former members of Bauhaus and The Bubblemen, Poptone’s self-titled record is a live recording of the band from the KULX radio studio in Los Angeles. The record is composed of covers and reworks of old songs, and it is mixed and produced in an extremely clean way. Daniel Ash remains a formidable force on the guitar and Kevin Haskins remains solid on the drums. The entire project is incredibly faithful to the old songs, which has upsides and flaws. Nonetheless, it is, at the very least, an enjoyable listen.

The album kicks off with a cover of “Heartbreak Hotel,” and it might be the highlight of the whole project. High energy and an interesting interpretation of Elvis’ original, one can’t help but wish Poptone had either chosen to tackle more songs to cover or had come together and written some more original songs. This album serves as a wonderful way of revisiting old Tones on Tail songs, and of course, a reintroduction to Bauhaus as well as Love and Rockets is always welcome. Even if you’re not a huge fan of those bands, the album is so clean and well-produced that it is hard not to enjoy. The members of Poptone clearly still have what it takes to make good music, and hopefully, they push themselves more on the next record.  If not, listeners will be left wondering what could have been with this record serving as a tantalizing appetizer.

Still, this album is definitely worth a listen. The renditions of “Happiness” and “Slice of Life” are other highlights that prove the band still has it and put their technical prowess as musicians on full display. Incredibly true to the originals, these updated versions make the case for seeing Poptone live as soon as you can to relive the Bauhaus and Love and Rocket glory days.