It’s hard not to recognize the warbling vocals behind Handsome Furs as that of Wolf Parade’s sometimes frontman Dan Boeckner. But aside from that distinct sonic trill, this side project is a far cry from its sister outfit. Here, Boeckner and wife/collaborator Alexei Perry team up to create an album that pulls most noticeably from the European club scene it was inspired by. Perry’s drum machine is the undeniable driving force here, but it’s the swirling guitars and synth on tracks like “Radio Kaliningrad” that make Face Control stand out. Far more uplifting than the pair’s dark 2007 debut, Control flirts with the idea of a dance record in some places (“White City”) and goes all crunching pseudo punk (“Talking Hotel Arbat Blues”) in others. Sure, it may not be the most coherent album, but it sure is fun to shimmy to.

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