Classix Nouveaux - La Verite (Expanded) (2018)

Classix Nouveaux's second album was spearheaded by their biggest British hit single, "Is It a Dream," as well as the smaller hits "Because You're Young" and "Never Again" (though, oddly, the album only just made it inside the U.K. Top 50). "Is It a Dream" was catchy, lightweight, soul-tinged, and pretentiously vocalized, very much in the stream of the new romantic pop that was peaking around the time of this release. With its synth-heavy production, the album's sound is as firmly dated as a Doris Day record, but actually it's not among the most offensive items in this genre. Sal Solo's high vocals sound not far from Brian Wilson's in texture on "To Believe," believe it or not, and "Because You're Young" has a peppy, uplifting tone that's a little dampened by the ostentatious singing. It's music of a hand-wringing, grandiose chic glamour on its more ethereal cuts, and of unabashed, bouncy synth pop on more dance-oriented outings like "Never Again" and "1999." The 2002 CD reissue on Cherry Red adds two bonus tracks, "It's Not Too Late" and "Where to Go" (the B-sides of "Because You're Young" and "Is It a Dream," respectively).