Such is the shitty state of record-buying in Los Angeles that it took me almost four months to acquire "Sugar," the first single from Ladytron's upcoming third album, Witching Hour, even though we are home to the country's largest record store. Last week, at said record store, I found the 12" slab of vinyl. Of course, Ladytron's site is already boasting clips for a second single, "Destroy Everything You Touch," to be released in mid-September. (Is that only in the UK? Or do we count too?) But, let's not get too into griping, the point is that I now have my copy of "Sugar" and am left impressed.
Before Emperor Norton released Ladytron's debut, 604, I had the chance to interview the band for Outburn. This was somewhere in late-2000 or early-2001. I can't remember. Regardless, it was before the whole "electroclash" thing, before everyone became so self-consciously retro towards the 1980s. Even though there were synthesizers on the album and even though there was an obvious homage to Kraftwerk's "The Model," the decade of my childhood didn't really cross my mind. In fact, the first thing I thought of was Stereolab. The second was Broadcast. That was the basis of the article.
I mention this only because the whole retro-futurist, psychedelic thing is more apparent on "Sugar" than on any other Ladytron song I have heard. In fact, in some indescribable ways, this song reminds me of Shocking Blue's "Send Me a Postcard." (If you have seen Ladytron DJ, you probably have heard this song.) What might distinguish this from other Ladytron songs is the presence of guitars. Lots of big, acid guitars that make the back of your eyelids light up like a Spacemen 3 video when you are listening. The guitars are the most crucial element of the song, as it marks Ladytron's transition from super-hyped electro artists of 2002 and 2003 to rock band with serious crossover appeal (especially now that the band is on a major) in late-2005.