Cut Copy

On MySpace they’re simply "some electro, ’80s loving indie rock kids” but the trio of Cut Copy shouldn’t be so modest about their gift. Originally released back in their native Australia through the dead-cool Modular label two years ago, Bright Like Neon Love is a flawless example of rock and dance fusion that rivals anything with the DFA insignia. Immediate comparisons to Daft Punk’s pop side of Discovery are irrepressible, but Dan Whitford, Tim Hoey and Mitchell Scott are adamant about their distinct rock guitars, sleek and sturdy bass lines and attractive, albeit elementary, melodies. And no, this isn’t retro-curious, revivalist synth pap; Cut Copy worship their guitars as much as they do their keyboards and are better for it. There is a joyous naïveté to songs like "Time Stands Still,” where the band’s simplicity shines through the synthetic ripples and infectious triad. "Saturdays” uses consistent kindergarten-clapping beats and a late night after-hours vibe that is accented beautifully by a brief but elegant comedown "reprise” that actually betters the original. "Going Nowhere” is the standout club song, with its majestic severed guitar riffs and loopy electronics, beefed up by that undying 4/4 beat that makes itself home for most of the album’s life. Bright Like Neon Love is an exceptional debut and one that will unquestionably find success first with the scenesters and, if given a chance, the young impressionable crowds who caught them supporting Franz Ferdinand last autumn.