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Published on 7/23/08
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Only 9,000 DeLorean DMC-12s were produced—before the U.S. government arrested John DeLorean on suspicion of drug trafficking—but the gull-winged automobile remains the ultimate emblem of the Alf Decade. That’s mostly due to Marty McFly’s exploits, but the vehicle itself embodies the era right down to its cocaine-cutting stainless-steel hull and the Miami Vice –meets– Wall Street lifestyle of its creator.The automaker’s bio serves as the theme for Stainless Style —a Gorillaz-esque exercise in immaculate ’80s pop and new-school beats, which requires more than a little time traveling back to the future.
The brains under the hood are L.A. hip-hop producer Boom Bip and the frontman for Welsh guitar pop exports Super Furry Animals, Gruff Rhys. The duo buffs the synthetic tracks to a Thompson Twins–like sheen: digital drums thwomp with gym-floor reverb like they’re backing a John Hughes homecoming scene. Simon Le Bon’s daughter even pops up on the lovely discotheque-duet “I Lust U.” Thanks to Rhys’s creative songwriting, the heavily conceptual album—covering DeLorean’s plastic surgery and supermodel crushes—never feels contrived. If any pop record this year strings together a better run than the opening suite of “Dream Cars,” “I Told Her Alderaan” and “Raquel,” E.T. can eat our Reese’s.
When guests such as the soulful joker Har Mar Superstar, Cali rapper Fatlip and Florida rude girls Yo’ Majesty pop up, the album shifts gears so suddenly—to cheeky hip-hop mode—it practically shudders off the road. The sleazy rap bangers mimic Missy Elliott and make for dirty fun, but never feel properly incorporated. Gorillaz’s Damon Albarn worked De La Soul into his Britpop for peanut-butter cup hits. Neon Neon crafts sharper hooks on the radio-ready numbers but stuffs any crossover hit potential in the trunk.
