Summer Camp

                                                    Welcome to Condale 

                                                             8.0/10

It’s pretty easy to write off a band like the London duo, Summer Camp. Their influences are clear (but nothing new; 80s synth-pop) and their music isn’t too hard to digest. Things are straight forward and the songs are full of immediate hooks, melodies and lyrics about teenage love. Last year, the band (aka Jeremy Warmsley and Elizabeth Sankey) put out their blissful, nostalgic and 80s-fueled Young EP that ended up on my top 10 EPs of 2010. Their two singles “Round the Moon” and “Ghost Train” are powerful synth pop tracks that are pure ear candy at its rawest form. The latter song thankfully ends up on Summer Camp’s debut full-length Welcome to Condale. 

The LP could be the soundtrack to any John Hughes film thanks to its of-the-era cheesy but delightful music and young-naive-love lyrics. Just glancing at some of the album’s song titles it is pretty clear what Summer Camp are going for here: “Last American Virgin,” “1988,” “Done Forever,” etc. The opening track and the duo’s latest single, “Better Off Without You,” is hands down the best thing on the record. It’s rich in melody and they manage to create an accurate 80s song in 2011. Hundreds of bands have tried to accomplish what Summer Camp have done but many fall flat with uninspired records and aimless songs. Another highlight is the closing emotional track “1988” that not only ties the album together but, once again, uses a catchy hook that makes you want to hit repeat as soon as the song comes to an end.

Then there are songs like, “I Want You,” “Down” and “Brian Krakow,” which are fun, light-hearted jams wonderfully depicting 80s teenage love, angst and everything in between. While some of the tracks on Condale may run together, namely “Losing My Mind,” “Summer Camp,” “Done Forever,” they are not offensive in the least. There is something about most of these 12 songs that you can enjoy on different levels. However, some listeners may find the LP to be annoying - which is reasonably understandable; things are pretty sugary here and if 80s, poppy, puppy-dog love music isn’t your thing then I would stay away. But if you’re heart isn’t completely black then the record is worth checking out.

Welcome to Condale is the exact thing I was expecting and hoping for from Summer Camp. The duo knows how to shape and execute their influences into strong, memorable and delightful pop songs. Although the type of music they’re making isn’t anything new or groundbreaking, they are one of the best bands in the cheesy-80s-revival category and do what they do the best. 

Watch Summer Camp’s video for “Better Off Without You” below: