Like fellow San Franciscans Two Gallants and Scissors for Lefty, Every Move A Picture have been causing a bit of a hoo-ha in industry circles in recent months; allegedly the Bay Area's music scene is becoming more golden than their gate. Since causing a stir at 2005's SXSW festival however, the enveloping hype machine has somewhat slowed in momentum - but the dance-punk quartet's festival-friendly debut should get both tongues and tails wagging again this summer. Heart=Weapon is a robust album, crammed with driving guitars, piercing synths, jagged riffs and brisk art-rock that pays brazen homage to numerous 80s stadium rock giants. EMAP may consider the heart to be a hostile device, but they wear both their emotions and their influences unabashedly on their puffy sleeves. Opener Mission Bell's pointed riff and surging Gary Numan/New Order-style guitars couldn't scream '80s!' more if it were dressed in a jumpsuit, Bros t-shirt and a pair of pomps; Simple Lessons In Love and Secession is the Simple Minds song that John Hughes forgot to include on The Breakfast Club soundtrack, and St. John's Night is an effects-heavy powerpop anthem reminiscent of early U2. The emulations aren't strictly limited to old-school soubrettes, though; The Best Is On The Outside recalls a flaccid Franz Ferdinand, Chemical Burns and Dust are similar to The Bravery's energetic retro dance-punk, and the brooding bassline of the excellent Outlaw elicits comparisons with Interpol/Editors. There's no mistaking that much of Heart=Weapon is incisive, energetic and clever pop music; but the well that Every Move A Picture draw from is becoming both perceptibly depleted and increasingly tiresome with every similar re-hash band. Brent Messenger's irksome one-dimensional warble does nothing to invigorate what is a largely unvarying album, and though there are certainly highlights, there's arguably little, if any essential material here. What's wrong with this Picture? Well, not Every, but most of the Moves.
