The Psychedelic Furs

What a long, strange trip it's been for the Psychedelic Furs. Over the course of four striking
LPs, they've gone from crude, complaining punks to savvy pop romantics. Under lead
singer Richard Butler's guidance they've managed to make that 180-degree shift seem as
gradual and natural as the aging process itself. Now comes a problem, though. While the
last LP, Mirror Moves, completed the band's transformation from a scream to a w... More >

As his pose proves ever more profitable and baroque--dig that silken-haired punk déshabille--Richard Butler reminds me more and more of Glenn Miller, who in his time also provided a lush, enthralling, perfectly intelligent alternative to the real thing. Butler's snarl is a croon, his harsh guitar sound a grand echo, his selfish rage a soothing reminder that some things never change. (Grade: B)