Artist: Communique
Release Date: May 18, 2004
Website/Social Media: Bandcamp, Facebook
Sounds Like: 80s New Wave & Indie Rock
Similar Artists: Matt Skiba & The Sekrets, We Are Scientists, Gerard Way (solo), Ozma, Alkaline Trio, The Network
Review: How has this band eluded my ears for over 10 years? Communique released 3 albums on Lookout! records in the mid 2000's but it took until just a few days ago for their 2004 full-length album Poison Arrows to fall into my hands.
The band's sound is a blending of 80s new-wave & indie rock / punk. Similar to that of We Are Scientists, Matt Skiba & The Sekrets, or Gerard Way (of My Chemical Romance). "Ouija Me" is a fun-but-morbid love song that would easily fit right next to Alkaline Trio on a pop-punk/horror compilation. While the album is definitely a solid listen as a whole, there are a few songs that really stand out including "Black Curses" and "Perfect Weapon."
Communique was actually formed by the members of another Lookout! Records punk band named American Steel who thought that the new-wave sound wouldn't be a good fit under their former name. It is also interesting to note that former Lookout! Records and Bay Area artists Green Day also experimented with a new-wave side project (The Network) around this same time with both bands releasing debut albums in 2003. Was one band inspired by the other or was it all just a coincidence? I'm definitely not pointing any fingers because the fact that both exist are good things in my opinion.
Our Score: 8.5/10 - A solid album from start to finish with a few solid singles for pop-punk fans who maybe aren't as big on the new-wave sound.