There’s a new pop song lighting up the charts right now: “Shut Up and Dance”, by Walk the Moon. It’s evidently so popular that the middle school band teacher arranged it for the concert band’s last concert. I’d never heard it before then, so I decided to check it out to see how close the arrangement had come.
What surprised me most was that this song sounds like it could have been lifted from the 1980’s. Even the lead singer looks like Bill Nye in the 80’s. The chorus progression reminds me a lot of Pat Benetar’s, “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”. It’s certainly got that upbeat 80’s bounce to it. And the video is practically a paen to the 80’s, both homage and gentle ribbing.
And then I found their cover of “Burning Down the House”.
First Echosmith, now Walk The Moon (their name derives from a Police song). Are the 80’s coming back? If true I know some people who will be moving to Botswana. But this is the music of my mispent youth. I’m willing to see what musicians of today can do with it.
Everything’s coming back. I still say that that Gotye guy was channeling the Police for his hit, and Adele has been Motowning her bitter heart out, just for two examples.