Radio Hits 3

Album Review

This third collection of singles from Helen Love is an enjoyable bunch. Americans are unlikely to be familiar with Helen Love, while she's much more of a sensation in England. Love is a fan of the Ramones and appeared on Joey Ramone's solo album, but while her tunes are simple and repetitive like the Ramones, the music here is electro-pop/punk, all synth-driven rock tunes. Not too far off from Elastica or Fuzzbox, Love's songs are all pretty catchy, if not so different from one another. It's radio-friendly pop, though not the sort that would ever make it onto the radio in the States. You'll either be charmed by songs like "King of Kung Fu," "Shifty Disco Girl," and "Does Your Heart Go Boom," or run briskly from them. It's not necessarily something for Ramones fans, but more likely music that will go over well with folks who are hooked into the whole U.K. music scene, to which there are many references on this record.