Herc goes back to work
Seemingly out of the blue, NYC disco-revival outfit Hercules and Love Affair are back on the scene after nearly two years of silence. Their first album, which is self-titled, is nothing short of groundbreaking. Using funky instruments like live horns, backing vocals, and clavinets the band creates attractive disco arrangements with a modern twist. I saw them play back in 08 but then they practically disappeared and haven’t released any new material for the past two years.
Luckily though, they have not broken up and are actually planning on releasing a new album, Blue Songs, at the end of January. However, the real question now is how this next album will turn out without help from Antony & the Johnsons front-man: Antony Heagarty. The band’s debut enlisted Heagarty and his angelic voice on five of the record’s key tracks and there doesn’t seem to be any rumblings that he sang on Herc’s sophomore recording. The track “Blind” is the band’s biggest hit so far and was one of the five songs Heagarty sang on.
These guys seem fully capable of pulling their own weight without Heagarty but still a little part of me is praying that he will make at least a short cameo. On the first record, apart from Heagarty, lead vocals are sung by Kim Ann Foxman who has a super-sexy voice an electric stage presence. Whatever happens though, I’m extremely excited about the band’s return.
