VHS or Beta

VHS or Beta had the misfortune of competing with a Red Sox playoff game during its October visit to Boston. It's a shame, because the synthesized edge on the Kentucky quartet's latest album Night on Fire-- which tones down the instrumental Daft Punk-isms of its debut, Le Funk, in favor of vocal-driven postpunk decadence -- translated into a booty-bumping spectacle unbeknownst to the television-glued Sox faithful in attendance. But the ass-shaking scene isn't surprising considering the gloriously '80s vibe of Fire tunes such as "Alive" (which sounds like keyboard-heavy Psychedelic Furs kidnapping U2's the Edge for some session work) and "The Melting Moon" (which would make even the gloomiest poofy-hair-and-trenchcoat Echo & the Bunnymen acolyte smile).