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The Psychedelic Furs: Richard Butler (vocals); John Ashton (guitar); Mars Williams (saxophone); Tim Butler (bass); Keith Forsey (drums, percussion). Recorded at Westlake Audio, Los Angeles, California. For their fourth album, MIRROR MOVES, the Psychedelic Furs moved further away from their proto-punk roots. In fact, other than Richard Butler's cigarette-ravaged voice, the occasional shard of guitar distortion, and the tell-tale '80s production sound, nothing on the album would be out of place on contemporary Top-40 radio. Were all pop music this good, the world couldn't help but be a better place. The Furs co-opted the mainstream into their sound, with the result being a nearly perfect pop masterpiece made without sacrificing their vision. As mentioned, the production--evident in the flat drum sound--is really the album's only flaw. That is a small caveat, though, and the record displays the Furs at their best--Butler's particular strength is his ability to combine longing and loss into a catchy pop song while the band's steers the music far wide of becoming saccharine. Standouts include the brilliant "Heaven," with its plaintive vocal and bright guitars; the chugging train-ride of "Here Come Cowboys," where Mars Williams sax and John Ashton's guitar both shine; and "Highwire Days," which manages to turn the thin drums to its advantage while highlighting the interplay between the backing vocal and Butler's lead.
