The British invasion continues

Here are two acts that hail from the United Kingdom — Mark Ronson is a Grammy-winning producer, DJ and guitarist; best known years back for working with the likes of Amy Winehouse and Daniel Merriweather; while Hurts is a fresh two-man band that is taken the UK by storm, talked about reverentially, and being compared to the likes of Pet Shop Boys and Tears for Fears. While it may be early in the day for such talk, there’s the music to enjoy!

Mark Ronson and the Business International — Record Collection (RCA Records/Sony). Ronson is not your regular upper-class English gentleman. He’s embraced hip-hop, French electro-pop, disco and has worked extensively with artists from both sides of the “pond” — the Atlantic Ocean. On this third studio album, he’s joined by the likes of D’Angelo, Simon le Bon, Nick Hodgson of Kaiser Chiefs, Rose Eleanor Dougall, the Dap Kings and Ghostface. While some have labeled Mark’s music as “dance music for geeks,” and there is some truth in it, one can’t deny the creativity and energy! Bang Bang Bang, The Bike Song and Somebody to Love Me are my choice tracks, and this is the sort of CD where the music shifts identity from track to track. Not as accessible as Version, but still a winner!

Hurts — Happiness (Sony Records). Hailed as the next big thing in the UK by the music press and with singles that zoomed up the charts, Hurts has inevitably been hit by its detractors just for being such a “darling.” If you listen to the music, it’s bombastic and grandiose, recalling the synth-driven music of such acts as the Pet Shop Boys, but with angst-laden lyrics a la Savage Garden and Tears for Fears — think of an emo electro-pop act. Wonderful Life, Better Than Love and Stay are the hit singles, and they are representative of the kind of music we can expect from this duo. There’s even a hidden track on the last cut. While the comparisons may be premature, one can’t fault the vision and songwriting skills of the band, and there is a bright future staring them in the eye.