Album Mini-review: Seth Bogart
File next to: The B-52s, Apples in Stereo, The Television Personalities
There’s always a place for some quality trash culture dance pop. Bogart got his start under the Hunx and His Punx moniker, crafting a clever amalgam of bubblegum and punk that was somehow both more innocent and naughtier than The Ramones. With his first release under his own name, Bogart puts together synthy dancefloor classics full of silly ideas (“Eating Makeup”), witty social commentary (“Hollywood Squares”), and inspired wordplay (“Nina Hagen-Daaz,” “Supermarket Supermodel”). Bogart’s gay-themed subject matter is never far from the surface, and it’s delivered in a joyous, devil-may-care manner, full of twinky Casio synths and drum machines. Even when he goes melancholy (“Forgotten Fantazy”), Bogart manages to make moroseness sound like a heckuva lot of fun. The twelve tunes on Seth Bogart are truly in a (human) league of their own.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4000-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he is co-teaching a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: 40 Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.