(free) Back in Style: When New Wave Veterans Took the 2000s Revival Personally
Listen or read on!
Intro
A couple of months ago, I discussed the new wave revival of the mid-to-late 2000s. I welcomed it as a break from the sludge of early 2000s rock. But Franz Ferdinand and Company not only hit it big; they also served as a life raft to some original new wave acts. As the ‘80s became the ‘90s, most new wave acts were either relegated to obscurity or soldiered on by adopting a different sound. But in the mid-2000s new wave became cool again, and some artists migrated back to their core sound.
Duran Duran (New Blood, Classic Pulse)
In 2000 Duran Duran ($) was at their popular nadir with Pop Trash (which invited some of the unfortunate reviews on its name alone). It deviated the most from their 1981 to 1985 sound. But they got back all three Taylors, called their Nile Rodgers lifeline and released Astronaut which better reconciled their 80s and 90s sounds.
(Reach Up For the) Sunrise
Sunrise is literally about Duran 3.0 with lines like “everything is born again” and “feel the new day enter your life”. Right from the title and appropriately sunburst-bright opening synth of the lead single and album opener Sunrise, its obvious Duran Duran is harkening back to their classic sound, while still respecting their earthy ‘90s sound at the right times. Andy’s guitars add crunchiness without taking over the song (sorry, Cuccurullo!) On his first track in 19 years, Roger’s drums are catchy, but also delightfully vigorous like a horse leaving the gate at a race. LeBon has also brought back the enthusiasm in his vocals. Duran Duran was back! And just as important: they were glad to be back.
Duran Duran - (Reach Up For The) Sunrise (listen on Spotify)
Want you More
I played this track at a jukebox at a bar and my friend complained “they’ve haven’t changed their sound.” OK, the urgency and driving melody strongly remind me of tracks like Of Crime and Passion. But its actually good to have several tracks like this, especially with the deft execution and effort on album tracks that Duran is known for.
Howard Jones (Positivity Rebooted)
HoJo had a lot in common with the philosophy of the new age genre. But 1998’s release People is musically too much in that realm to be interesting. And the late ‘80s synths he used already had not aged well a decade later. With his next album (2005’s Revolution of the Heart), the topics are the same: self-respect and actualization. But the album was invigorated with updated synth arrangements and hooks.
Revolution of the Heart
Like Duran’s Sunrise, the title track to Revolution is also the lead single. While Jones is rooted in inner growth, he occasionally adds social commentary (Let the People Have Their Say). Revolution of the Heart channels a similar spirit to Sowing the Seeds of Love ($): fight fire with love. The line “The listening heart opens up but won’t surrender” nails the message. Like Duran a year earlier, HoJo turns the ’90s earthiness down. The bright synth intro and choruses pop with modern energy, while the verses offer sonic contrast to highlight his message. Jones sings with enthusiasm, especially in the call-and-response chorus. Female backup vocals add bounce, recalling the pep of Powerhouse.
Howard Jones - Revolution of the Heart (listen on Spotify)
Just Look at You Now
This song is slower but also has the hooks reminiscent of his first two albums. And the insistent but never overwhelming synth beat keep your attention. And Jones revels in his elder statesman role by telling his protege (or perhaps niece) that she has self-realized and matured greatly over the years (but with HoJo as her mentor, I’m not surprised).
B-52s (Weird Never Went Out of Style)
The B-52s ($) had a solid album with 1992’s Good Stuff. They toured a lot in the ‘90s and ‘00s but were content to just that (save an ode to Debbie Harry). But with the new wave revival, guitarist Keith Strickland remembered how Steve Osborn re-upped New Order’s sound for 2001’s Get Ready and enlisted him. 2008’s Funplex was the result. Schneider also brought back the camp and humor in his lyrics and vocals that were slowly disappearing after Whammy! (Love Shack of course a big exception).
Funplex
Of course the B-52s are a great party band. But their social commentary is underrated; 1985’s Juicy Jungle is an early example, culminating in the biting title track in Cosmic Thing (Love Shack’s evil twin). But combine the lyrics and vocals of Cosmic Thing and the mid-tempo melody of Love Shack and you get the title track to Funplex. The driving guitar riffs are the influence of Osborn. The song is a critique of mall (and by extension consumer) culture. While the stakes are not as high as in Cosmic Thing, the B-52s are just as critical (and insightful) with digs at corporate monoculture (“your peace T-shirt could cause a riot” ) and cultural appropriation (serving 7-Up at a taco tiki hut).
The B-52s - Funplex (listen on Spotify)
Ultraviolet
An underrated track on Funplex that is a callback to their earlier sound. The angular guitars remind me of Ricky Wilson’s work, and Schneider’s aburd lyrics recall early stuff like Planet Claire (“we’re on a stratocruise to a strange latitude”). And with little gloss compared to the other tracks, and classic call-response vocals, its the spiritual successor to the early tracks.
A-Ha (Cool Synths, Warmer Hearts)
A-Ha mellowed out by the start of the millenium, highlighted by adult-contemporary-sounding Summer Moved On. Then with the eclectic Lifelines, they had several producers imbuing Seeds of Love and even Crush (Jennifer Paige) vibes. And while 2005’s Analogue mostly lived up to its title, the synthy Celice forshadowed their future direction. The synth-sound that they started out with returned to some extent with the follow-up Foot of the Mountain produced by… Steve Osborn!
Bandstand
The opener Bandstand is my favorite with a catchy synth riff in the intro that is reprised several times. This is complemented by more textured synths in the verses and another bright (but distinct) one in the chorus. Haarket, as usual, has dynamic vocals even in the verses. But his delivery of “a neon glow” in the chorus is terrific! Perhaps emboldened by the new wave revival, A-Ha was closer than they ever were to Take on Me and their other ‘80s output. But like the other featured artists, they did not pretend the ‘90s and early ‘00s never happened. In the case of Bandstand, A-Ha infuses the melencholy and wistfulness of that era for them.
A-Ha - Bandstand (listen on Spotify)
Celice
Their single Celice a few years earlier should also be mentioned. Besides being one of their catchiest songs since the ‘80s. The synths are more prominent and have great variety and texture. They compliment the main, driving guitar riff well. It’s the perfect bridge between their adult contemporary sound of the ‘90s and their return to synthhood in Foot of the Mountain.
Outro
By the mid-2000s, new wave was no longer a punchline or a phase—it was a sound worth returning to. And these four artists didn’t come back as tribute acts or legacy placeholders. They plugged back into their original energy with purpose, clarity, and sometimes even joy. These albums weren’t nostalgia grabs; they were moments of creative restoration. Whether it was Duran Duran’s sunrise, Howard Jones’ affirmation, the B-52s’ camp critique, or A-ha’s glowing synth drama—each reminded us that reinvention isn’t always necessary. Sometimes, all an artist needs is permission to sound like themselves again.