Standing in the Dark

Standing in the Dark gave Platinum Blonde instant stardom in their homeland of Canada, combining hints of new wave flair with solid pop sturdiness. The twin hits of "Doesn't Really Matter" and "Standing in the Dark" bombarded radio and music video, both gaining popularity from their cold war messages, their electronic drum usage, and well-constructed choruses. Although these two tracks were the album's best, two others kept Standing in the Dark's album sales from dwindling. "Sad Sad Rain" exhibited Mark Holmes' sincere vocal panache and "Not in Love" imitated bands like Duran Duran and Icehouse with its elevated, yet primly trimmed, refrain. The album's filler comes in the way of thinly written and performed tracks such as "Video Disease," "Cinderella Story," and "Leaders in Danger," all strapped by standard, unimaginative keyboard dabbling and watery vocal/guitar interchanges resulting in typical '80s new wave pablum. But even with these flaws, Standing in the Dark still sparks some relatively pleasing formulaic pop. Although out of print, as are all of Platinum Blonde's albums, the better material can be found on Seven Year Itch, a complete-hits package. ~ Mike DeGagne