Hey Willpower

Hey Willpower began as something of an elaborate inside joke, sprung from late-night conversations between San Francisco indie rockers Will Schwartz (of Imperial Teen) and Amy Linton (The Aislers Set), who shared a closeted love of '80s pop music and '90s Top 40 hip-hop records. The joke took on a life of its own when Schwartz began composing his own renditions of dance-pop hits, met up with Moog master Tomo, acquired a small troupe of ironic hipster back-up dancers, and took the show on the road in 2003.

Although Hey Willpower scored opening slots for bands like Le Tigre and Peaches and remix privileges for Scandinavian pop diva Annie, they never managed to release a full-length album in the US—until now. PDA is a slightly enhanced version of the European release (of the same name), which came out in 2006. The domestic album contains one extra track (a cover of Architecture in Helsinki's "Heart It Races"), and revamped cover art. Like the duo's live sets, PDA contains an exuberant collection of Schwartz's love letters to the guilty pleasures of his pop music upbringing.

"Phenomenon," a direct send-up of the LL Cool J song of the same name, finds Schwartz casting off his indie cred to entice listeners to the back room of a club, where he's "got a seat with extra leg room / so we can do it like the cars that go boom." "Magic Window" references Justin Timberlake's grimy, addictive "SexyBack," with Schwartz's lyrics providing plenty of come-hither gay innuendo; "Uh-Uh-Uh" is an ode to Shakira's feistier numbers. And lest the '80s cry foul, "Hundredaire" sends a nod toward The Cure, circa their sunnier Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me days.

Hey Willpower formed as an outlet for Schwartz to experiment and enjoy making goofy, but ultimately inconsequential, dance numbers—and that's precisely what PDA does, putting forth a lightweight suite of songs that serve as the perfect soundtrack to an impromptu bedroom dance party.

—Connie Hwong
01.29.08

Hey Willpower is an indie super duo featuring Will Schwartz of Imperial Teen and Tomo Yasuda of Tussle. Schwartz provides words and vocals, he and Yasuda collaborate on the beats and music. Together they come up with a sound that might best be described as Timberlake on a tight budget or maybe a male L'Trimm. All the songs on P.D.A. are slinky R&B jams, all the lyrics are come-ons, and the atmosphere is cutely sexy and intimate. It almost sounds real sometimes, until you hear Schwartz dropping lines like "Come and ride in my Tonka/More chips than Chips Ahoy" and realize it's not quite. In fact, most of the album sounds like a couple of kids who broke into Timbaland's studio and are gleefully goofing off. Schwartz's come-ons are silly and winking; Yasuda is fond of ultra-cheesy synths and corny drum sounds. The joy and silliness are enough to keep the record out of sleazy Har Mar Superstar territory, but it also means that there is a serious lack of substance on the record. Partway through the record the endless come-ons get tiring and the arrangements begin to sound too similar. Exceptions are the skittering, glittering "Hundredaire," which jumps out of nowhere halfway through the album and boosts the energy level immeasurably, and their re-make of Architecture in Helsinki's "Heart It Races." The latter song is a reminder that having a cool sound and a gimmick are nice but having a song with some guts and a hook mean more. Still, despite it's flaws, P.D.A. is a fun album and a bunch of the songs (including "Phenomenon" and "Uh-Uh-Uh") would sound good on a party mix CD. [A U.S. version was released with a bonus track.] ~ Tim Sendra, All Music Guide