Black Kids
Partie Traumatic
(Almost Gold/Columbia)
release: July 22, 2008
style: indie on a major
similar: the Killers, Vampire Weekend, Los Campesinos
[rating: **1/2] George Bush doesn't care about Black Kids. Considering front guy Reggie Youngblood's restless confidence, i dare you to care about the Florida-based band. A quote from their press bio goes like this: "I've read that it's the kind of song every band dreams of writing. Rightly so," he says about lead single "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You." He notes that the difference between the US and UK fans is that they call Black Kids "awesome" as opposed to "wicked." And, regarding the band's quick success: "we did expect some sort of reaction." It's bad news when Liam Gallagher or Richard Ashcroft pat themselves on the back and possibly worse for the Kids. It's a turn off that hangs over Partie Traumatic, a batch of songs produced by ex-Suede guitarist Bernard Butler that shout "party!" but actually are lamenting about breaking up, trying to get with a girl and pissed that your friend is with the girl you want. To be fair, there are actually a handful of worthwhile solid tunes, namely "I'm not Gonna," and "I Wanna Be Your Limousine," a hidden dance track along the lines of the Bravery's "PSA." The group shares the romance of Pulp and sounds British enough too (notably on "I'm Making Eyes At You," which puts fear into killing the mystique of a love interest.) They're charming in the '50s girl group-inspired "I've Underestimated My Charm (Again)," though "Love Me Already" cries desperation to get the "whore" away from friend Theodore. Nah, i don't feel sympathetic. For a band that's got major buzz, boys and girls, keyboards and a love for so many genres of music, we deserve more than flashy synth, calling a girl a whore and arrogance. -Kenyon