Blog band delivers on early hype with danceable first LP
Childlike call-and-response vocals, ecstatic, shiny dance-floor sensibilitiesand enough hooks to reel in an entire sea of club-going teenagers buoy this debut full-length release from Jacksonville, Fla. quintet Black Kids. The band hits hard with the follow up to its 2007 demo EP Wizard of Ahhhs, which previously released four of the tracks on this new LP. Black Kids first experienced a massive hype wave last year in the U.K., then eventually in the States, despite having no proper record and being largely unable to afford any real promotion. Having finally nailed down solid support and with settling levels of backlash, Partie Traumatic largely makes good on the band’s early promise with dance-pop anthems like “I’ve Underestimated My Charm (Again)” and the standout “I’m Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance.”
Black Kids borrow from seemingly every genre intended to be the soundtrack to a good time, from disco to new wave to electro. As they explore these styles, they stick to the subjects that surround the party-going life. While much of the record’s lyrical content recycles top 40 disco subject matter like the social dynamics of one-night stands or loneliness on a Friday night, occasionally some couplet stands out as carefully crafted pop poetry. Two of those include “Don’t be scared to fall in love ’cause you don’t like heights,” from “Listen To Your Body Tonight,” and “This jungle is massive / So please don’t be so passive / Be aggressive / Impress us / And they will get the message,” from “Partie Traumatic.” Admittedly, these lyrics don’t look terribly impressive in print, but they’re wedged into guitar- and synth-driven pop melodies the likes of which don’t come around often.