Album: Black Kids, Partie Traumatic (Almost Gold)
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Your support makes all the difference.This Jacksonville, Florida quintet were shot through the UK's hype machine so quickly, they have barely had time to write the songs on this debut, which includes clear fillers.
Click here to listen and download this album
But they make up for this with exuberant pop, shaped by producer Bernard Butler (Tricky's co-producer, too). Tracks jam into each other, piling up references so rapidly you can't call it pastiche. Black Kids live at the dance end of post-punk's late 1970s, where Orange Juice, Sparks and The Associates stole from disco and funk.
Singer Reggie Youngblood could be a number of indie crooners of the time, or Freddie Mercury. "Hurricane Jane" matches a keyboard glide with vulnerability as he heads out clubbing alone. It's like Morrissey going to the disco, with the latter genre's androgyny and sadness brought out to meet him. Youngblood's sister Ali adds bubblegum harmonies on the droll "I've Underestimated My Charm (Again)", and takes over for "Look At Me (When I Rock Wichoo)". Happy to be here, Black Kids' charm outweighs the hype.
Pick of the album: "Hurricane Jane", "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You", "Partie Traumatic"
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