Sing it Loud, They're Black and Proud
The Black Kids are set to impress with their debut album.
Black Kids
Partie Traumatic
Released on Jul 22, 2008
The Black Kids have a lot to live up to when they announced the release of their album Partie Traumatic to their stateside audiences. The quintet created a buzz with their demo Wizard of Ahhhs in 2007 and their live performances inspired write-ups by some of the top music publications. They were the next best thing before they had the album to become the next best thing. Reworking the four tracks from Wizard of Ahhhs and adding six new songs, the Black Kids now have the means to prove to everyone that they're not just a flash in a pan.
Partie Traumatic is a ten-track dance fit with the energy of a middle-school dance and the sex drive of a college campus house party. Front man Reggie Youngblood commands the microphone on every track with his unique voice, a mix between The Cure's Robert Smith and the Hot Hot Heat's Steve Bays, with his sister Ali Youngblood and keyboardist Dawn Watley backing him up with their child-like voices. The first track "Hit the Heartbrakes" is an excellent example of how Reggie Youngblood and the two women play off of each other vocally. It starts off with a catchy guitar riff from Reggie before going to a riff on a knock knock joke, Reggie calling out and Ali and Watley answering back. Occasionally through Partie Traumatic Ali and Watley's backing vocals can become somewhat irritating like in the following track "Partie Traumatic" but in "Hit the Heartbrakes" the play-off makes the song stronger.One track the ladies shine in is "Listen to Your Body Tonight". The tone of it is something right out of a seventies synth opera, a huge sound combined with a funky bass line. Ali and Watley's voices sound innocent as they belt out their ode to the dance party hook-up. The juxtaposition of their young voices and the sexual lyrics is more tasteful than it would appear to be, and make the track a stand-out on the album.
Many tracks off of Partie Traumatic express the frustrations of relationships with such catchiness that the madness caused by these situations becomes entertaining. The second single off the album "Hurricane Jane" has you moving to lyrics about lonely Friday nights, while "Love Me Already" has a nice funky breakdown when a man finds out that his girlfriend has been cheating on him. Most songs with this subject matter would have some acoustic guitars and mournful lyrics, but the Black Kids make light of it with keyboards and a tambourine. The closing track "Look at Me (When I Rock Witchoo)" is all about that longing for companionship, but makes it sound so good. Reggie and the gang have no time for tears, only for dancing.
High Point
Their first single "I'm Not Going to Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You" is the new anthem for lonely hipsters pining to dance with that cute girl at the local club.
Low Point
Back-up singers Ali Youngblood and Dawn Watley remind me of my younger cousins when they sing, cute in small doses but over time a little annoying.
Posted by Amy Dittmeier on Jul 15, 2008 @ 6:47 am