Le Tigre

Diggedy Derek

Stray Dog
A couple of years ago, they were everything you'd expect of an indie/dance crossover- weak beats , sloganeering lyrics, an air of total novelty ("hey! we can do rave music"), and basically a total mess that would be a total struggle to dance to.

But the new album is actually rather good. It's tighter, better produced, shiny rather than grimy, and basically rave-pop of the highest order. Just avoid the cover of I'm So Excited, which will make you want to throw the stereo out the window.

Anyone else a [recent] fan?
 

hint

party record with a siren
I really like the first album (especially "hot topic")

haven't really listened to the 2nd album much...

will check out the new major label debut in due course, I expect
 

Jay Kid

New member
i would like to cite ned raggett from nylpm:
"IT'S LAMER THAN THE LAME DONKEY ONE MIGHT FIND IN A FAIRY STORY CALLED "THE LAME DONKEY THAT WAS LAME, AND A DONKEY."
he's talking about 'new kicks', of course. and he is right. i think the whole abum has a kind of faux-naïveness about it that's kinda unpleasing. great riffs, great choruses, but it's like the feminist equivalent of the post-punk, neo-grunge bands that was flooding the music scene two years ago. only a tiny bit better, though, i'll give them that.
 

appleblim

Well-known member
a (fairly) recent convert myself......

saw em earlier this year cos a mate was a long time fan, and boy was i blown away.....totally inspiring

the polemic just seemed totally right when shouted out over very loud, lo-fi but not crap electro/disco beats, and a crowd of faithfuls singing along of course...it was electric! my knowledge of em i confess was "ex-bikini kill" and all i know of them is the obvious 'rebel girl' (which i love, and saw kid606 do a 'cover' of!)....

these three really different, strong characters getting down on stage...it was empowering! i don't mind rabble rousing sloganeering when its done with this much passion and groove...in fact i don't think i mind it ever actually...

so yeah, don't know how much i'd listen to the new album at home, but reading the lyrcics, or getting down to one of their shows i certainly will do....
 

Diggedy Derek

Stray Dog
i think the whole abum has a kind of faux-naïveness about it that's kinda unpleasing

That seems a bit unfair to me. Sure, they sing slightly cheesy, positive lyrics in squeaky voices, but isn't this shiny pop thing their very raison d'etre? They were sick of shouty angry sloganeering, so the faux-naivity is an attempt to package ideas into disposable daily power-pop pills. Or something.

Of course, all these good intentions would be nothing if the music wasn't good. But the live show is spectacularly dynamic, and quite infectious...
 

Rambler

Awanturnik
Another recent convert - saw them at ATP earlier in the year, and they blew everyone else off the stage. Haven't heard many tracks in the cold light of day (although Amazon should be bringing me some discs this week as it happens). Have to say I didn't think much of 'New Kicks' though. That thing of listing cities sounds like that bit from 'Hot Topic' listing female icons, but without any of the two-fingers-in-the-face-of-convention verve.
 

stelfox

Beast of Burden
they remind me of people who annoyed me at university too much for me to ever really like them. saying that, this album is a whole world better than the last, though. given a few more listens it could grow on me a lot - that's why i took it to record and tape last week!
 
D

dubversion

Guest
i'm a big big fan but i'm really disappointed with the new album - perversely, perhaps, for all the reasons DD likes it: too tight, too shiny, too FM radio (the fool Ocasek is in there somewhere).. Hot Topic, Cassavetes, Deceptacon - they're what you need.

arguably the finest live band in the world right now, Shellac notwithstanding (but they kind of don't count).. lovably inept dance routines, slogans, natty threads, video art.. and just a sense of joyous anger.. awesome.
 
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