Greg Dona
02/06/08, 02:59 AM
The Teenagers - Reality Check
Xl Recordings
March 18, 2008
With people downloading music by the album via peer-to-peer networks and blogs in mere minutes, coolness matters more than ever when it comes to popularity within the scene. Whereas bands used to develop fan bases simply by releasing quality songs and playing impressive live shows, now some groups thrive on impeccable fashion sense and a distinguished air of indifference alone. Some artists establish themselves by staying ahead of the apparel curve while others project a nerdy image so supposedly clueless it becomes cool; however, seemingly nobody cuts it these days without a definite coolness.
The Teenagers, recent beneficiaries of the ever-buzzing hype machine, certainly meet the aforementioned requirement. They hail from current hipster hotbed France, care nothing for the opinions of others, and nonchalantly win over and subsequently disregard throngs of young ladies: lyrics and song titles such as “Streets of Paris,” “if you need a band ‘cause you wanna dance or are missing a friend ‘cause you don’t have any, well we don’t care – just buy our t-shirts and talk about us everywhere,” and “I fucked my American cunt” adequately prove this. In fact, many persons discredit the Teenagers in large due to their lyrics. Initially their words ring immature and shallow. However, upon closer inspection they reveal deeper meaning. The Teenagers put on an ironic face to mock the absurd, self-centered young adults that love them so dearly. This works because they too belong to the mob of partially narcissistic, hyper chic individuals within the scene.
Vocally, the Teenagers somehow manage to pull off a shade less than forty minutes of monotone mumbling without aggravating their listeners to the point of no return. The band trades singing duties and shifts intonation just often enough to keep things interesting, and thus make their inexpressive mannerisms tolerable. In fact, this reservation allows for a good deal of comedy throughout the album; the droll tones of the group let them make otherwise offensive and inappropriate lyrics come off as harmless and hilarious.
However, the true brilliance of Reality Check lies in the band’s instrumental work. The trio manages to craft the most brilliantly infectious backing imaginable to go along perfectly with the otherwise dull a cappella inputs to finalize some of the most instantly memorable and lasting songs of the past few years. Catchy electronic work, cheeky guitar action, and subtle drums all build up a warm atmosphere that perfectly accessorizes the cold vocal delivery embraced by the band. If any of the humor in the bands wording initially slips past the listener, the juxtaposition of their icy lyrics and warm instrumental work undeniably reveals the true intent of the artists. The end result? A fabulous dose of pop music.
When the Teenagers first hit the scene, lots of people questioned whether or not the band existed as a joke. The lyrics yield a heavy dose of dry humor and the singing takes indifference to a whole new level. However, after listening to the borderline unbearably fun album, their existence as musicians no longer comes into question – these guys are certainly for real.
Xl Recordings
March 18, 2008
With people downloading music by the album via peer-to-peer networks and blogs in mere minutes, coolness matters more than ever when it comes to popularity within the scene. Whereas bands used to develop fan bases simply by releasing quality songs and playing impressive live shows, now some groups thrive on impeccable fashion sense and a distinguished air of indifference alone. Some artists establish themselves by staying ahead of the apparel curve while others project a nerdy image so supposedly clueless it becomes cool; however, seemingly nobody cuts it these days without a definite coolness.
The Teenagers, recent beneficiaries of the ever-buzzing hype machine, certainly meet the aforementioned requirement. They hail from current hipster hotbed France, care nothing for the opinions of others, and nonchalantly win over and subsequently disregard throngs of young ladies: lyrics and song titles such as “Streets of Paris,” “if you need a band ‘cause you wanna dance or are missing a friend ‘cause you don’t have any, well we don’t care – just buy our t-shirts and talk about us everywhere,” and “I fucked my American cunt” adequately prove this. In fact, many persons discredit the Teenagers in large due to their lyrics. Initially their words ring immature and shallow. However, upon closer inspection they reveal deeper meaning. The Teenagers put on an ironic face to mock the absurd, self-centered young adults that love them so dearly. This works because they too belong to the mob of partially narcissistic, hyper chic individuals within the scene.
Vocally, the Teenagers somehow manage to pull off a shade less than forty minutes of monotone mumbling without aggravating their listeners to the point of no return. The band trades singing duties and shifts intonation just often enough to keep things interesting, and thus make their inexpressive mannerisms tolerable. In fact, this reservation allows for a good deal of comedy throughout the album; the droll tones of the group let them make otherwise offensive and inappropriate lyrics come off as harmless and hilarious.
However, the true brilliance of Reality Check lies in the band’s instrumental work. The trio manages to craft the most brilliantly infectious backing imaginable to go along perfectly with the otherwise dull a cappella inputs to finalize some of the most instantly memorable and lasting songs of the past few years. Catchy electronic work, cheeky guitar action, and subtle drums all build up a warm atmosphere that perfectly accessorizes the cold vocal delivery embraced by the band. If any of the humor in the bands wording initially slips past the listener, the juxtaposition of their icy lyrics and warm instrumental work undeniably reveals the true intent of the artists. The end result? A fabulous dose of pop music.
When the Teenagers first hit the scene, lots of people questioned whether or not the band existed as a joke. The lyrics yield a heavy dose of dry humor and the singing takes indifference to a whole new level. However, after listening to the borderline unbearably fun album, their existence as musicians no longer comes into question – these guys are certainly for real.