Fantastic Playroom

by

New Young Pony Club

Edit

This new group is all the rage in Britain at the moment and I have been following them for a while in the NME. I first got to hear them on the ultra-cheap digital penetration sampler that came out quite a while ago. This debut album really confirms that they are one of the more interesting bands to come out at the moment. They have very strong New Wave influences which might seem to be a bit trendy but they are really better than that. Blondie and others have been cited but I would in may ways put them closer to the Waitresses or ESG. The music is rather simle melodic New Wave with guitar and synthesizer. The singing is really good. The production could have been slightly cleaner but overall the album is great. One of the few records to buy this year so far (and believe me I have unfortunately bought the others as well).

The New Young Pony Club is one of many bands that are embracing the sound of Disco Rock. With groups like Maroon 5 taking it mainstream, smaller, more dance-oriented acts can fully flesh out that sound without fear. NYPC hails from London (but has a huge following in Australia, where they are signed to Modular Records), and has toured with Lily Allen, CSS, and the Klaxons, to name a few. Some might call their sound New Rave, but I much prefer my own labeling.

Fantastic Playroom, NYCP's debut album, is a romper room of fun and danceable beats. Singer Tahita Bulmer's voice sounds more like Imperial Teen (i.e. frequently out of tune) than Sarah Brightman, but this isn't really a bad thing in this case. Sometimes the more technically correct a vocalist sings, the less accessible they are.

"Get Lucky" opens the album, a groovy number about, gasp!, getting lucky! This song reminds me of Peaches, without the vulgarity. "Hiding on the Staircase" is the next track, and the one that stands out the most on the album. It is very different from the disco rock sound that is featured just about everywhere else. This song has a great tribal beat (not circuit tribal for all those people out there who love their club music) and a great political message. This is probably one of the most exciting songs on the album. "Ice Cream," their big cult hit, is the following song. I cannot get enough of this song, and for those in the same boat, track down Van She's fantastic Tech Mix of this song. Blowing full force back into disco, this song is not only as infectious as ice cream, but just as smooth and delicious. NYCP amp it up for "The Bomb," a relative stomper with a sing-a-long feel to it. Definitely a stand out. There are only a few tracks I don't really dig, like "Talking, Talking" and "Grey," in which we are told that grey is not their favorite color.

Summary - This album is for anyone with a desire to shake their booty, for anyone who loves their music a little different, or for anyone who's been looking for the next Blondie.