Black Kids, Back of the Bus Jams

Finally listened to the entirety of Partie Traumatic by Black Kids, an indie synthpop band. Album is evocative of The Killers, Bloc Party, The Cure, a few New Wave bands, and at times, it has the brio of of Montreal in their more hyper songs. Lyrics are predictably meh, but the haughty girl back-up(which is almost like B-52s) makes it seem nearly tongue-in-cheek. The party riffs and synth is either frenetic or appropriately timed, and always elemental to the genre. You can sing along to most of the album without blistering your ears(also rife with great driving songs). Notable inclusions are "Hit the Heartbrakes"(my favorite track), "Look at Me When I Rock With You"(arguably the most Killers inspired), and "Listen to Your Body Tonight"(just a great track to dance to). Virtually every song can merit, and at the very least, take three minutes and listen to their hit "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You".

Verdict:8/10
Not a perfect album, with only ten tracks, though all are worth listening to, and I'm fairly capricious when it comes to music. The synth fluidly enmeshes with the antic guitar with a guv's accent akin to Bloc Party(Black Kids have a better singer, I think). The album shines with an eclectic, burnished, and interesting tone. Definitely deserves a spot in your collection if you're a fan of synthpop.