Matt And Kim
Matt And Kim
Popfrenzy


If the writers of 'Sesame Street' were influenced by the Sex Pistols they would make music like this. What Matt And Kim do is simple, energetic, repetitive and generally likeable. I can promise these lyrics won't stretch your intellect but this album is still a heap of fun.

Matt And Kim is pretty straightforward stuff; like the name suggests, there are two of them: Matt Johnson on vocals, keys and occasionally guitars and Kim Schifino on drums and backing vocals. This Brooklyn duo write music that is high on energy and novelty but not necessarily on substance. Hit single Yea Yeah is pretty characteristic of their sound and they have plenty more lively indie-electro punk-pop songs where that came from. The only real break from the formula is the instrumental jamming of Grand, which hits like the Flaming Lips' intermission track Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robot Pt 2.

Dash After Dash drops the pace a little but amps up the distortion on their keyboard sounds and the cool drums and percussion try to steal the show. Ready? Ok and Someday seem to run out of catchy melodies but the majority of this 10 track release has ample hooks. The Australia/NZ release of this album contains three bonus tracks, which are essentially blander remixes of album tracks that add nothing to the album.

This boy/girl duo won't ever be living large like The White Stripes but Matt And Kim do a fair job at writing upbeat pop songs that keep your toes tapping.

Scott Berry