“Great DJ“
from the album We Started Nothing
2008
iTunes
It’s barbecue season again. Make sure to stock up on supplies: Enough patties, brats and, if you’re rich, steaks, to cover the grill? Check. A wading pool full of iced drinks? Check. Light entertainment in the form of lawn darts, beer pong or croquet? Check. The summer-song of the year? Uh …
The Ting Tings swoop in just in time to make their bid as this season’s not-so-guilty pleasure. The pop anthem that everyone will be blasting at every pre-concert tailgate, rooftop patio bar and, of course, just might come from this stylish British garage-banging duo. That’s a bit of a mixed blessing — when was the last time you shook the house with Justin Timberlake’s “My Love,” Gnarls Barkley‘s “Crazy” or Outkast’s “Hey Ya”? — but for the time being, that’s about all The Ting Tings could ever hope for.
With not one but two summer-slam single contenders on We Started Nothing, the wonderfully sassy “That’s Not My Name” and the less forceful “Great DJ.“ After those two tracks play themselves out (they’re the first two on the album), The Ting Tings quickly lose momentum, but, that’s not really the purpose of these single-shifting summer albums is it?
Just sit back and enjoy the rather brief ride. “That’s Not My Name,” the frighteningly catchy lead single, is the sort of cut you’ll be powerless to resist, even when you erect your best defenses. Singer/guitarist/bassist Katie White gets her sass on in the face of dismissive man-things, exerting her independence and identity on guys who can’t remember what to call her. Riot grrrl it’s not, but it’s got a lot more girl power than your typical swooning pop single. While she’s at it drummer Jules De Martino bangs out a shuffling, staccato beat that’s so direct and simple it’s no wonder the duo put it at the center of the track’s mix.
“Good DJ,” the album’s other contender, blends pure pop vocals, classic guitar work and a thick, stomping beat. It’s halfway between the vocal charms of The Pipettes and the giddiness of Robyn. That’s not a bad place to sit, even if its half-life is about three and a half weeks.
On the heels of those two tracks, the rest of We Started Nothing goes a little flat. “Shut Up and Let Me Go” and “Impacilla Carpisung” take on a slightly Brit-garage (that’s electronic, not rock) take on chart pop that’s as forgettable as it is unimaginative. Other songs grasp at modern-day styles a little more eagerly, as the pair mixes a shadow of art-punk and Top 40, coming off as a strange, not entirely satisfying halfway point between The Long Blondes and teen-beat pop.
For now, though, just enjoy The Ting Tings’ best cuts while the nights are short, the temperatures are warm and we’re all in the mood for a silly, but darn catchy, pop tune.