I first caught the Black Kids while opening for Cut Copy on the “In Ghost Colours” tour. If I recall correctly they were one of the big draws at last year’s CMJ. Black Kids are the recent victims of probably the most notable case of Pitchfork critic whip-lash ever. The ever mercurial people at Pitchforkmedia.com lauded their first ep with a coveted 8.4 only to give their full length, released less than a year later, a crushing 3.3. Since it is Olympics season, in gymnastics terms that would be like Shawn Johnson executing a vault by landing on her skull. I haven’t heard the records, so I don’t know what might cause such a critical about-face, but I have to say I am a bit curious.
Having only seen them live, my observation was that they are fun-loving genre-hoppers with one song that might have an El DeBarge influence with the next song sounding like a Brit-Pop number followed by a doo-wop track. I enjoyed them and find it difficult to believe that a record version of the tracks would deserve such a critic induced beat-down. I think I will make a similar comment to Pitchfork that I made a year ago or so in relation to Electric Six – a similarly eviscerated good-times party band: “Dude’s, lighten up.”
[audio: http://thesoundofindie.com/archive/2008/20080822/BlackKids-LookAtMe.mp3|titles=Look At Me (Live)|artists=Black Kids]
Download: Black Kids – Look At Me (Live)
I think that maybe that first EP was drastically over-hyped (imagine that!). Glad you liked the show though.