Album Review – No Kids: Come Into My House
Despite what their moniker might lead you to believe, Canada’s No Kids new release, Come Into My House provides another slightly dopey, yet strangely lovable album of sing-a-long tunes. While the No Kids have their own unique sound, they conjure up a concoction that calls to mind a mixture of one part Napoleon Dynamite background music, one part Kimya Dawson, and one part 1987 Casio. In what seems to be an emerging trend that kicked into high gear with the success of the Juno soundtrack, No Kids continue on the path of quirky, catchy, youthful compositions.
I know what you are probably thinking, “Great, another fucking hipster Juno knockoff.” But that’s not the case here at all. This is more the case of some well-versed Canadian music school students stretching their legs, and making a solid album that is only a half hipster. The other half is a sort of self-deprecating, simplistic, goofiness that makes you realize that while this album is catchy, and at times kinda dumb, they are aware of it and cater to it. The result might not be the best album you will hear in 2008, but it’s a damn fun one that is worthy of a spin and will most certainly grow on you.
The best tune on the album is probably Bluster in the Air. A descriptive title indeed, this clunky song provides a good theme for a stroll on a windy day. The Beaches Are Closed rocks a little harder with a more charging beat and staccato chord progression that could probably be best classified as sex music for your white ass. Another favorite, Four Freshman Locked Out as the Sun Goes Down, feels like a fifties throwback to a Hawaiian vacation. And finally, I Love the Weekend provides a nice backdrop if you are interested in teaching a salsa course at the local retirement castle. Read on for a download from No Kids’ new album…
All told, this bizarre, quirky album flows swiftly from end to end and despite its simpleton sound, includes a lot of interesting instrumentation. After a few listens, you’ll start to realize that despite the overall undemanding feel of the album, it’s laced with creative melodies and intricate chamber music.
This new phenomenon that we’ve witnessed in the wake of the success of the Juno Soundtrack seems largely attributable to the idea that music fans are embracing this throwback to youthful feeling music. The ability of new indie musicians to create more simplistic records with minimalist compositions seems to be a new direction and a departure from the complicated, less listener-friendly Pavement-ruled indie days. Will it last? I doubt it, but nevertheless, it’s a most refreshing direction for a change.
