Whatever

I miss electropunk. I really do. I'm not gonna argue about what brought it low here *cough*crystalcastles*huargh* but I know it's been a damn long time since the word garnered any excitement from me. TEETH have changed all that. Their debut album Whatever, which dropped yesterday, is the perfect combination of snotty Riot Grrrlisms, trashed lo-fi beats, and even beauty. From Veronica So's opening line 'Ya'll think we care?', we're told straight off that this is no serious statement, unless the statement is 'spazz out'. I can get behind that. 'U R 1' has the bounce of a summer twee-pop tune, but a harsh scream used as a punctuating kick drags the whole thing into the realm of the mentally tortured. 'Care Bear' is certainly the pick for their next single, the first track that truly makes the body crave a dancefloor and a strobelight. The change from fun to frantic at the 1:37 mark is a neck destroyer; I just can't hear it without thrashing my head around like a fucked-up Indiana Jones whip.

The beats get harder now: 'Dead Boys' sets a blistering pace with tech-noir synths that simply beg for a blast of rave horns. There's none of the tired 2cool4skool posturing that seems to go hand-in-hand with so many of these kinds of things; Whatever is purely designed to make you smile, slamdancing in some basement club until you're covered in bruises and sweat that's only 1/10th yours. The exception would be 'See Spaces'. It's a song that surprises; even the bandmembers themselves have expressed incredulity at having created it. It's sophisticated, smart, and - as a refreshing change from all the thrashing - beautiful flowing chords and Veronica's vocals set to 'wistfully dreamy'. My only complaint is that, with summer over, the upbeat vibe seems at odds with the ever-graying skies. But no matter: play this one with your friends and summer will be there, in every beat and scream.