Black Kids | Bowery Ballroom | 5.18.2008

Black Kids have come along way since playing the R Bar back in October. The six months of touring have done them good. Once a bit unsure, last night the band were confident and tight, the sound at Bowery was spot-on. And singer Reggie Youngblood -- who is a mustache away from looking exactly like Phil Lynott -- has a real star quality about him. People were dancing and singing along to all the songs from August's Wizard of Ahhhs EP. "Hurricane Jane" sounded especially good...it was a fun show.

The only thing they seemed to be lacking were songs as good as that initial batch that got them all that attention last year. The material that I'm assuming will fill out their upcoming debut album were funkier than anything on Wizard of Ahhhs, in a '80s Prince kind of way. Which could've been a good thing if they were catchier, but they seemed to be all groove and no hooks. Perhaps they need a few more listens to sink in -- I'm anxious to hear what former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler (who was the first artist to ever play Bowery Ballroom nearly ten years ago, btw) brings to their songs as the album's producer. I guess I'll find out when Partie Traumatic comes out in July.

Comments

[Matthew Britton]

Didn't Bernard Butler try to produce The Libertines first album? he got sacked, i think - but his version of Don't look back into the sun is the one that was released as a single and, therefore, is the one that everybody knows.

as far as i can remember, anyway.