The Ting Tings - We Started Nothing Review
by Dan MacIntosh
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Most rock fans enjoy dancing as much as dance music fanatics do. They just don't often buy music specifically designed for dancing. But who doesn't dig B-52s and Talking Heads grooves? After all, these New Wave icons were both brainy and silly at the same time. Now along comes The Ting Tings, which is a British duo that ought to make rockers want to shake their groove things unashamedly.
Guitarist/vocalist Katie White sings with an unabashed British accent throughout, giving "Keep Your Head" plenty of driving, Go-Go's/Bangles guitar power, whereas "Shut Up And Let Me Go" is far more groove-y than plunky. In contrast, the single "That's Not My Name" spotlights drummer Jules De Martino's simple-but-direct drumming approach.
It's also easy to get behind White's tough talking lyrical approach. "That's Not My Name" is a song that explicitly advises potential suitors to get her name right, while "Shut Up And Let Me Go" wastes no time in telling a loser to shove off.
Manchester, England, this group's hometown, is a region better known for gloomy Gus's, like The Smiths and Joy Division. And while that city has also been home to a lot of dance music innovation, it has rarely produced anything as sparse and uplifting as The Ting Tings. These songs make you want to dance around the room like a child with too much sugar in his/her system. And while there is sexual tension, it's not the sort of naughtiness so prevalent in modern day R&B. It's a little like Tony Basil, only a whole lot smarter.
Few recordings sound as good at the skating rink as they do at a house party, but We Started Nothing is one of those few. Fun should not be limited to pre-teens at Jonas Brothers concerts, you know. The Ting Tings make joyful music for intelligent music fans who may be well on their way to forgetting what fun tunes felt like. Happily remember the good times with The Ting Tings.
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The Ting Tings - We Started Nothing
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