ALBUM REVIEW
Junior Senior
D-D-Don't Stop the Beat
Release Date: 08.05.03
Record label: Atlantic
Genre(s): Rock
Move Your Feet and Feel United
by: bill aicher
Anyone who's been paying attention to MTV2 or any of the buzz on the latest music videos couldn't miss the debut video from Junior Senior. Featuring mid-80's style CGI animation from Shynola (yes, the same people behind Radiohead's CGI "Pyramid Song" video) as the backdrop for their giddy little electro-new wave dance track, "Move Your Feet," it's one of the more entertaining song and video combinations in quite some time... not to mention that the song is catchy as hell.
Of course, you're probably all wondering what the rest of the disc is like (unless you've been smart and bold enough to pick it up already). And if you're looking for repetition of the electro-dance kitsch mastery of "Move Your Feet" you'll probably be disappointed.
Not that D-D-Don't Stop the Beat is a bad album, hit singles aside - in fact, it's likely to be this year's big party album. However, it should be noted that nothing here falls into the same sonic vein as "Move Your Feet." In fact, nothing here really falls into the same vein as anything else on the album. Rather, what this Danish duo has done is create a happy-go-lucky collection of surf-rock, new wave, garage rock, and electronic party masterpieces.
From the album's leading self-congratulating new wave pseudo-anthem, aptly titled "Junior Senior" ("Go Junior / Go Senior / Go Junior Junior Senior!") to the early-Stones sound of "Boy Meets Girl" to the 60's surf-rock freakout of "Rhythm Bandits" and the B-52's-meet-Happy Mondays "Shake Your Coconuts" no genre is left untouched... so long as it's a fun genre, that is.
Lyrically, D-D-Don't Stop the Beat isn't going to win any awards, but then again Junior Senior obviously haven't set out to. Most everything here revolves around being "rhythm bandits" and boys and girls shaking their coconuts "until the milk comes out." It's about as gooey and self-indulgently sweet as a box of melty chocolate... which is exactly what a damned good party disc is supposed to be. 19-Aug-2003 4:30 PM