Teeny Boppers

Reviewed by Edward Rasen Jr., 2010-01-31

Another in the endless list of hot, fave, bad, awesome tween/teeny bands. Big on youthful exuberance but short on talent if you desire great musicians and songwriters. The band is comprised of Marie on lead guitar, Lauren on keyboards/piano/cello, Emma on bass and Johnny X on drums. No last names given.

I listened to this album four times because Melody Maker and NME mags in London raved about band. Apparently, their target reader is 16 years old because I was bored regardless if I listened in the morning, afternoon or evening.

If you think I am overly critical or simply not hip, then consider the lyrics from People We Want, the second track on the album:

She's eating lipstick and drinking champagne
She's dancing home
She's taking cocaine

All our lives
rolled into one
all our lives
we watch them gone

She's watching telly in somebody's house
she's feeling heavy
it's time to go out

repeat second stanza

If we go home
what happens now
If we stay on
we could be
the People We Want

Or consider PUNKA, track 10:

Hey Punka hey
how ya doin
hey punka hey
Are you staying true to you
cos thats what punkas do
I want to be a punka too

If you are 12 - 16 years old, you will probably like this band. If you are older than 16 or 17 years, you will want the latest indie band of the week or a band with real songwriters.

Great stuff

Reviewed by William Mercurio, 2001-04-02

Great album: catchy hooks, good tone and fun smart lyrics. Almost every song is a winner, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for a different yet still approachable sound. This is the only K I have, but it makes you want to hear more.

Late lamented power pop

Reviewed by Greg Keen, 2000-02-06

This is a superb debut album, full of bounce off the walls head bobbing tracks. Each new tune screams youthful exuberance more forcefully than the last until you feel it can't get any better... Then it does with the brilliant Punka. After Punka the album mellows considerably towards the beautiful Acetone. Oh yeah, it also possesses the best hidden track of anything I know, a one take acoustic song. If you like this album you should check out anything by Helen Love.

What Teen Pop Should Be

Reviewed by Anonymous, 1999-10-31

If you're anything like me, you're really bored of the blandness of the prefab teen idols that currently pollute MTV and the airwaves. All of them sing the same songs, which sound like heartsick pleas or begging for forgiveness. Therefore, I find it refreshing to see a group of teenagers unapologetically arrogant.

I had seen the video for "In Your Car" on M2, and I thought the song was catchy. Soon, I went out and bought the album, listened to "In Your Car", a couple of other songs, and stashed it away, where it sat for months. Later, I got the album out again and listened to the other tracks, and the music started to grow on me. I ended up liking "The People We Want" more than I liked "In Your Car". At first, I kinda thought they were a contemporary Blondie, but when the album grew on me, I could hear a young David Bowie, The Who, and Iggy Pop as well.

Let's hope that the young teen popsters of tommorrow will discover this CD- along with the work of Kenickie's peers- Bis and The Donnas- so that history won't repeat itself.

Big and bold, brash yet beautiful Brit Babes

Reviewed by Anonymous, 1999-08-30

From the start, this is not a boring Britpop album. It's full of feeling and energy right from the awesome 'PVC' and 'People we want' through to the close harmony of 'Acetone' at the end, which makes you wish the album wasn't ending. But wait.. There's a bonus track, which really shows the whole spirit of the band. Excellent