Already larger than life across the pond (4 upcoming summer tour dates in England already sold out!), Jacksonville, Fl.’s Black Kids are blowing up in the United States, due in part to the wildly catchy single “I’m Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance” (download). While many albums with that initial catchy single that spreads like wildfire fall flat, Black Kids’ Partie Traumatic keeps the high energy and dance jams coming.

Partie Traumatic kicks off the album in a huge way with sizzling keys and driving beats on “Hit The Heartbreaks.” Not only does it set the dance party vibe for the album, it establishes the band’s quirkiness by beginning the song with a knock knock joke for lyrics. Guitarist/vocalist Reggie Youngblood’s unique voice is absolutely distinctive with its rich and slightly melancholic tone as he belts, “you’re hitting the heartbreaks hard: / You’re still gonna crash ’cause you’re still after me.”

Synth laden hooks, pulsing bass lines from Owen Holmes and wall of sound choruses atop Kevin Snow’s infectious beats permeate Partie Traumatic from the disc’s electrifying title track straight through to smooth yet driving closer “Look At Me (When I Rock Witchoo).” The double backing vocals of Dawn Watley (keys) and Ali Youngblood (keys), reminiscent of Canada’s Creature, on “Listen To Your Body Tonight” are absolutely delicious before the ladies create a bridge rife with warped keys and hand claps. Reggie sings, “hello, this is your body / I want to feel a body on me,” betraying a penchant for sexually charged, self-conscious lyrics.

“Hurricane Jane,” Black Kids’ second UK single from Partie Traumatic, starts out a bit more subdued than the previous tracks, but features awesome bass lines and wonderfully warped keys drawing influences from the likes of Hall & Oates, the Bee Gees and most of the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever. The dance party that is Partie Traumatic only intensifies with “I’ve Underestimated My Charm (Again).” A snare heavy beat with a driving tambourine dares you not to get up and dance as Ali and Watley sing a chorus of onomatopoeias.

“I’m Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance” is sure to be the ubiquitous dance jam of the summer. Its infectious anthem-like chorus of “DANCE! DANCE! DANCE! DANCE!” is this summer’s punchy answer to the winter’s gun shots on M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes,” though infinitely less controversial. The track’s slick keys and group vocals pit it against the album’s other catchiest track “Love Me Already.” The pulsating percussion underlies a narrative Reggie sings about the fear of an unfaithful girlfriend and best friend with the most cuttingly poignant lyrics on the album, “why should she love you? / She knows you so well.”

With its lively melodies and vigorous beats, Partie Traumatic is set to be the party album of the summer. I can already feel the air cooling as the sun lowers on a Brooklyn rooftop while powerful beats and unabashed dance moves heat up.  Look for Black Kids’ Partie Traumatic out July 22, 2008 on Columbia Records.

Catch Black Kids live (dates below) as they tour Europe and hit many a summer festival before launching a headlining tour in the US come September.

Tracklisting:
01. Hit The Heartbreaks
02. Partie Traumatic
03. Listen To Your Body Tonight
04. Hurricane Jane
05. I’m Making Eyes At You
06. I’ve Underestimated My Charm (Again)
07. I’m Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance (download)
08. Love Me Already
09. I Wanna Be Your Limousine
10. Look At Me (When I Rock Wichoo)

Tour Dates:
Jul 02 – The Rescue Rooms / Nottingham, Eng. [SOLD OUT]
Jul 03 – The Cockpit / Leeds, Eng. [SOLD OUT]
Jul 04 – O2 Wireless Festival / London, Eng.
Jul 05 – Barfly / Liverpool, Eng.
Jul 07 – iTunes Live Festival at KOKO / London, Eng. (w/ Foals)
Jul 10 - Concorde 2 / Brighton, Eng.[SOLD OUT]
Jul 11 – Lounge On The Farm Festival / Canterbury, Eng.
Jul 12 – Oxegen Festival / Naas, Ire.
Jul 13 – T in the Park Festival / Kinross-shire, Scot.
Jul 18 – Latitude Festival / Southwold, Eng.
Jul 19 – Camp Bestival / Dorset, Eng.
Jul 25 – Santo’s Party House / New York, NY
Jul 29 – El Rey Theatre / Los Angeles, Ca.
Aug 01 – Lollapalooza Festival / Chicago, Il.
Aug 14 – Frequency Festival / Salzburg, Aus.
Aug 15 – Highfield Festival / Erfurt-Hohenfelden, Ger.
Aug 16 – Pukkelpop Festival / Hasselt, Bel.
Aug 17 – Lowlands Festival / Biddinghuizen, Net.
Aug 20 – Carling Academy / Newcastle, Eng. [SOLD OUT]
Aug 21 – Thekla / Bristol, Eng.
Aug 23 – Reading Festival / Reading, Eng.
Aug 24 – Leeds Festival / Leeds, Eng.
Aug 25 – Last Days Of Summer Festival / Buckingham, Eng.
Aug 29 – Rock en Seine Festival / Paris, Fr.
Aug 31 - Jersey Live Festival / Jersey, Eng.
Sep 05 – Bestival / Isle of Wight, Eng.
Sep 19 – Freebird Live / Jacksonville, Fl.
Sep 20 – The Social / Orlando, Fl.
Sep 21 – Crowbar / Tampa, Fl.
Sep 23 – The Earl / Atlanta, Ga.
Sep 24 – 40 Watt Club / Athens, Ga.
Sep 25 – Cat’s Cradle / Carrboro, NC
Sep 26 – Ottobar / Baltimore, Md.
Sep 26 – Black Cat / Washington, DC
Sep 29 – First Unitarian Church / Philadelphia, Pa*
Oct 02 – Paradise / Boston, Ma.
Oct 04 – Cabaret Musee Juste Pour Rire / Montreal, Qc.
Oct 05 – The Mod Club / Toronto, On.
Oct 06 – Metro / Chicago, Il.
Oct 07 – 7th Street Entry / Minneapolis, Mn.
Oct 10 – Neumo’s / Seattle, Wa.
Oct 11 - Richards on Richards / Vancouver, BC
Oct 12 – Hawthorne Theater / Portland, Or.
Oct 13 – The Fillmore Auditorium / San Francisco, Ca.

Black Kids: website | myspace | download, watch “I’m Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance” | watch “Hurricane Jane”
Columbia Records: website

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