Riddlin’ Kids
Hurry Up and Wait
Aware
Pop punk about girls. That’s a brand new idea… psych! At least it’s not too obnoxious. The vocals are at a nice level, gritty and expressive like Tim Armstrong, but not as indecipherable. The Kids keep the “woah-oh’s” to a thankful minimum and refrain from excessive harmonizing.
A couple of the tunes are insanely catchy and will stick in your head like last night’s Ramen noodles stick to the counter. The hooks of “Here We Go Again” and “Pick Up the Pieces” may cause unconscious head bobbing. The album ends with a surprisingly faithful cover of R.E.M.’s “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine).” All the words are there – I checked. Twice.
One secret weapon the band possesses is its all out energy and earnestness. I think it’s an Austin, Texas thing, because I felt the same way about The Impossibles. There’s a genuine love for the music. I didn’t hear the country or blues influence that the press release boasted about, but both bands definitely have that down-home feeling. I’ve seen the Riddlin’ Kids live and I can tell they’re not out to be revolutionaries; they’re just out to have a good time.
And as long as they’re not obnoxious about it, they’re OK by me.
Riddlin’ Kids: http://www.riddlinkids.com
