"The Nerds Started Something"

The Ting Tings - We Started Nothing

Record Label: Sony Music
Date of Release: June 3rd, 2008
Produced By: Jules De Martino

Track Listings:
1. Great DJ
2. That's Not My Name
3. Fruit Machine
4. Traffic Light
5. Shut Up and Let Me Go
6. Keep Your Head
7. Be the One
8. We Walk
9. Impacilla Carpisung
10. We Started Nothing

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a nerd. One of the many guilty pleasures I have are online discussion forums because, as corny as they are, they do provide some level of enjoyment and humor in my day. I came across a topic the other day about a band called ‘The Ting Tings’ and the poster said they were great and that everyone should give them a try. My first thought was: “Why should I take advice from some nerd on an internet forum that I’ve never met and that probably has poor taste in music?”. That’s when it dawned on me that, I am indeed a nerd myself, much like my Ting Tings recommending friend, and I don’t think I have poor taste in music. So was it worth putting some musical faith into a fellow nerd?

The Ting Ting’s are a British dance/punk duo that recently came out with their debut album, ‘We Started Nothing’. Easily topping the charts in the UK, the band has solidified itself into Rockstardom a mere two years after its formation.

The album impresses with its roster of tracks that combine punky vocals and instrumentals with a distinctly electro sounding backbeat. Lyrically, they won’t exactly blow the doors off Dylan, but that’s not what they set out to do in the first place. Tracks like ‘Great DJ’ and ‘That’s Not My Name’ impress in their ability to have that mainstream “hook” if you will, without sounding too overly mainstream at the same time. The combination of indie band and mainstream appeal are usually at odds with each other, but The Ting Tings have really got something on their hands here.

The other part of this album that impresses is the fluidity between the tracks, whilst avoiding the dreaded sameness that plagues several new bands. The more punky tracks like ‘Shut Up and Let Me Go’ and ‘Keep Your Head’ are very different to ones such as ‘Be The One’ and ‘Traffic Light’, which have sounds that are deliciously reminiscent of Broken Social Scene. Given these differences however, there is still a commonality between all the tracks that is subtle, yet instantly recognizable enough to be identified as nothing other than The Ting Tings.

Point to the nerds then? An emphatic “Yes!” from my end. I’m just hoping their musical recommendations are on par with their girl advice. You’ll know the result of that adventure based on the genre of music I write for my next review. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy what is sure to be a band that certainly has this nerd’s ear for time to come.


www.myspace.com/thetingtings
www.thetingtings.com