Customer Reviews

Punk Debutante

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I was intrigued by Cooler Kids when I saw them open for Erasure in Detroit a few months back. Though completely unfamiliar with them, their brief performance and songs stuck in my head and I decided I'd buy their album when it came out. (Erasure ROCKED as always by the way...)

A few months later, the "Punk Debutante" CD is finally here. Having been a music fan/collector for 20 years (hey I'm only 32 - started young!) it's not often that a new album by a new artist completely takes me by (pleasant) surprise. This one does - I've already listened to it twice from start to finish and I've owned it less than 4 hours!

The songs here are cleverly written, arranged and flawlessly produced. They're fun, upbeat, catchy and ORIGINAL. The overall mood kind of reminds me of Madonna's self-titled debut album from 1983! The vocals are smooth with a tinge of playful attitude. Instead of going with current (BORING) trends of vocal acrobatics and "showing off" with no regard for melody, Sisely Treasure embraces the melody and actually SINGS it for a change! She becomes an element of the overall experience rather than just the focal point. The background vocal layerings are seamless and float in and out of the mix at all the right spots. The production style is right in step with what's been hot: vocorder effects, vocal manipulations, filters, deep bass etc. But it's all balanced and done very subtly without being overly obnoxious. The programming is stunning, creating a warm, lush, yet bouncy atmosphere to cradle Sisely's vocals.

Cooler Kids are tough to put in any single category, but as a diehard synthpop fan, I definitely classify them somewhere within the synthpop/electro genre. Maybe electro/disco would be even more accurate, as there is certainly a disco-pulse at the heart of the entire album. From irresistable rhythms, horn riff samples and subtle funky guitars to unexpected glorious electronic bleeps, whirs and fat synths - this album delivers a glimpse into the future of pop/dance music.

It's hard to choose favorite tracks as I honestly like each and every one! But at the moment the cuts that I tend to like just a bit more than the others would have to be "All Around The World" (the first single), "Morning Star", "Viva La Fever", "E is For Everybody", "Sugartown" and "Hook Up". All these could easily be lifted as singles for radio and transform into pumping club remixes as well.

One note - "Punk Debutante" does not contain a track titled "Life After Sex". It may have been cut from the final tracklist at the last minute for reasons as yet unknown. There is, however, a "hidden" track following "Blue Nile" - an electro remix of "All Around The World" which is quite good! In fact if you enjoy this album, definitely check out the single remixes of "All Around The World" and the Cooler Kids Megamix!

I highly recommend this album if you enjoy electronic/dance music. If you're looking for a return to good ole pop music with a futuristic flare, Cooler Kids and "Punk Debutante" will very likely satisfy your hunger!!!

Saw Cooler Kids In Concert & Loved This CD!, August 13, 2003
Reviewer: Michael A Andrews from San Francisco, CA United States
I saw the Cooler Kids in concert and was impressed by the energy on stage by lead singer, former Luscious Jackson bassist, Jill Cuniff. The music production is supplied by the second member, Brooklynite - DJ Kazimir. After I heard the All Around the World Megamix which included samples of several of the Cooler Kids title tracks on Punk Debutante, what a great introduction to the full length album. My personal favorites are: Blue Nile and Remember That Song! Parents will be pleased that Life After Sex was removed from the final edit.

Forget all the 1-star reviews.. this music is made for people that like music that you can dance to & listen to without having meaningful lyrics. It is highly addictive, care free, CATCHY CATCHY CATCHY (I cannot repeat that enough), energetic, & fun. My favorite pop album ever!

Punk Debutante could be best described as really cheesy dance music. I first heard Cooler Kids' "All Around The World" while listening to a net radio station. The song was catchy so I just had to buy the album. None of the other songs stood out as AATW, but they weren't that bad. I personally would not recommend this album to anyone. I mean, I listen to it on occassion but only when I want something to dance to or just to have something playing while driving. The music's fun but not to be taken seriously.

This is the most pointless music I have ever heard. (...) share it with friends and laugh it up, but don't expect anything that is actually good to be on it. It is the Plan 9 From Outer Space of music.