This should put a little swing in your step. Yesterday, Pitchfork Media reported that the pep squad of British pop, The Go! Team, are embarking on an international tour to support their forthcoming album Rolling Blackouts. The LP, which features a menagerie of guest collaborations, is slated for a Feb. 1 release Stateside. As an added bonus, the hallowed online rag posted a clip of the song “Buy Nothing Day,” which features an appearance from Best Coast's Bethany Cosentino.
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The sunny-sweet jam is just what one would expect from a meeting of such supremely pop-oriented minds. The Go! Team rocks their usual cheerleader chorus backed by a Wall of Sound arrangement and Cosentino's pretty voice spouting a catchy hook.
While the song doesn't fail to please, my fear is this tune will set fans up for disappointment down the road. Before you flood my inbox with vitriolic comments, be forewarned: This blog post isn't idle-hating. I really like the Go! Team. Just fire up the iPod and listen to a song such as “We Just Won't be Defeated” off 2004's Thunder, Lightning, Strike, with its anthemic chorus and Rocky-style trumpets–it definitely files the edge off a 2-mile jog. Songs such as “Everyone Is a VIP to Someone,” with its sad melodica refrain and revolving banjo hook, spark maudlin feelings yet maintain an inspirational je ne sais quoi.
But take a look at any number of the Go! Team's live performances on YouTube, and you will see they've had their share of difficulties re-creating that studio magic live. Visibly exuberant front woman DJ MC Ninja can't double- or triple-track her voice the way she does in the the booth, which leads to painfully flat renditions of otherwise-good songs.
What's more, no matter how many wonderful collaborations the band had in the studio, it's unlikely they'll be able to perform nightly with this stable of guests. Just how much will the band from Brighton benefit from the added help? Check out this performance from Coachella 2006 and decide for yourself.
