The Go! Team
It’s hard to know whether the debut CD from The Go! Team is good music, or if we’ve just been nurtured our entire lives to love this CD. The London buzz-band’s music is a combination of retro-hip hop, 80s dance floor vamps, and soundtracks to A-Team chase scenes. It’s a retro vein that hasn’t been explored this well or with this much enthusiasm. And you have to wonder it’s taken so long.
As a suburban youth growing up amid 1980’s pop culture, the music just feels good. The indie-rock in me doesn’t like to dance, but the 80s child in me wants to groove out to “The Power Is On.” Pitchfork’s response to Thunder, Lightning, Strike: “I tried to escape. They opened throttle in pursuit with amphibious helicopters, talking cars, and TV fanfares.”
Certainly samples play a part in this music; but The Go! Team bring an energetic enthusiasm for this music seemingly devoid of irony. The recording bumps - huge drum sounds and handclaps fill the speakers. The wild card in the mix is the occasional appearance of a Sonic Youth-style guitar riff. It’s a stylistic surprise, but the sense of adventure is consistent and perfect.
Due to licensing issues with the many samples, this CD has been notoriously dificult to find in the US, but it is now available as a $10 download from Bleep.com. Apparently, the band has recently signed with an American major label whose team of lawyers is working hard to clear the music for an American release.