Junior Senior - Hey Hey My My Yo Yo
"Put on your pants, cause you just might wanna dance."
What are you talking about guys? Just might? When Junior Senior kick things off for their second album "Hey Hey My My Yo Yo", dancing is most certainly NOT optional. What? You haven't heard of the amazing 'Denmark Duo' Junior Senior? Well here's a blurb to bring you up to speed, brought to us by pitchforkmedia's Rob Mitchum:
I was once just like you. At shows, I would concentrate on remaining as still as possible, allowing only a tapping foot or nodding head to express any enthusiasm I had for the performer. When confronted with commercial radio, I would sneer and mime symptoms of illness, bemoaning the factory-produced facelessness of pop music. My head was full of a taxonomy categorizing all artists I came across as "authentic" or "contrived," as judged by their biography, label affiliation, and oh yeah, occasionally, their music.
For years, I saw absolutely nothing wrong with this behavior, considering my musical health robust, even vibrant. But after an appointment with the vaunted Dr. People, I realized I was suffering from a rare illness: Indie Guilt Syndrome, or IGS for short. Though I thought my listening diet was healthily balanced, Dr. People diagnosed me with a serious deficiency of Vitamin F(un), which led to excessive behavorial inhibition during shows and caused me to miss out on hundreds of irresistibly catchy and fascinating songs against which I'd been prejudiced based on sales figures. To treat this condition, the good doctor prescribed a revolutionary new cure: Junior Senior's D-D-Don't Don't Stop the Beat.
Although "D-D-Don't Stop The Beat" was a wonder drug back in 2003, sadly, the prescription has run dry. One can only stomach the same brand of Vitamin F for so long, especially when the batch is as sugar coated as Junior Senior have made it.
Luckily they are back with a new variety:
Junior Senior - Hey Hey My My Yo Yo
In case you were slightly apprehensive about the fact that Junior Senior may not, in fact, be 'back on track', rest easy. Your fears will quickly be put to rest as the intro "Hello" ramps right up to the perfect disco/hip-hop breakbeat "Hip Hop A Lula". I DARE you to sit still. The disco-jangle continues on "Can I Get Get Get", this time with an added layer of sugar crystallized by Seniors stuttery chorus. Junior Senior know that once we 'break it down' as the 'boys say' we definitely don't wanna get back up.
But what is this? Just when we thought things couldn't get any sweeter, the stars start shining and shimmering as they descend upon us through our speakers on the next track "Take My Time". What is that in the sky? Is it a bird? Is it a plane? NO! It's the SS Bubblegum-Disco piloted by Junior Senior and it's coming in for a landing in your head. They've come to banish all the bad thoughts in your brain and take you away to the most colorful and feel good dance party in the universe.
They don't let up through the next two songs, requesting that someone 'give me a beat that I can, give me a street where I can, give me a beat that I can... dance to' on "Itch U Can't Skratch". "We R The Handclaps" brings attention to the fact that Junior and Senior do indeed heart themselves a few handclaps.
The problem with things that seem too good to be true is that, well, they usually are. As the second half of the album plays out, things sour slightly. "I Like The Music (W.O.S.B.)" doesn't have as much life in it as the first seven songs, while the twangy strings on "Ur A Girl" and the repetitive choruses of "No No No's" and "Happy Rap" border on annoying.
Although the second half of the album pales in comparison to the first, there is a gem hiding near the end in "Dance Chance Romance". Even the title is grinworthy. As the Jackson 5 jangle is 'hallelujah-hallelujahing' you'll ask yourself where on earth they got the 12 year old Michael. Do they have a cloning machine on the ship? Oooh wait, that's Junior.
Have you ever been to a self-serv ice cream bar? "Hey Hey My My Yo Yo" is similar to when you finish dispensing the perfect mix of vanilla/chocolate twist and then douse it in sugary, colorful, candy sprinkles. At first it's so good that you can't possibly imagine anything on earth that could be better, but halfway through you realize that you might be getting sick. Luckily the initial sugar rush is more than enough to justify indulging yourself. Give it a try, you just might find a 'high five moment in time' to cure yourself of that IGS you've been suffering from. Surely, a Vitamin F deficiency is no laughing matter.
What are you talking about guys? Just might? When Junior Senior kick things off for their second album "Hey Hey My My Yo Yo", dancing is most certainly NOT optional. What? You haven't heard of the amazing 'Denmark Duo' Junior Senior? Well here's a blurb to bring you up to speed, brought to us by pitchforkmedia's Rob Mitchum:
I was once just like you. At shows, I would concentrate on remaining as still as possible, allowing only a tapping foot or nodding head to express any enthusiasm I had for the performer. When confronted with commercial radio, I would sneer and mime symptoms of illness, bemoaning the factory-produced facelessness of pop music. My head was full of a taxonomy categorizing all artists I came across as "authentic" or "contrived," as judged by their biography, label affiliation, and oh yeah, occasionally, their music.
For years, I saw absolutely nothing wrong with this behavior, considering my musical health robust, even vibrant. But after an appointment with the vaunted Dr. People, I realized I was suffering from a rare illness: Indie Guilt Syndrome, or IGS for short. Though I thought my listening diet was healthily balanced, Dr. People diagnosed me with a serious deficiency of Vitamin F(un), which led to excessive behavorial inhibition during shows and caused me to miss out on hundreds of irresistibly catchy and fascinating songs against which I'd been prejudiced based on sales figures. To treat this condition, the good doctor prescribed a revolutionary new cure: Junior Senior's D-D-Don't Don't Stop the Beat.
Although "D-D-Don't Stop The Beat" was a wonder drug back in 2003, sadly, the prescription has run dry. One can only stomach the same brand of Vitamin F for so long, especially when the batch is as sugar coated as Junior Senior have made it.
Luckily they are back with a new variety:
Junior Senior - Hey Hey My My Yo Yo
In case you were slightly apprehensive about the fact that Junior Senior may not, in fact, be 'back on track', rest easy. Your fears will quickly be put to rest as the intro "Hello" ramps right up to the perfect disco/hip-hop breakbeat "Hip Hop A Lula". I DARE you to sit still. The disco-jangle continues on "Can I Get Get Get", this time with an added layer of sugar crystallized by Seniors stuttery chorus. Junior Senior know that once we 'break it down' as the 'boys say' we definitely don't wanna get back up.
But what is this? Just when we thought things couldn't get any sweeter, the stars start shining and shimmering as they descend upon us through our speakers on the next track "Take My Time". What is that in the sky? Is it a bird? Is it a plane? NO! It's the SS Bubblegum-Disco piloted by Junior Senior and it's coming in for a landing in your head. They've come to banish all the bad thoughts in your brain and take you away to the most colorful and feel good dance party in the universe.
They don't let up through the next two songs, requesting that someone 'give me a beat that I can, give me a street where I can, give me a beat that I can... dance to' on "Itch U Can't Skratch". "We R The Handclaps" brings attention to the fact that Junior and Senior do indeed heart themselves a few handclaps.
The problem with things that seem too good to be true is that, well, they usually are. As the second half of the album plays out, things sour slightly. "I Like The Music (W.O.S.B.)" doesn't have as much life in it as the first seven songs, while the twangy strings on "Ur A Girl" and the repetitive choruses of "No No No's" and "Happy Rap" border on annoying.
Although the second half of the album pales in comparison to the first, there is a gem hiding near the end in "Dance Chance Romance". Even the title is grinworthy. As the Jackson 5 jangle is 'hallelujah-hallelujahing' you'll ask yourself where on earth they got the 12 year old Michael. Do they have a cloning machine on the ship? Oooh wait, that's Junior.
Have you ever been to a self-serv ice cream bar? "Hey Hey My My Yo Yo" is similar to when you finish dispensing the perfect mix of vanilla/chocolate twist and then douse it in sugary, colorful, candy sprinkles. At first it's so good that you can't possibly imagine anything on earth that could be better, but halfway through you realize that you might be getting sick. Luckily the initial sugar rush is more than enough to justify indulging yourself. Give it a try, you just might find a 'high five moment in time' to cure yourself of that IGS you've been suffering from. Surely, a Vitamin F deficiency is no laughing matter.