Sarandon: Kill Twee Pop!

Sarandon: Kill Twee Pop! It's so hard to gauge an album named Kill Twee Pop! It could be hardcore; it could be an ironic twee pop album title. To my (welcome) surprise Sarandon is neither twee pop nor hardcore. Kill Twee Pop! is the sophomore album from English trio Sarandon. The band plays a mix of post-punk and indie rock. In some ways Sarandon wears their influences on their sleeves. From the first notes of the first song, unimaginatively named "Kill Twee Pop!", the listener can tell Sarandon is heavily influenced by Gang of Four, Pere Ubu, and The Fall. Their guitars are sloppy and often dissonant. The vocals are a mix between talked and yelped with very little melody behind them. The bass is heavy and extremely rhythmic. The drums are disjointed and chaotic. Although all of those elements may sound like a bad thing, the truth is Sarandon has a certain "je ne sais pas". It could be their sense of urgency or their addicting energy, but Sarandon's Kill Twee Pop! is more than an enjoyable listen, it might be one of the best records of the year. Rating: 9.2/10 MP3: Sarandon "Lippy"