A keyboard-and-drum duo is certainly a novel approach to indie rock, and the fact that such a group could produce catchy dance-punk songs without the aid of a guitar or bass is downright impressive. But two instruments can only accomplish so much together, especially within such a unique sound, and Matt & Kim's second release, "Grand," fails to build upon the band's previous success.
The Brooklyn duo, composed of Matt Johnson on keyboard and vocals, and Kim Schifino on drums, met at the Pratt Institute's school of architecture and started creating music in 2004. They quickly gained popularity playing shows across Brooklyn and promoting their interesting style of dance-punk via Myspace.com and Youtube.com. While their original self-titled album may have been considered groundbreaking, "Grand" is disappointingly repetitive.
It's not that the album isn't catchy or fun to listen to, but the same keyboard lines and drum beats seem to reappear in many songs. This repetition is most apparent in songs like "I Wanna" and "Lessons Learned." These tracks have beats worth dancing to and great synth lines that make them addictive, but for listeners who prefer a little more variety they may fall flat.
The album's first single, "Daylight," is its shining star, leaving no doubt as to why it was chosen as the lead track. The song is an exercise in pure musical pleasure, and Matt & Kim don't hide their pleasure while playing this song. The lyrics may be hard to interpret at first, but upon closer inspection it's evident that the song is an anthem for good times. Johnson chirps, "and in the daylight we can hitchhike to Maine/ I hope that someday I'll see without these frames," painting a picture of a carefree road trip and unbridled optimism for tomorrow.
The group capitalized on the brilliance of this song by including a remixed version of "Daylight," with an orchestral section and a slower tempo, as the album's closer. Though it is an interesting way to end an album and both versions of the song are musically different, some fans may feel cheated by a lack of effort.
Another gem is "Cinders," which is devoid of lyrics aside from Matt screaming a countdown at the beginning and end of the song. The track is short, much like the album itself, clocking in at under two minutes, but gives the band a chance to flex its musical muscle and write something somewhat varied from the other tracks on the album.
Unfortunately for Matt & Kim, the album doesn't build upon these tracks and develop into anything substantial, which is disappointing since the duo has a wealth of potential. Tracks like "Don't Slow Down" have an even greater lyrical intensity than "Daylight," but there is something missing: Johnson's keyboard parts are dull at best and provide little variety. "I'll Take Us Home" has just the opposite problem as Johnson's keyboard sections have very different melodies but Schifino seems to play the same beat over and over again. It's as if the two have trouble coordinating their talent. On many tracks, one shines while the other fails to make an artistic contribution.
On of the few songs that rates somewhere in between bad and good is "Good Ol' Fashion Nightmare." While the track falls victim to the same repetitive traps previously discussed, the way the simple and melodic singing of "Oh, like a good ol' fashion nightmare" harmonizes with the backing synth makes for a fun listen.
Despite the repetitive nature of "Grand," the album is not terrible by any means. Fans of Matt & Kim will enjoy the disc, though they may still prefer the band's first effort over this. New listeners will likely embrace the album outright, finding enjoyment in the unique combination of indie and dance music.
Matt & Kim will be coming to the House of Blues in Boston on March 22.
