The Phoenix Network:
 
 
About  |  Advertise
Adult  |  Moonsigns  |  Band Guide  |  Blogs  |  In Pictures
 
CD Reviews  |  Classical  |  Live Reviews  |  Music Features
Nominate-best-2010

Tiga | Ciao!

Last Gang (2009)
By MIKAEL WOOD  |  June 15, 2009
3.0 3.0 Stars

090619_tiga-main
This Montreal-based electro-house dude made his name with slyly straight-faced covers of Nelly's "Hot in Herre" and Corey Hart's "Sunglasses at Night," and on his second studio disc, he doesn't appear hugely concerned that his original material should sound all that original. Anyone up to date on the current dance-punk scene would have little trouble taking most of these 11 songs as outtakes from recent albums by such higher-profile acts as Soulwax, LCD Soundsystem, and Simian Mobile Disco. (In fact, Soulwax co-produced the majority of Ciao!, and LCD's James Murphy contributed to a handful of cuts.)

Fortunately, when it comes to dance-punk records, originality matters about as much as sophisticated lyrical content — which is to say, not at all. Far more important are killer bass lines, body-rocking drum beats, and synth riffs that sound imported from an eight-bit video game — key components that Tiga offers in abundance in the likes of "Sex O'Clock" and "Shoes." The latter features an argument between our headliner and a ladyfriend over whether she should let him comb her hair. How will they ever decide!?
Related: Review: Ciao, Bearstronaut | Broken Handclaps, Super 8-Bit Brothers | Brawl, More more >
  Topics: CD Reviews , Entertainment, Music, Music Reviews,  More more >
  • Share:
  • Share this entry with Facebook
  • Share this entry with Digg
  • Share this entry with Delicious
  • RSS feed
  • Email this article to a friend
  • Print this article
HTML Prohibited
Add Comment

[ 02/08 ]   Main Street Cruisers  @ Wolf Den @ Mohegan Sun
[ 02/08 ]   2nd Annual Middle Eastern Festival  @ Berklee Performance Center
[ 02/08 ]   Collage New Music conducted by David Hoose  @ Longy School of Music
[ 02/08 ]   "Beat Research"  @ Enormous Room
ARTICLES BY MIKAEL WOOD
Share this entry with Delicious
  •   THE SOFT PACK | THE SOFT PACK  |  February 03, 2010
    This Los Angeles foursome first emerged in 2008 as the Muslims, a name they elected to change after they grew disgusted with and exhausted by all the ignorant — and often racist — bullshit that came out of people's mouths during shows/interviews/conversations.
  •   PRIESTESS | PRIOR TO THE FIRE  |  January 27, 2010
    Now Priestess are back in Indieland, rubbing denim-clad elbows with the likes of Nebula and Black Math Horseman.
  •   LAURA VEIRS | JULY FLAME  |  January 19, 2010
    Thanks to the string of albums she's released over the past decade or so, this Portland-based folkie has cultivated a reputation as a gifted chronicler of the outdoor experience.
  •   ANIMAL COLLECTIVE | FALL BE KIND  |  December 16, 2009
    This nifty little five-track postscript to January's celebrated Merriweather Post Pavilion demonstrates further how adept the members of Animal Collective have become at deploying their bottomless bag of electro-psych tricks in the service of songs.
  •   BIG STAR | KEEP AN EYE ON THE SKY  |  December 09, 2009
    Like most Big Star fans, author Robert Gordon overheats a little in the biographical essay that accompanies this handsome four-disc box set.

 See all articles by: MIKAEL WOOD

MOST POPULAR
RSS Feed of for the most popular articles
 Most Viewed   Most Emailed 



  |  Sign In  |  Register
 
thePhoenix.com:
Phoenix Media/Communications Group:
TODAY'S FEATURED ADVERTISERS
Copyright © 2010 The Phoenix Media/Communications Group