TS&ENTERTAINME Bigmouth Strikes Again: Young & Sexy Won't Panic Kevin Lalonde, OP Columnist aeditor@gmail.com You know, I just sat here for 15 minutes trying to think of ings and themes of the album in perfect fashion (“Your a witty way of discussing Mint Records label-homies Enemy’s Asleep,” “5/4,” or Panic highlight, “Without Your Young & Sexy’s newest LP, Panic When You Find It, and in Love’), but can still rock out on the peppy side of the pop particular, the track “All the Little Boys and Girls.” You’d spectrum with bull’s-eye accuracy. “The Curious Organ,” YOUNG think the jokes would write themselves. But alas, all that or even the aforementioned “All the Little Girls and Boys,” VE AND came into my head over and over was “goddamn, this is for example, show a strong kinship with Belle and /SEXY some awesome pop music.” Not exactly the razor-sharp Sebastian’s more spry and lively work. So you see, it’s not * ir witticism I’d hoped for. just the “and” qualifier that makes ‘em so cool, you know. Ms 3 Panic is Young & Sexy’s third full length, and I can say Strong melodies and excellent percussion highlight the ~~ we with some confidence that it kicks ass. Panic is no doubt entire album as well, giving it a tighter, more sophisticated their most ambitious project, and finally effectively repro- feel than Young & Sexy’s previous releases like 2001’s Stand duces the power of their live show on a take-home-and- Up For Your Mother. Sporting beautiful, lilting guitar pro- 5 groove-to-with-your-girlfriend format. Those of you who gressions and even the occasional horn or two, Panic, as a he) were cool enough to attend their February 23 show at the whole, creates a beautifully luxuriant and blossoming Red Room, with the Doers and fellow Mint labelmates the — soundstage for co-vocalist Paul Hixon Pittman to bust out os ~*~ : Po Buttless Chaps, will know what I’m talking about. A hun- his Vancouverized brand of Brit-pop vocals, and he does = > { - dred people, all standing in a bar, swaying silently to the so to lovely effect I might add. I won’t bother to quote any 7 Bt + ever-growing, lush, and remorseful ups and downs of of the lyrics, however. Reading them on paper will never - ON * “Without Your Love,” and all of them thinking to them- do them justice, so you'll just have to go out and listen to : patna selves “if only I had this in my car stereo...I’d be getting it. INV laid for sure tonight.” This is how I will always remember All in all, Panic When You Find It is an excellent album, seeing Young & Sexy live. littered with perfect melodies and heartbreaking themes Primary vocalist Lucy Brain lends energy to Panic that that leave you pretty well satisfied, if even still feeling makes it un-ignorable, even to the most casual listener. Her alone. And oh yeah, it has wicked black and white cover powerful voice communicates the harsh, bittersweet feel- art. It’s rad. Kooky, Inside and Out Chloe Crowson, OP Contributor INSIDE IN THE INSIDE OUT KOOKS val). Here’s why... Enough with the Brit bands already! We get it. Accents are cool, skinny guys are cool, and, yeah, it’s just nifty that the CD is classified as an import. But serious- ly...enough. All ranting aside, you’d be missing out if you wrote off The Kooks just because they hail from Brighton, England. UKers were waiting eagerly for the debut album when it was released in January, and North Americans are starting to share the enthusiasm (fueled by a pending appearance at the SXSW music festi- Inside In/ Inside Out moves away from the moody mod music you get in hefty portions and into upbeat tunes that get feet tapping and heads bopping. And they do it without sacrificing lyrical integrity or emotion. It’s music that gives an energy ue es boost without cutting out the “that line says it all” element. Because of all this and more, I even love their ode to the proportionally predictable “Jackie Big Tits.” In the music-review world, songs like “Eddie’s Gun” and “Seaside” are getting lots of approval, but, unfortunately, they just don’t best showcase the originality.of The Kooks. Instead, look to guitar-focused tracks like “She Moves in Her Own Way” and “Naive” for demonstrations of the niche The Kooks will occupy. Expect Inside In/ Inside Out to become your new around-the-house music. And remember...there’s nothing wrong with dancing it out...in your socks and under- wear...while singing into a dish-brush microphone. Who: The Kooks, formed in 2004 What: Inside In/Inside Out, their first album When: Released in January in the UK, February 28 in North America Where: No Canadian performances scheduled. Head down to Texas to see them in March.