This Brooklyn duo are one of the perkiest bands in indie rock, routinely whipping crowds into a crazy-dancing frenzy with their cheerfully spry keyboard-and-drums tunes. On their third album, simplicity is key: Most songs are built around simple synth riffs, battered by booming percussion and topped by Matt Johnson's adenoidal voice. But Matt and Kim still cover a lot of ground, feinting at techno on the jittery "Block After Block," creating a sweeping orchestral sound on "Northeast." The album's best asset might be its pervasive optimism. "I hear that shoestrings tend to break/But they tie back together great," Johnson sings on "Where You're Coming From." Call it therapy you can spaz out to.
Keep up with rock's hottest photos in Random Notes.
