Release Notes

We Started Nothing: Release Notes: Muze 
British duo the Ting Tings make fun, immediately likeable music that combines elements of indie rock, dance music, and singsong mainstream pop. If the band's full-length debut, WE STARTED NOTHING, contained only their delicious singles "That's Not My Name," "Great DJ," and "Shut Up and Let Me Go," it'd be worth picking up, but the entire album seduces with its ragtag bubblegum smarts. The Ting Tings reference the 1980s (their aesthetic falls somewhere between that decade's underground dance music and Toni Basil's "Mickey"), but their clever, patchwork sensibility will also appeal to 21st-century postmodernists. One of the best pop debuts of 2008, WE STARTED NOTHING is pretty irresistible, but who would want to resist?On the Ting Tings' debut album, We Started Nothing, the duo's new wave-worshiping mix of dance and indie pop -- which grafts chugging guitar and bashed drums onto looping structures and proudly plastic keyboards -- is polished, but far from polite. Singer/guitarist Katie White's snotty, singsong vocal delivery and flat rhymes are part cheerleader, part playground chant, and a tiny bit of punk snarl; "That's Not My Name," on which White sneers "Are you calling me darling? Are you calling me bird?," even sounds a little like riot grrrl sloganeering filtered through a decade's worth of pop. Even when White sings more melodically, as on "Traffic Light" and "We Walk," the energy, attitude, and repetition can be grating, even if you're tapping your foot to the songs. However, the Ting Tings manage to stay on the catchy side with "Fruit Machine," a Lily Allen-ish bit of cheeky bordering on vindictive pop, and on "Keep Your Head" and "Be the One," which tone down the Ting Tings' energy to more manageable but still lively levels. "Great DJ" and "Shut Up and Let Me Go" (which sounds like a Yeah Yeah Yeahs parody/tribute) are also standouts, and it's no surprise they've been used in commercials -- they're so short and memorable, they feel like jingles waiting for products to endorse. Since they've got a real knack for writing songs that stick in your head whether you want them to or not, the Ting Tings' songs are fun in very small doses. ~ Heather PharesIn pop music, catchiness and obnoxiousness often go hand in hand, but on the Ting Tings' debut album, We Started Nothing, they're locked in a death grip. The duo's new wave-worshiping mix of dance and indie pop -- which grafts chugging guitar and bashed drums onto looping structures and proudly plastic keyboards -- is polished, but far from polite. In fact, the way the Ting Tings repeat their cheap and cheerful hooks until their listeners' ears are about to break often borders on annoying. Singer/guitarist Katie White's snotty, singsong vocal delivery and flat rhymes are part cheerleader, part playground chant, and a tiny bit of punk snarl; "That's Not My Name," on which White sneers "Are you calling me darling? Are you calling me bird?," even sounds a little like riot grrrl sloganeering filtered through a decade's worth of pop. Even when White sings more melodically, as on "Traffic Light" and "We Walk," the energy, attitude, and -- above all -- the repetition can still grate, even if you're tapping your foot to the songs. However, the Ting Tings manage to stay on the catchy side with "Fruit Machine," a Lily Allen-ish bit of cheeky bordering on vindictive pop, and on "Keep Your Head" and "Be the One," which tone down the Ting Tings' energy to more manageable but still lively levels. "Great DJ" and "Shut Up and Let Me Go" (which sounds like a Yeah Yeah Yeahs parody/tribute) are also standouts, and it's no surprise they've been used in commercials -- they're so short and memorable, they feel like jingles waiting for products to endorse. Since they've got a real knack for writing songs that stick in your head whether you want them to or not, the Ting Tings' songs are fun in very small doses. They're a singles band at heart, though, and they wear out their welcome all too quickly on We Started Nothing. ~ Heather Phares

Credits

Performer Ting Tings , The Ting Tings

We Started Nothing: MUZE Review
Muze

Rolling Stone (p.84) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "The Ting Tings toss in enough untreated guitars, grrrl-power lyrics and subsonic Moog blurts to give WE STARTED NOTHING a certain edginess."Q (Magazine) (p.143) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[S]imple and primary-coloured, prizing punchy rhythms over muso flash....The Ting Tings are testament to the fact that raw enthusiasm trumps technical ability every time."Mojo (Publisher) (p.109) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[A]ll bouncing beats, shiny samples and an invigorating knack for a pop tune.'Blender (Magazine) (p.76) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "Throughout this fresh, snappy debut, White's pert vocals fall into step with drummer Jules De Martino's choppy, hip-jerking rhythms, fleshed out with new-wave keyboards and multitracked harmonies."Clash (magazine) (p.119) - "WE STARTED NOTHING brims with endorphin rushing synths, spiky new-wave Strat attacks and aeons of neon-splattered, sexy-slick gusto."