Brighton Troop Prove They’re Still Hip to Pop

If it’s possible for any other band to have as much fun as the Go! Team, I haven’t heard it yet. Their blend of bombastic beats and criminally infectious cheerleader toned chants has placed them musically in a league of their own. In a blender blasted on puree are bits of Jackson 5 soul, iron guitar strings of the Pixies, and enough bubble gum pop to keep it all together. 2004’s debut Thunder, Lighting, Strike, was the experimental pop burst and adrenaline shot the genre needed. So why change? For better or worse on Proof of Youth their fight songs mixers have done little to grow out of their comfy gel’n shoes.

The Double Dutch recites and hip-hop theme songs are back but with a cleaner and wiser structure than Thunder ever had. The group has learned to contain themselves and layer with smarts but not stray far from their proven formula of repeat samples and banjo licks. ‘Patricia’s Moving Picture’ is a prime example of all the skills they’ve harnessed as it builds off opening Sonic Youth guitars and closes with the band’s tried and true drum melodica. These are not your hot dance floor numbers but instead a nerd obsession of beats and amusement. ‘Flashlight Fight’ is their best urban feel good tune yet thanks to Chuck D’s ever so lightly placed lyrics veiled by their signature lo-fi funk.

Apart from some new found control the album lacks much less than second-shot experiences. That is to say; it’s much of the same repackaged a bit neater. You still get the kid shouts and looped out mojo that placed them on the map. But Proof is much more of a stretched Thunder in that each song shows little difference from the inaugural release. Is more of the same necessarily bad? Their carefree approach starts to become more of a nuisance. As a result, all of Proof feels like a b-side of the last song - albeit a party in and of itself. But we’ve been to this party already and shook our asses off a few years back. With little to stand out this time around, Proof of Youth does nothing more than confirms The Go! Team mastered their crash and bump. Now it’s time to try something new.

Sean Kendall