Innerpartysystem get the party started

By Kieran Layton Innerpartysystem Innerpartysystem Island Records Rocks Like: The Killers,… By Kieran Layton Innerpartysystem Innerpartysystem Island Records Rocks Like: The Killers, The Bravery, Muse Grade: B- ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ There’s a whole genre out there infusing old-fashioned punk sensibility into guilty pleasure dance albums. ‘ ‘ ‘ You know what I’m talking about ‘mdash; those CDs you listen to when you’re locked in your room jumping around in your underwear? No? Come on. ‘ ‘ ‘ Innerpartysystem ‘mdash; and yes, it is all one word ‘mdash; is the answer to your dilemma. ‘ ‘ ‘ Innerpartysystem’s smart techno beats and poignantly angst-ridden lyrics are topped off with a healthy dollop of indie credibility to amount to a marginally successful debut album. ‘ ‘ ‘ The self-titled release should almost assuredly find an audience, particularly with scenesters seeking out the next big band to like for two weeks before the group becomes ‘too commercialized’ for their tastes. The same was true for The Bravery four years ago, Warped Tour darlings 3OH!3 one year ago and Panic! at the Disco, well … never. ‘ ‘ ‘ Describing a band’s sound as ambient is pretty much the kiss of death for those looking to push their music into the mainstream. So for Innepartysystem, semi-ambience may be more appropriate. The odd assortment of sounds and noises that punctuate every track leave a unique overall impression on the listener. ‘ ‘ ‘ Unfortunately, that impression isn’t exactly the revelatory, ground-shaking experience the band strives for. ‘ ‘ ‘ The first single from the album, ‘Don’t Stop,’ uses a staccato rhythm of various pitches to drive forward a listener-friendly disco jam. It’s Innerpartysystem version of ‘Somebody Told Me,’ the song that gave The Killers instant acclaim and popularity. This is the track most likely to hook Innerpartysystem an audience. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘Obsession,’ a borderline-creepy stalker’s anthem, also uses this dance-happy style and repetitive chanting to make the listener feel like they are in a pop-punk rave. ‘ ‘ ‘ One setback the album encounters is the constant threat of it delving into pure silliness. ‘ ‘ ‘ On ‘This Empty Love,’ a mid-tempo track that pushes the boundary of the acceptable usage of sounds that belong in a science-fiction opera, uses ‘This empty love leaves us alone’ as its chorus. ‘ ‘ ‘ While I thought one-dimensional lyrics were neo-punk’s biggest problem, apparently I need to make room for lyrics that use vague, nonsensical abstractions. ‘ ‘ ‘ The melodramatic opener ‘Die Tonight Live Forever’ slowly builds to a pulsating series of synthesized guitar riffs set under vocals that are so digitally altered, it makes Britney Spears’ recent vocal stylings sound downright natural. The song is pure, digitally-altered escapism. ‘ ‘ ‘ The biggest problem with Innerpartysystem is that practically every song sounds so unique on its own that, in the context of an entire album, the music melts together, and it becomes very difficult to distinguish between individual tracks. ‘ ‘ ‘ This may indeed be what the band aims for, but if it is intentional, they need to fine-tune their skills. ‘ ‘ ‘ What should be a rousing disco punk CD turns into something that you could fall asleep to toward the end. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘New Poetry’ and ‘This Town Your Grave’ could not present themselves as better examples of what ‘filler tracks’ are, and it’s unfortunate, because they are rather interesting lyrically. Ultimately, they get lost and forgotten on the vast soundscape the album presents. ‘ ‘ ‘ The CD closes on a good note, though. ‘What We Will Never Know’ is as ballad-like as any song the band produces could be. It’s a melancholy admittance of defeat, as the vocalist Patrick Nissley admits, ‘You will love again / One day you will / But I can’t.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ I have faith that one day Innerpartysystem will put out an album where every song will show the band at the top of its genre-bending game. ‘ ‘ ‘ But until then, I’ll just keep dancing in my underwear to the few good tracks on this one.