In spite of their lo-fi disguises, Columbus’ Times New Viking are essentially a pop band — a rickety, trebly, blurry, hissy pop band, but a pop band nonetheless. On “DROP-OUT,” the most recent song released from their forthcoming Matador debut, Rip It Off, TNV not only obscure their pop leanings with their trademark, broken boom box production, but they also hide it further by cutting the song abruptly at the one minute mark. Could “DROP-OUT” benefit from another verse, or two? Maybe. Others may prefer a cleaner, clearer mix. Then, again, as I think back to TNV guitarist, Jared Phillips’ interview with People With Animal Heads, and his thoughts on lo-fidelity, “We just like to make records that evoke a unique atmosphere, putting our sound in a different place, perhaps one that’s a little more intimate,” I become convinced that “DROP-OUT” is pop perfect the way it is.
MP3: Times New Viking – DROP-OUT
Rip it Off by Times New Viking is due out January 22nd on Matador Records
