Black Kids Issue #37

On the heels of immediate Internet success, the Florida band brings a serious pop Partie

By Lindsey Anderson
Published: September 1st, 2008 | 10:30am

“It’s a strange thing — for years we only played the same two bars perpetually in Jacksonville,” says Black Kids singer-guitarist Reggie Youngblood. In the midst of hefty summer-fall tour when we caught up with him in June, the former nanny and substitute teacher is waking up in a different city every day. “It’s a bit of a mind-fuck, but a sweet one.”

The Floridian quintet gained momentum in August 2007 after posting their four-song EP, Wizard Of Ahhhs, on its MySpace page and playing a small indie music festival called Popfest in Athens, Georgia. Within six weeks, music blogs blew up the band and Idolator threw an editorial fit titled “The Black Kids Hype Must Be Stopped,” complaining that the band didn’t deserve the hype because they didn’t have an album under their belt.

But pissy press is better than no press. The buzz further propelled the band into a sort-of fanatic frenzy, landing the band a deal with Columbia Records to release its first full-length, Partie Traumatic, in July.

Black Kids consists of Reggie’s sister Ali Youngblood (vocals, key), Dawn Watley (keys, vocals), Owen Holmes (bass), and Kevin Snow (drums), who met in Sunday school as kids. Despite the band’s seemingly overnight success, Reggie says nothing dramatic occurred between Wizard and Partie. “We just continued to rehearse and write,” he says.

With professional musicianship as a longtime goal, Reggie and Ali are handling their burgeoning fame in stride. “I’ve always, somewhat foolishly, bet all my chips on playing music for a living,” Reggie says. “Blame it on stubbornness and discontent — being that I’ve daydreamed of my current life for years — everything that’s happening to us seems very natural and deserved.”

Ali agrees, admitting she’s always thought of herself as an entertainer at heart. “For me, this is normal,” she says. “I feel right at home with all the touring.”

Heading into the studio with about 17 songs in tow, with the help of producer and former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler, Black Kids whittled their repertoire down to 10 power disco pop pieces for Partie Traumatic.

And a Partie, it is. With a syrupy pop sound, Go! Team–like chants, sexy male and female vocals backed by busy keyboards, the album packs enough disco funk to keep the house swaying until 5 a.m. Wedged between the synth-heavy songs lies a pure melodic gem, “I’m Making Eyes At You” the Black Kids’ standalone ballad. “It’s a tender song that walks the line between yearning and pragmatism,” Reggie says, quoting lyrics, “I’ve desired you my entire life / Don’t ruin it by speaking.”

Do the Kids envision themselves trading in indie funk for anything else? “I have no desire to invent or innovate,” Reggie says. “I enjoy the restrictions we impose on ourselves — to work within a very basic pop structure with genres established. It’s fun to get creative within those boundaries. Besides, I think innovations are usually happy accidents. Pop music is still so, so young. I’m still in awe.”

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