The Ting Tings

Sounds From Nowheresville (Columbia)

Considering the rush to pan this slab, one would think the Tings had debuted with Abbey Road and answered with Chamberlain’s appeasement of Hitler. For fuck’s sake, they’re a pop band. Sure, they busted out of the paddock with commercial gold: hooky, Elastica-cum-cheer-squad hits “Great DJ,” “That’s Not My Name,” and “Shut Up and Let Me Go.” But Brit crits’ squawks of artsy pretense just ring petty. Nowheresville manages to pick up from the debut’s last/title track, the scrawly and confessional “We Started Nothing.” New lyrics, like “Everybody loves somebody to hate,” even seem to anticipate critics’ coat-turning. Granted, this is no five-star, but the disc’s greatest wobble is also its strongest suite: It genre-hops. If that creates gems like the XX-fueled “In Your Life,” so be it. Some advice for my colleagues across the pond? Shut up and let the kids sow their oats. (Fri., 1am, Stubb’s)

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This article appears in March 16 • 2012.

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