Clap! Clap!

You Love This!

Capturing a Clap! Clap! live show promised to be an unlikely endeavor, but the unruly Austin octet’s debut LP compensates for the corporeal experience by revealing surprisingly intricate compositions normally lost amid the sweat of the dance floor. Although debts to neo-dance-rock mainstays the Rapture, the Faint, and !!! are unavoidably transparent, You Love This! owes as much to 1980s progenitors Depeche Mode and New Order, especially in the melodic reverb of “Space Dance.” Emilee Ausmus’ soft swoons balance Joshua Mills’ anxiety-addled vocals on opener “Pressure of Your Pressure” and the drink-vs.-dance dialogue of “Troubles With Doubles,” while “Talk Shop” overlays synth beats with a rap courtesy of the Word Association’s Chief. The emocore finale, “Coach,” featuring the brutal growls of Oceanus frontman Jeff Truth, provides the album’s only misstep, but “Dr. Doctor!” and “Props to the DJ” ensure that clubs will love this.

***.5

This article appears in July 6 • 2007.

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Doug Freeman has been writing for the Austin Chronicle since 2007, covering the arts and music scene in the city. He is originally from Virginia and earned his Masters Degree from the University of Texas. He is also co-editor of The Austin Chronicle Music Anthology, published by UT Press.