Saturday 3 October 2009

Album Review: Karen O And The Kids – Where The Wild Things Are




The Yeah Yeah Yeahs' It's Blitz! is still up there as one of Helen Of Troy's favourite albums of 2009, so hats off to Karen O, who's made it into our top ten list again with her delightful soundtrack to Where The Wild Things Are.


Recorded in the guise of Karen O And The Kids, this gorgeous 14-track collection of lullaby-like ditties and shouty, hand-clappy floor-fillers is a delightful diversion from Ms O's day job, and sounds like it'll be the perfect fit for Spike Jonze's freakin' amazing-looking film, Where The Wild Things Are (scheduled for release on Dec 11).

Tracks like All Is Love, Rumpus and Capsize sound like The Yeah Yeah Yeahs playing in a sandpit with The Flaming Lips and The Polyphonic Spree; a joyous, smile-inducing soundtrack to the best kids' party ever.

Where The Wild Things Are isn't all jelly, ice cream and primary coloured happiness, however. Tracks like Worried Shoes and Hideaway portray perfectly the doubt, confusion and sadness that play a part in almost every person's childhood.


Helen Of Troy...'s fear of the pre-pubescent would normally have us running a mile from any album featuring or aimed at children, but Where The Wild Things Are is an absolute joy and the perfect antidote to the doom and gloom of (supposed) adulthood in 2009.

The lovely people at Spotify have put the album up already, so have a listen, fall in love, and let us know what you think.

spotify:album:1GJHGVV5KGS2cV0oBc58VQ

9/10

1 comment:

Unknown said...

The album is not available on Spotify in Finland unfortunately so I'll have to wait to listen to it another time.

I did found one of her earlier records though:
http://open.spotify.com/album/117aBmwRTGuHfuVbyw0ZlD
To be honest, on the basis of that, I'm not holding such high hopes for the soundtrack...